Preparing The House For Winter

Hi, my sweet friends!

I don’t know how cold it is in your area but here in Mallorca we are not too used to cold. This week a cold wave stroke us and yesterday we had some hail and the weather forecast says we could have snow at sea level. It’s been five years since the last snow!

Back in 2012 we woke up with little snow but it kept snowing.

The kids enjoyed it so much in our community area!! I wondered if the pool was going to freeze and we could ski on it but it didn’t happen.

It was the first time my kids -2.5 and 4 years old at that time- saw the snow. Until now I hope.

It is especially important for me to have a warm house because I’m always cold. I admire people who can live in countries where the temps are below 0 Centigrade and they keep with their life… I would spend my days locked indoors haha.

Here there are some tips for your heater, best if you plan ahead before the cold weather arrives and you have to use it.

Maintaining Your Heater Keeps Your Family Well

As fall turns into winter, your primary concern may be flu shots, especially if you have older relatives in your immediate family. Did you know, however, that your heater could make your family sick? This might come as a shock to you, but your heater does more than keep your home toasty warm inside when the temperatures drop outside. Maintaining your heater not only helps it with climate control, it also keeps your family well.

Consistent Temperatures Stave Illness

This might seem obvious, but if your heater is working efficiently, it can maintain a constant temperature inside much easier than if it needs repairs. When someone comes in from the blistering cold, he or she begins to defrost immediately, which helps stave winter colds and the flu. According to WebMD, keeping warm helps your body direct its energy toward other things, such as fighting cold and flu germs with your natural immunity, and a warm house works much the same as bundling up before going outside.

Filters Out Dust and Dander

Sometimes what might be perceived as a cold or the flu is allergic rhinitis, which in simpler terms means a bad case of hay fever. The symptoms of this condition mimic common winter illnesses, including a stuffy nose, sore throat, cough and a headache. The University of Maryland Medical Center indicates this condition is exacerbated by dust and pet dander, and when you turn on your heater for the first time without having it maintained, you’ll be surprised how many irritants are introduced into the indoor air that causes allergies.

Prevents Germs

Should someone get sick, dirty air filters and air ducts will circulate their germs throughout the home every time the heating unit clicks on to maintain the thermostat’s set temperature. In order to stop germs in their tracks, ABC Heating recommends pre-winter maintenance to ensure your unit is ready to do its job safely. Clean air is healthy air, and this prep work includes changing out your air filters and cleaning the ducts to make certain any harmful inhalants that could make people sick or sicker are prevented from circulating inside the home.

Stops Mold Growth

Mold is one of those harmful inhalants, and it loves to grow in warm, dark places. If your home’s exterior is compromised in any way and the inside gets wet, your drywall, insulation and other materials can turn themselves into unwilling petri dishes. Any mildew growth can irritate you and your family once the spores are released into the air; black mold can be fatal to those with compromised immune systems. Keeping your home at a consistent temperature in the winter helps dry the air and discourage the growth of harmful fungi, which means everyone stays healthier and happier.

You might not have realized the important role your heater plays in the winter. It does more than keep you and your family warm. It also helps prevent everyone from succumbing to the nasty cold and flu bugs that accompany the season, and should someone get sick, they’ll be able to recover faster if your house is warmed by an efficient heating system. Make certain your unit is checked prior to each season.

I hope you find them useful and enjoy the winter. I would love to know how’s the weather where you live!

Hugs,

Pili

6 comments

  1. Michelle says:

    I’m going to be saving these tips just in case it ever gets so cold here in South Africa. We’re so used to warm weather here that when the cold really strikes I go into complete freak out mode, because I just don’t know how to handle it. Stay warm Pili, spring is not to far away for you guys in the North. I can see some of our trees here are starting to drop their leaves.

    • Pili says:

      We can’t complain too much here… When I see people surrounded by one meter of snow I don’t know how they can cope with it.

  2. Keri says:

    Pili, the snow looks lovely on the palm trees. Thanks for all this helpful info on the importance of a working heater in cold weather!

    • Pili says:

      So odd, right? You expect to see coconuts on the palm trees instead of snow. We are not prepared for that.

Leave a Reply