Imagine that it’s a cold day in winter, and suddenly, your heater breaks. It will take hours for it to run again, and you’re stuck at home. How do you keep yourself warm?
Here are some tips to keep yourself and your loved ones warm at home when your heater malfunctions.
Cook Food
You can get a lot of warmth from cooking or simply heating up some food. If you’re up for some extra heat, why not bake something? You can also try making a stew—the aroma from this savory dish is enough to give you a warm, fuzzy feeling.
What makes cooking or heating food ideal when your furnace is broken is that the steam produced generates some heat. Additionally, once you eat the freshly cooked food, it will keep your body warm for a couple of hours. The best thing about this is that you fill your stomach as well.
Use A Rug
If you don’t have carpeting, it’s time to take out the rugs. Lay them on the floor to prevent heat from escaping. Rugs can also keep your feet warm.
Not enough rugs? You can opt to use some blankets or towels instead.
Seal A Room
Small crevices can be a gateway for cold air to come through. While your heater is broken, choose a small room to use for the meantime and seal it properly by shutting all the doors and windows. If the area has doorways, you can use blankets and sheets to seal the room off and keep the area warm.
It’s best to choose a room with a low ceiling to ensure that the heat stays longer. Also, if you have pets or other family members at home, invite them to stay with you in that room. All of you will generate body heat, which may help keep the room warm enough.
Work Out
Working out may be the last thing on your mind when you’re inside a cold house, but layering up and producing sweat will keep yourself warm. If you have a treadmill or other fitness equipment at home, use them for at least 30 minutes until you raise your body temperature enough.
If you don’t have exercise machines, go on YouTube and follow workout tutorials that don’t require any equipment. Moving your body will make you feel warm and keep your fitness in check at the same time. Working out is also a great way to boost your health, especially when it’s cold, which makes you more susceptible to certain conditions.
Make Some Hot Drinks
Nothing beats a warm beverage when it’s cold. Go on and make a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa at home while your heater is down. This will make you feel warm and toasty inside.
Layer Up
Layer up to keep your body temperature at a normal level. Make sure to put on some thick socks and wear several layers of clothing. Tights and leggings are good for keeping yourself warm without worrying about bulkiness. You can also wear something on your head such as a hat, and your neck can do well with a scarf.
Use Other Heat-Generating Devices
If you have heating pads, blankets, and space heaters, now is the best time to use them. These devices are excellent heat sources. However, make sure you’re fully awake and alert when using them. They are not advisable to be used while you’re asleep because they can be dangerous when left on and unattended.
Light The Fireplace
Consider yourself lucky if your home is equipped with a fireplace because you can use it to easily warm a room in your house. If you have a gas fireplace, it can work via its battery backup even if you don’t have electricity.
On the other hand, if you have a wood fireplace, make sure to gather enough wood to keep the flames going. Better yet, have a stock of wood that can carry you through an emergency such as this.
Have A Warm Bath
Hop into the tub and enjoy a soothing muscle soak. You might find yourself enjoying the warm water, so you might as well throw in some Cold Season Bath Soak to make you feel more relaxed while you wait for your heater to work again. This is made from Epsom salt and essential oils, so you’ll feel fresh and clean in no time. Check out our other products here to purchase high-quality Epsom salt online.
Cuddle Up
If you have a partner, a child, or a pet at home, one of the best ways to stay warm is to get some cuddles in. Cuddles allow for the sharing of body heat, so get everyone in the house with you and wrap yourselves together in a blanket. You can spend time talking to one another or watching a movie while snuggling. This is a cozy and fun bonding experience.
Use Windows
If it’s sunny out, you might want to take advantage of the heat of the sun. Take out a thick and transparent shower curtain and hang it over your window. The transparent sheet will let warm rays in while the thick material will keep the cold at bay.
Turn On The Lights
Turn on the incandescent bulbs in the room. These bulbs are known to generate more heat compared to other types of lights, so this is the perfect time to illuminate the room and get everybody warm.
