Maintaining Comfort During Your Holiday 

It’s the holiday season, which means parties, presents, cold weather, and plenty of rain and snow.  That means winter HVAC maintenance. If you are planning to host this season, it’s crucial that you take steps to ensure your guests are comfortable. This means more than having plenty of food, however. It means having a well-heated home that isn’t too hot or too cold.  

To get you thinking about how you can prepare for winter and the holiday party season, here are basic home winterization tips suited specifically for your upcoming parties. 

 

Winterization of Home

 

Step 1: Weatherproof Your Home 

One of the biggest issues that will arise when trying to make your home comfortable for guests is the ambient temperature. The best way to control that is to properly weatherproof your home against cold weather.  

  1. Caulk around doors and windows and replace weather stripping if it allows drafts. Any cracks around door and window frames can allow cold air in and hot air out, which will make it hard to make your guests comfortable. 
     
  2. Seal off windows in rooms that guests will not be in. Use home window insulation kits to stop windows from allowing cold air in. Unlike caulking or weather stripping, insulation kits only seal off the glass and interior portions of the window.  
     
  3. Check and refresh attic insulation, if necessary. Insulation in your attic can get damaged if water or cold air continually leaks in, or if animals use it for nesting. With proper attic insulation, your home will stay warmer, easier, without skyrocketing energy bills.  

Basic weatherproofing can be the difference between a comfortable party and a series of drafty rooms no one wants to hang out in. 

 

Step 2: Plan Ahead with Your Heating and Cooling 

There are several things that go into maintaining a comfortable temperature, especially when several guests are involved.  

  • Plan for the guests you expect to have within your party space. If you have thirty guests in a small room, heating and cooling needs are going to be very different than if you have 15 people spread out over an entire home. You want people to be warm, not sweating, so plan the temperature accordingly. Normal room temperature is roughly 70 degrees, but with a party of guests you probably don’t want to set your thermostat that high. 
     
  • Take additional heating sources into account. If you have a fireplace and plan on using it, then those specific rooms don’t need the extra heating from the furnace. Likewise, anyplace with high-ceilings might need extra help.  
     
  • Decide how warm you want the place to be. If it is freezing outside, then an interior space that is a little warmer might be welcomed by your guests. Likewise, if it is a little warmer and muggy outside, then a cooler interior might work better.  

Make sure that you understand how you want your house to feel and pay attention to what makes you comfortable. Then adjust, taking in to consideration additional heating sources. 

Step 3: Strategically Place Space Heaters 

If you have certain spaces that you know will need the extra help when it comes to maintaining a comfortable temperature, then strategically place electric space heaters. But there are a few things to consider before doing this. 

  • Don’t put any floor electric heaters on carpeted floor or rugs. If they fall over, they could potentially start a fire.  
  • Don’t put space heaters in walkways or crowded areas where they might get knocked over, kicked, or exposed to fluids.  
  • Don’t place a heater in a confined space like a closet or corner where it can’t get proper air flow. 

Your best bet is to find a hard floor area or raised table to place the heater, away from where people or sitting. This can keep the room warmer without getting in guest’s way. However, we also recommend that, if you can avoid it, don’t use space heaters unless necessary.

Step 4: Make Sure Your Furnace is Serviced 

Don’t wait to check our furnace until the day before the party. Furnace inspection and maintenance should be something that you do before every winter. But if you haven’t, there is no better time than before a planned gathering to get in some HVAC maintenance.  

Call your local HVAC company to see what kind of inspection services they offer. Most companies will provide free inspections and estimates, and if you trust your provider then you can rest easy knowing they will provide HVAC tips for winter without trying to sell your repairs that you don’t need.  

In the meantime, make sure that you maintain your furnace by keeping vent covers clean and changing out your furnace filters on a regular schedule.

Step 5: Have Fun

At the end of the day, holiday parties are supposed to be fun. So, once you get your HVAC system in order and your home winterized, then it is time to enjoy the company of your friends and family.  

If you want to take the stress of holiday HVAC and house prep off your shoulders, you can start by contacting your HVAC provider to get you going with a comfortable home. Make sure your furnace is up to snuff and get their opinion on the steps you can take in your own home to prepare for guests while keeping your family comfortable on a day-to-day basis.