Well, the turkey turned out nicely. And the pumpkin pie — it was great. And everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving. But now that one holiday is behind us, what about the remaining holiday gatherings? We at Grove City Heating and Air recognize the lengths to which homeowners go to create the perfect holiday party. It’s a ton of work to try to make everyone happy.
In addition to the food and ambiance, with the frigid weather outside, you also go to great lengths to ensure your friends and family are nice and cozy while they’re inside your home. Coincidentally, cooking during the holidays and a dwelling filled with people tends to make your place excessively warm without taking some precautions. To ensure your home has a consistent and comfortable temperature throughout to satisfy all of your visitors, we at Grove City Heating and Air composed the following suggestions:
- Have one of our trusted HVAC pros come over to check out your system. Even though it might be keeping your home cozy now, without a hitch, it’s always suggested to have your system inspected regularly. Doing so prior to your gatherings is an excellent way to avoid potential problems. It’ll save you money. Plus, no one wants their system going down during the holidays.
- Keep an eye on your space heaters and ventilation covers before and during your get-togethers. Realize that while they might be clear now, as guests arrive, they tend to get blocked, which hinders the flow of air, which can be a fire hazard.
- Do you have a programmable thermostat? If not, now is a great time to consider having us install one. Programmable thermostats automatically adjust themselves when your home warms up — say from a lot of cooking, or a house filled with warm bodies. Without one, your home can become uncomfortable as the festivities kick-off. Can you recall a time or two when a holiday gathering became too hot? The more people and cooking, the hotter it gets.
- Make blankets available for those guests known to get a little chilly when others are not. Place them on your couches, love seats, and even recliners, so they are easily accessible.
- Thinking ahead is great. Making food ahead of time to limit cooking on your big day is also great. The less cooking you have to do when your home is full, the better. Consider cold snacks also, and appetizers that don’t require an oven or stove.
- Does your house have a safe and practical fireplace? If so, fire it up for your party! Safely used fireplaces enhance the holiday ambiance. They provide a festive sort of heat. They also allow you to turn your thermostat down. Because of the ambiance and added warmth, this is a great idea that can save you money.
- Latch down and lock your home’s windows. Keeping them fastened shut creates a more effective seal on them to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. This should discourage your visitors from being tempted to slide open a window without you knowing.
- If you don’t have a whole-home humidifier already, consider finding one that suits your home. Humidifiers enable your home to keep its heat. They improve comfort levels and permit you to keep your thermostat down by adding moisture to dry air known to cause static – which will also ensure your company stays comfy and shock-free.
- Invert your ceiling fans’ direction and use them. The majority of ceiling fans include a “reverse” setting that will force air downward, instead of upward. Keeping warm air down near the ground allows your fans to assist your heaters in warming your home. It’ll also circulate air and help keep an even temperature level.
- Break out your space heaters if you have them, or invest in new ones. If your party is going to take place in a colder part of your home, it’ll also help equalize the warm temperatures without touching your thermostat. To enhance the holiday spirit, if you want to take this suggestion further, use a heater that replicates a fireplace.
- Last, but most certainly not least, swap out your furnace filter before your big party. If it’s dirty, it needs to go.
For more holiday heating tips, or to set up an appointment with one of our friendly and knowledgeable HVAC technicians, call Grove City Heating & Air today at 614-490-7540 or schedule an appointment online now at www.grovecityheatingandair.com/schedule-now/. We can help you avert a breakdown or you losing heat when you need it most!
