When winter is rearing its cold head and you neglected to have your Ocean County furnace repair company come and inspect your furnace, you could be stuck in the cold. Making sure to have your furnace serviced prior to when it is necessary is essential to staying warm this winter. What can you do if your furnace does break or if you have an extended power outage? There are a few tips and strategies you can employ to make it through.
Alternative Ways to Stay Warm
Space Heater
In the case that your power is fine, but your furnace is on the fritz, you can always use space heaters. There are a few safety measures you should keep in mind, however, if you do plan on using one. Inspect your heater for the correct signage, make sure there are no cracks or damage to the power cord, and be sure to use it according to the owner’s manual. Never plug a space heater into a power strip or extension cord. This can cause overheating. Always use on a flat surface, never leave the heater unattended, and always unplug the heater and store it safely when it is not in use.
Fireplace or Stove
In the case that you are lucky enough to have either a fireplace or wood-burning stove, they are great alternative sources of heat. You need to be sure to have your chimney inspected prior to the winter the same as your furnace. Be sure to only burn appropriate fuel in your fireplace or stove and follow appropriate safety measures when building and maintaining a fire.
Limit your Living Space
Choose one or two rooms that you want to heat and close off all the other rooms in your home. Limiting the amount of space that you need to heat will allow you to more effectively heat the areas you plan on staying in rather than trying to heat your whole house. Avoid rooms with lots of windows or uninsulated walls. If certain areas of your home don’t have doors to close off, hang heavy bedding like comforters in doorways.
Dress Appropriately
One of the easiest and most obvious ways to stay warm is to bundle up. Wear multiple layers, warm socks, and a hat. Wear tight layers like base layers or thermal underwear closest to your body to help trap heat. If there are multiple people in your home, cuddle up and use everyone’s body heat to stay warm.
Call Your Ocean County Furnace Repair Technician Early
While there are plenty of ways to stay warm with alternative sources of heat, the best thing you can do to stay warm in winter is to call your Ocean County Furnace Repair technician to inspect your furnace before winter sets in. By ensuring your furnace is in good working order before you need it, you will be more likely to avoid heat loss this season. In addition, if your furnace breaks during the winter, technicians are much busier so your service call may be delayed. If you have them come before the season and examine your furnace, they are likely to be available immediately and you won’t have to pay emergency fees.
Additional Information on Alternative Heating Sources to Reduce the Need for Ocean County Furnace Repair
Exploring alternative heating sources beyond traditional methods is becoming more and more popular.
One solution is heat pumps. These devices transfer heat from one place to another, using electricity to move heat rather than generate it. Air-source heat pumps can extract heat from the outside air even in cold temperatures, while ground-source (or geothermal) heat pumps leverage the stable temperatures underground to provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.
Another innovative approach is radiant floor heating. This involves installing a system of tubes or electric heating mats beneath the flooring. This method evenly distributes heat across the entire floor surface, creating a comfortable, consistent warmth throughout the living space. Radiant floor heating is silent, doesn’t blow allergens around like forced-air systems, and can be more energy-efficient because it operates at lower temperatures. Plus, it lowers your reliance on Ocean County furnace repair.
Solar heating, especially passive solar heating, is also an excellent alternative. This method takes advantage of the sun’s energy without mechanical systems, using building design elements like large south-facing windows and thermal mass materials such as concrete or stone floors and walls to absorb and slowly release solar heat. Passive solar heating can significantly reduce reliance on conventional heating methods and lower energy bills.
Lastly, biofuel heating systems offer a sustainable and renewable energy source. These systems use organic materials like wood pellets, agricultural waste, or specially grown energy crops. Modern biofuel stoves and boilers are designed to burn these materials efficiently, providing an eco-friendly heating option. Biofuels can be carbon-neutral, as the carbon dioxide released during combustion is offset by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants grown for them.
Incorporating these alternative heating solutions can significantly enhance energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact, as well as reduces the need for Ocean County furnace repair.