In the United States, homeowners experience power outages often. Though many of those outages are short, they still add up. In fact, the average person experiences about six hours without power throughout the year.
Though short outages aren’t a huge problem during most of the year, they can be difficult to deal with during the winter months when you rely on your heater to keep your house warm.
So, what can you do to stay warm when your family asks, “is the heat not working?” Here are a few tips to follow.
1. Pile on the Layers
The best way to stay warm during a winter power outage that shuts your heater down is to layer up. Start with a long sleeve shirt and layer on top of that. Remember, the more layers, the more body heat you’ll be able to retain.
If you have a winter coat, wear it inside. Make sure you’re wearing the warmest socks you have and consider putting your winter boots on while you’re indoors.
This will help you stay warm until you can get your broken heater fixed.
2. Close Off Empty Rooms
The more rooms you have in your home, the easier it is for heat to dissipate. Instead of leaving the doors wide open, close off the rooms you’re not using.
If you can, spread towels at the base of each door to block drafts and further trap heat where you can use it. You can even do this when your heater is working to reduce your energy bills during the coldest part of the year.
3. Make Use of Natural Light
Believe it or not, the sun can warm rooms up fast. Use this to your advantage and open the curtains and blinds during daylight hours.
You should notice at least a slight increase in the comfort of your space when the sun is shining in.
Just make sure to close the curtains and blinds at night. Once the sun sets, your rooms will start to cool down quickly. By covering the windows, you’ll keep that heat from escaping.
4. Call Your HVAC Contractor A.S.A.P.
If you find out that your heat’s not working, one of the first things you should do is call your heating contractor to schedule a repair appointment. They should be able to work you in quickly.
If they can’t or you can’t get a hold of them, you’ll want to look for a new contractor to make the necessary repairs and get your furnace up and running. Use this guide to help you figure out what to ask when you call each company.
Heat Not Working? Remember These Tips
Is your heat not working? It doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Just make sure to keep these tips in mind.
As long as you follow them closely, you’ll be able to stay warm even when a winter power outage shuts your heater off unexpectedly.
Looking for more tips to help you better prepare for winter storms and unexpected power outages? Check out our latest posts and learn what you need to do to get your home winter ready in no time.
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