Tips for Staying Warm | C.B. Lucas Heating & Air Conditioning

Furnace Broken? Stay Warm and Avoid Problems With These Tips

A broken furnace can be a big problem, especially when it’s really cold outside. A lack of heat can even be dangerous when the temperature outside becomes too cold. Fortunately, these tips can help you stay warm while you’re waiting for the furnace repairperson to come to your home.

Bake Your Way to Warmth

Bake casseroles, breads, cookies, and pies to warm your kitchen as well as your body. Unfortunately, you can’t eat all day, so if you’re baking more than you can eat to keep your kitchen warm, you’ll need a plan for the extra food you produce. Now is a good time to bake loaves of bread for gifts and casseroles for older relatives. Also, consider baking meals that you can freeze for nights when you work late.

Another way to stay warm by cooking is to put a pot of soup in the slow cooker. You and other members of your family can eat soup whenever you’re hungry or cold.

Drink Warm Beverages

Hot beverages can warm your body just like hot foods, and holding a mug that contains a warm liquid can keep your fingers comfortable and warm. Prepare a hot cider drink in a slow cooker, and keep it on a low temperature all day. You can drink as much as you want while the slow cooker produces heat to warm your kitchen.

Dress in Layers

Dress in layers to keep your body warm. For the under layer, choose a material that wicks away moisture and prevents your body from becoming damp and sweaty. Polypropylene is one of the best materials for the under layer, because it has good wicking properties, is flexible, and is also lightweight.

Wool and fleece are among the best materials to wear on top of polypropylene, because both insulate well and move freely. Wool can be heavy and itchy, but if you’re wearing a material underneath the wool, you should be comfortable enough. To keep in as much body heat as possible, wear a hat and scarf as well. Covering your head can prevent body heat from escaping through your scalp.

Get Cuddly

Cuddle up next to your family member or housemate. Spend time under a blanket on the couch to share body heat while also making the time go faster. If your furnace is broken overnight, sleep in the same bed with other members of your family. You’ll be able to keep each other warm if you snuggle together under the covers.

Exercise

Exercising produces body heat that warms you up while also warming the room around you. Exercising indoors is different from exercising outdoors because you have less space for moving around. Types of exercise that can keep you warm in a confined space include:

• Sit-ups
• Pushups
• Yoga
• Dancing
• Running in place
• Jumping jacks

If you’re in the house with other people, exercise together. Exercising in groups makes the activity more fun while also warming the room more effectively.

Stay in the Smallest Room

Small spaces are easier to heat than warm spaces. Staying in the smallest room and keeping the door shut can help you warm the space more effectively. Avoid leaving the room for any reason, to keep the warm air contained. If you must leave the room, open and close the door very quickly.

Protect Your Pipes

Your pipes rely on the heat in your home almost as much as you do. When the temperature in your home drops, your pipes may freeze and burst. To avoid problems, turn on the water and allow it to drip in each faucet. You can also protect your plumbing by wrapping exposed pipes in layers of newspaper or pipe insulation.

Know When to Go Someplace Else

The average low in Dumfries is around 25 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, and some nights are even colder! If your furnace breaks down in the middle of a cold snap, sometimes finding alternative shelter is the safest thing you can do. Especially if you live with someone who is very young, very old, or ill, look into alternative accommodations while you’re waiting for your heater to be repaired. Call a relative, stay with a friend, or check in to a hotel to ensure that you and other members of your household are safe.

Working with a reputable HVAC repair contractor who responds quickly to emergency situations is important. Your repair person can help you get your furnace back up and running as soon as possible on a cold winter day.

Contact Your HVAC Contractor for Additional Information

For more information about how you can stay warm when your furnace breaks down, contact your HVAC contractor. At C.B. Lucas Heating & Air Conditioning, we’re happy to answer questions about staying warm this winter. To find out more about dealing with a broken furnace, contact us today.