Winter in Missouri is always a little unpredictable, but we can be sure that more cold temps, blowing snow, and icy conditions are on the way. As you’re dusting off your snow shovel and suiting up in your heaviest winter clothes to clear the driveway this week, we’re sharing a few more tried-and-true heating hacks to keep your home cozy this winter.
If you haven’t already, you should check out some of our previous tips to help keep your home warm while not breaking the bank. And remember this: If your furnace is struggling this winter, ATS Heating & Cooling provides reliable (and always timely) furnace tune-ups and furnace repair in Springfield and surrounding areas!
1. Make sure your vents aren’t blocked. Your home HVAC system is designed to heat or cool your whole house, which means vents that are closed or blocked throw the whole system out of balance and make it work harder than it needs to. One of the first things you can do if your furnace seems to be running too much or heating your home unevenly is to make sure that all of your vents are open and unobstructed. Move rugs, furniture, or anything that might be in the way.
2. Block any drafts. While you want air to flow freely through your home’s vents, you’ll want to block cold outside air from getting in. Common culprits where drafts are concerned are outside doors and sometimes even windows. The easiest way to block a draft from a door is to get a door draft stopper. You can usually find these on Amazon or at your local hardware store. They’re fairly inexpensive, and they provide a decorative solution for keeping the cold air outside where it belongs.
3. Bake some cookies or make some soup. The stove and oven produce a surprising amount of heat. Baking or cooking up some warm snacks or meals will make you feel warm and cozy, and eating those delicious fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies will help warm you up and keep you feeling comfy. When you’re finished baking, you can leave the oven door open just a crack to let the heat warm your kitchen, but be sure the oven is turned off first! It’s also not a great idea to leave the oven open if you have small children or pets in the house, but you can still enjoy the baking part!
4. Open your interior doors. Anything that increases the air circulation within your home will help your furnace heat more evenly, reduce your utility bills, and keep your whole house feeling more cozy. The only exception is rooms that aren’t connected to your HVAC system. If there are rooms in your house that aren’t being used and don’t have vents or registers, then closing them up can help keep the heat in the rooms that you are using. However, if a room has vents, then your furnace is trying to heat it, and keeping the doors open will help it heat more efficiently.
5. Know how to adjust your thermostat. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to how warm to keep the house, but we have some guidelines that will help you get the best bang for your buck during the cold winter months. In the morning and evening, when the outside temps are at their coldest, you can set your thermostat around 68 degrees. During the warmer parts of the day and while you’re asleep (and snuggled up under your blankets) at night, drop it back down to 60.
Whatever you need to keep warm this winter, ATS Heating & Cooling is your trusted source for furnace repair in Springfield and the surrounding area. Our professionally trained technicians are happy to help you with anything from furnace tune-ups to emergency services. Call 417-831-5344 for hassle-free scheduling today!
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