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Stay Warm this Winter

December 20, 2016

As the temperature drops everyone looks for ways to stay warm indoors and out. Here are some of our favorite tips to help you stay warm this winter.

Dress in layers to keep your core warm this winter

Dressing in layers will keep you warm this winter and give you options as you move from warmer to colder rooms and back again. Always make sure the layer closest to your body fits snugly to keep body heat in. Then feel free to add additional loose or bulky layers.

If you are experiencing wide temperature swings as you move from room to room in your house, talk to the team at Chapman about a zoning system for your home. This will allow you to manage the temperature in each room of your home.

Keep your toes warm

Your extremities are likely to get colder first, so keep a pair of socks or fuzzy slippers nearby. Especially if you have tile floors which tend to feel colder even on a warm day.

Of course, you could also talk to Chapman about radiant heat. These systems heat your floors from underneath with either electrical wires or hot water tubes making them comfortable and warm no matter how cold it gets outside.

Turn on your ceiling fan.

This may sound a bit counter-intuitive, but warm air rises. That means the warmest part of your room is probably up near the ceiling. Circulate that warm air by running your fan on its lowest setting in a clockwise direction drive the warm air back into the room.

Give Windows a Winter Makeover

As you are pulling your winter sweaters out of storage boxes, and packing away your short and bathing suits consider a fall wardrobe for your windows.

Add curtains to windows which only have shades all summer long. Swap out thin curtains for wool or fleece drapes. Keep them closed on cold and cloudy days, but open them to let the sun in on bright days.

While you are looking at your windows, be sure to check them (and doors) for leaks and drafts. You may need to add or replace the caulking or weather stripping to keep out the cold winter weather.

Eat Warm

Reach for soups, stews, spicy foods, coffee or cocoa to take the chill off a day. Warming up your inside will make you feel warmer. Are you tired of the same old chicken noodle? Try a few of these instead.

Exercise

Physical activity raises your heart rate, gets your blood pumping, and raises your core temperature. Walk around the house, up and down stairs or pop in an exercise tape. Moving even just a few minutes every hour in a confined space help you feel warmer.

Use space heaters with caution

While portable space heaters can add a bit of extra heat to colder rooms, you should always keep anything that is flammable at least three feet away. This includes, but is not limited to; clothing, rugs, blankets and curtains.

Place the space heater on a hard, non-flammable, stable surface. Always turn it off completely when you leave your home.

If you find yourself using space heaters throughout your home it is definitely time for a check up on your system. Maybe you need a programmable thermostat to allow you to adjust the temperature when you are home or a zoning system which will deliver more heat to some parts of the house. Or maybe your system isn’t running at top performance.

Whatever the reason for cold uncomfortable rooms, it is time to call Chapman. We’ll help you stay warm through the long, cold Indiana winter.

Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, carries a full line of high efficiency furnaces. Contact us to recommend the best services to your home

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