Got The Late Winter Chills? How To Handle Those Freak Cold Spells
Posted on: 20 March 2018
It's just about time for cold weather to ease up and warm weather to begin, but in much of the country, cold temperatures still hold sway. Certain areas are in their usual spring routine of warm days followed by a cold front. These can be particularly frustrating if you've already started getting your home ready for spring and summer, putting away blankets and changing out your wardrobe. If you're getting hit with a late-season cold spell, you don't have to spend the time shivering. And while you may have to take out a few blankets again and use the heater, there are ways to make your house a bit warmer so that you won't have to resort to turning the heater on full blast.
Keep Blinds Open
As long as it's sunny, keep your blinds and curtains open. Let the light warm up the window glass, which will warm up the air inside your home. If you have dual-pane windows or window films that prevent a lot of warming up, still keep the windows and blinds open. You still will get a little extra heat transfering through. Remember, you're not trying to heat up your house immediately -- you're trying to add bits of heat here and there.
Double-Check the Ceiling Fan
If you have already switched the ceiling fan to send cool air down onto people's heads, or if you haven't been checking the fan's direction at all, make sure the fan is set to draw cool air upward. For most ceiling fans, the blades will rotate clockwise when the fan is at this setting. Because warm air rises, you want the blades of the fan to send warm air down and draw cool air up, rather than the opposite, which is what you would want in summer.
Change the Furnace Filter
If you haven't changed the filter in a while, change the furnace filter. A clean filter will help your furnace work more efficiently, so that when you use the heater during the cold spell, you won't force it to work extra hard while it warms up the house.
Watch the Fridge and Freezer
Keeping fridge and freezer doors closed is a handy way to conserve energy by not letting the interiors of the compartments warm up. At the same time, keeping the doors closed prevents cold air from escaping into the kitchen and cooling down the room.
All of this will help you stay warmer without having to drag too many blankets back out, and you shouldn't have to turn the heater up too much, though you may still have to use it. The cold spell will pass, and before you know it, you'll be trying to combat the heat. For more HVAC information, contact heating repair services.
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