When the temperatures outside are cold, you probably rely on your heater to keep your family warm. If your heater lets you down at the last minute, you might wonder how you can keep your family warm in the meantime. Although your first priority might be to call your heating repairman, your home can get cold more quickly than you think if you aren't careful, particularly if it's very cold outside. Luckily, following these tips can help you keep your home warm until the repairman arrives.
Keep Your Home Locked Down Tight
First of all, you should keep your home locked down as tight as possible to prevent any heat that's already in the home from escaping. Cover up your windows to keep any drafts from around them out, and keep your doors closed as much as possible. Discourage your family members from walking in and out, since that can allow cold air into your home.
Invest in a Small Space Heater
If it seems like it's going to be a long wait before your heating repairman is able to come out, consider investing in a small space heater. During the winter, you can usually find electric heaters at just about any home improvement store, mass market retail store or pawn shop. They're generally relatively inexpensive and can put out a surprising amount of heat in smaller spaces. Plus, they make great supplemental heat if you want to keep one part of your home warmer and cozier than the rest of the house after your furnace is fixed.
Crank Up Your Oven
In the past, some people would turn their oven on and leave the door open to bring heat into the house. This should be avoided because it is dangerous, but simply using your oven alone can be enough to warm up the kitchen and surrounding areas of your home. Plus, making a nice casserole or other baked dish can be another way to warm everyone up and bring some comfort during this chilly time.
Huddle Together
Consider having all of your family members gather in one room, particularly if you did opt to purchase a space heater. You can close the doors to the room and huddle up with blankets to best take advantage of body heat and to allow the space heater to really do its job.
Waiting for a heating repairman can feel like it takes forever when your house is cold. If you follow these tips, however, you should be able to keep your family nice and warm while you are waiting. If you're furnace is acting up, or you simply need a checkup, do a little online research to find websites of dependable furnace repair services, such as http://www.coeheatcool.com.
