When The Heat Goes Out: Staying Warm In An Emergency
According to the Farmer's Almanac, the upcoming winter is going to be another doozy. Even if you have taken the proper precautions and had your furnace checked, problems can arise, sometimes during the worst possible weather conditions. If you lose heat during a horrible cold snap, you can still take measures to stay warm until the power is back on or your furnace is repaired.
Be Proactive
If you have any indication that you are about to lose power, you can take a few proactive steps to make your home warmer. First, you can crank up the heat in the house to get it as warm as possible before the furnace shuts down. You can then fill your bathtub with hot water to add heat to the house and also give you an emergency supply of water. Experts also suggest that you put dark blankets wherever the sun is shining to soak up heat. You can later use them to keep you and your family toasty. In anticipation of the possible outage, bake some cookies. Using the oven will also up the temperature in your home, meaning you will be comfortable for a longer period of time when you lose power.
When the Cold Hits
Gather everyone in the same room so you can share body heat. Dress in as many layers as possible to keep the heat in. Do not forget to wear hats, gloves, and socks. Try to interest your family in a spirited game of Twister. The more you move, the warmer you will stay. If you are truly freezing, try taking a warm shower. The water in your water heater will retain heat for several hours after the power goes out. Keep your family out of the refrigerator and freezer. Every time they open those appliances, they are bringing down the room temperature. Consider keeping the most needed items in a cooler until your power is restored.
To prevent problems, have your furnace checked in the fall before the truly cold weather hits. Even taking the proper precautions will not guarantee that you will be problem free. You obviously cannot control what storms might do to the power grid. Everyone dreads being without heat, but you can stay reasonably warm if you follow a few simple steps. Gather your family together and pool your body heat. You might even have a little fun together while you wait for the furnace to kick in. Call in a local contractor, like A Bailey Plumbing, to make repairs as soon as possible.
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