There’s only so far you can turn up your heat before it starts becoming cost prohibitive. So what can you do – quick fix wise – when the heat’s blasting but you’re still chilled to the bone? As you might expect, you have choices galore.
Cover your windows: Go from room to room and pull those shades, draw those curtains and shutter up those blinds. While sunshine might have provided a heating boost during the day, leaving your windows uncovered gives that heat an easy escape hatch.
Put on your chef’s hat: Don’t just sit there watching The Food Channel, get up and do a little cooking of your own. The exercise itself will warm you to the bone as will your range or oven until well after the cooking is done.
Make a fort: We all did it when we were kids so why not teach that fine art to OUR kids. That’s it: grab some pillows, blankets, towels and sheets and get creative. Even a small indoor fort traps warmer air inside and can be 10-15 degrees warmer than the ambient room temperature. It’s also a fun distraction for your kids during a storm or power outage.
Drink something: Adding soup, cocoa, tea, or coffee to your body raises your core body temperature and, who knows, it might just hit the spot. Drinking something cold can also trigger your body into making itself warm again. Either way, drink up! Staying hydrated also helps your body better regulate its temperature.
Dance party! Never mind moving while, cooking, how about moving simply for the sake of moving?! That’s right, running, jumping, yoga, pushups, and lots of dancing are all great ways to keep warm. They also say that firewood warms you twice: once when you chop it, and a second time when you burn it. So, if you have any, get outside and chop up some firewood, shovel snow, or build a giant snowman! Just get your body moving and you’ll be warm in no time.
Dress for the part: Dress in layers, wear a hat while indoors, and even wrap yourself up in a soft, fluffy blanket. Snuggies, a bathrobe over clothes, or blankets with arms all help you stay warm without hindering your ability to get things done around the house.
Of course, you shouldn’t have to build forts or chop wood every waking minute just to keep warm inside your own home. At some point, it dawns on you that perhaps your heating system isn’t what it used to be. If you’re at the point now, contact Optimum Air so we troubleshoot the problem for you and recommend exactly the right course of action to help you heat your home affordably, all winter long.