10 Heating Tips for Winter
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The weather outside is frightful, but the warmth of your home is delightful. When you breathe out and your breath shows, call a pro, call a pro, call a pro. This winter don’t suffer through the cold of the season. The folks at Bill Howe Heating & Air are here to help you fill your home with a comfortable and ensure it stays that way. Here are ten heating and for winter to your home and keep it cozy during this season:
1. The Sun is Your Friend
Take advantage of the daylight by opening the blinds or drapes on any windows. Sunlight is a great way to give your home some natural warmth without running up your bill. When night falls, close the blinds and drapes to create insulation and preserve the air in your home.
2. Speaking of Windows
Weather-proofing your windows can have an amazing effect. Low windows sap your home’s warmth. An upgrade to storm windows will reduce loss but it will cost you a pretty penny to install. A cost friendly alternative is covering your windows with window shrink. They can be found at local drugstores and larger retail stores.
3. Insulation
Adding insulation to your and is the most effective way to maintain in the home. However, it is not the simplest task so call the professionals at Bill Howe Heating & Air to help. From here, our certified technicians can
4. Find the leak
No matter how you decide to your home, it is equally if not more important to keep it . If you fear there is a draft coming through your house use this handy test to locate it. Light a small candle or incense and slowly “trace” around the edge of your , , and vents. If the flame flickers or the smoke is being pulled it means there is a draft. Once you have located the draft make sure to block it using . or foam sealant works for non-movable sources (ex. ). For movable sources (ex. or windows) use weather stripping. If you own pets remember to check their pet door as they are prime culprits for drafts.
5.
thermostats are a great tool to help maintain warmth without high utility . You can preset temperatures to keep your home cooler when you are out of the house and warmer just before you get home. Save some more money by dropping the when you climb into bed and then raising it back up just before you wake up in the morning.
6. Furniture placement
There is nothing quite like the comfort of your favorite piece of furniture, but placing it in front of the heating register is a common mistake. Blocking the heating register means only that one piece of furniture absorbs all the warmth while the rest of the home remains cold. Rearrange your furniture away from the source to give a more even warmth within the room. The same goes for curtains or drying clothes. Any obstruction will cause your heater to work that much harder to your home.
7. Oven
Your heating system isn’t the only way to stay . Using your oven to cook dinner is an ideal way to your home and make food at the same time. Ovens radiate that spreads throughout the household. It is the perfect excuse to make cookies, cakes, and pies! Just tell yourself you are trying to stay .
8. Fireplaces
Fireplaces are the perfect picture of a cozy home. What you may not know is that your is a big loser. air naturally rises; fireplaces pull the air out of your home and it is lost up through the . When you are not using the close the to retain all the in your home. In order to keep the circulating reverse the rotation of your fans. Switching them to clockwise rotation with push the air outwards returning it to the ground level keep your home toasty.
9. Humidity
Winter air is incredibly dry which is part of the reason it is so cold. Adding humidity to the home will increase warmth and give it a cozy feeling. There are several to add moisture to the air. The simplest is buying a humidifier machine. For those who prefer a more homeopathic method you can add well-watered houseplants to your home, place shallow containers of on top of heating elements like a radiator, or dry your clothes on a drying rack inside your home (an added bonus: you will save money by not using your dryer). Be careful not to overdo the humidity though. If you see moisture buildup, also known as condensation, on your windows (not caused by a recent shower) then you’ve raised the humidity too high. The target range is 30-50% humidity.
10. Maintain What You Have
Above all else, the object that will keep your home warmest is a well-tuned and efficient heating system. An up-to-date heating system can be the difference between having a holly-jolly and receiving a lump of coal in the mail. To make sure your heating system is up to par, give the professionals at Bill Howe Heating & Air a call to schedule an inspection. During the inspection, a certified technician will inspect your in their entirety including the , vents, heating unit and thermostat.
With the cooler months right around the corner, the pros at Bill Howe Heating & Air can check your system to make sure your system or is running at maximum . Click below to set up your appointment or call 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) today.
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