Itandrsquo;s winter, and staying warm can be a challenge. California may be thought of as a place of mild, warm temperatures and extended days of sunshine during winter months, but anyone who lives here can tell you that our reputation is only true part of the time. In fact, thanks to the frigid air coming in off the bay waters and already cool temperatures, winter can be a time where you truly become dependent on your heater, even if there isnandrsquo;t snow on the ground as there is elsewhere in the country.
However, turning on your heater costs money, as it consumes energy in both electricity and/or natural gas in order to produce heat. And turning on your heater too much can lead to a massive utility bill that you dread opening each month. This causes some homeowners to make the decision of leaving the heater off to save money, and sacrificing a little bit of their comfort at home.
But what if we told you itandrsquo;s possible to help keep your home warm during winter without making this sacrifice? Our blog has three tips for how you can stay warm during the winter months without having to flip on your heater and spend more than you have to.
Open Shades & Shutters
The sun is natureandrsquo;s heater, so why not use it to keep your home warm as well? When the sun is out, open your blinds, shades, and shutters to allow natural light and heat to pour through your windows. This not only allows you to keep your lights off during the day and save even more electricity, but can also help more heat get into your home as well. This is particularly true for homes with older, single-pane windows that are far more prone to transferring heat. Just make sure that you close them all up again during night hours to keep as much of that heat in your home as possible, rather than allow it to escape back out due to the cold temperatures outside.
Reverse Ceiling Fan Direction
Ceiling fans can help your room feel cooler in summer, but did you know they can also help you out in winter as well? On the side of your fan motor, youandrsquo;ll find a switch that allows you to reverse the direction your fan spins. Instead of pulling the air from above the fan downward, this instead pulls the air from below upward, creating a cycle of air through your room. This cycle pushes the warm air that has risen to your ceiling back down to where you want it, making your room feel warmer and more even in temperature. Something to note: youandrsquo;ll probably want to make sure you dust your ceiling fanandrsquo;s blades before doing so.
Use a Space Heater
Do you find that you spend the majority of your time in one or two rooms of your home? Donandrsquo;t worry about heating all of the other ones that arenandrsquo;t being usedandmdash;use a space heater to heat those smaller areas while burning only a fraction of the energy of using your central heating system. A space heater in your television room or living room can make watching movies more comfortable after a long day at the office or let you sleep warm and soundly. Just make sure that your space heater has a timer or thermostat for automatic shutoff, and is placed somewhere thatandrsquo;s out of typical walking paths so you donandrsquo;t accidentally trip over it or knock it over.
If your furnace needs serviced this winter, call our San Jose heating experts at Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Solar at (408) 868-5500 to request a repair!