Everyone wants to be comfortable. When you are comfortable, you can relax and recharge after a hard day at work. You can feel safe and at peace. There are a variety of benefits to being comfortable. To help you keep your home and family comfortable, B&L Ott has compiled this list of ways to stay comfortable. Many of these tips can also help you keep your HVAC system running efficiently so you can reduce your utility bills as well.

Find Low-Energy Ways to Keep Yourself Warm

Firstly, you should focus on making yourself warm. If you are warm, you will not need to turn up the heat in your home as much. When your thermostat is set lower, your heating system will not have to work as hard and will use less energy. Here are a variety of ways you can make yourself warmer without an HVAC system.

Build a Fire

If you have a fireplace, building a fire and sitting by it is a great way to stay warm. You can read a book or listen to music while you listen to the relaxing snapping and crackling of the wood.

Wear Warm Clothing

Many people in Berks County know its always good to wear layers during the fall and winter months. Plenty of layers help you stay warm, and you can always take a layer off if you’re too hot. If you are nice and warm from layers of clothing, you won’t need to turn your heater up as high.

Cuddle With Blankets

Sometimes if you wear too many layers, it can be difficult to move. If you don’t want that, you can simply use a blanket or two instead. You can even cuddle with a friend, family member, or pet and share the warmth.

Eat or Drink Something Warm

Hot chocolate is a favorite when it comes to cold weather traditions. It tastes sweet and helps keep you warm. However, there are plenty of other warm foods and drinks you can consume if you prefer something else. For instance, coffee, apple cider, soup, oatmeal, or fresh baked goods right out of the oven. Baking is yet another way to add heat to your home so you can turn your thermostat back a bit.

Take a Hot Bath

If your muscles are tense, few things are better than a hot bath (or a hot tub if you have one) to relax your muscles. You can light some candles and play some of your favorite music while you soak and forget your troubles.

Let the Sun Shine In During the Day

Take advantage of the natural heat the sun produces. Open up your curtains and let the sunshine into your home during the day. It will help warm your home a few degrees and give your heater a break. Just don’t forget to close them once the sun goes down.

Make Sure Your Home is Insulated

It’s also important to make sure your home is properly insulated. Doing so will help keep the heat in and the cold out. Some main spaces to focus on are your attic, basement, doors, and windows.

It can be difficult to insulate your attic or basement but can be a worthwhile project to help you lower your utility bills. For your windows, you can buy thick curtains that help block the warm air from escaping and the cold air from entering. For doors, you can purchase a draft stopper to put at the bottom of your door.

Turn On or Buy a Humidifier

When the air is dry, sweat evaporates off of your skin quickly and makes you feel cooler. When there is moisture in the air, it takes longer for the sweat to evaporate off of your skin. This keeps you feeling a bit warmer. Therefore, adding humidity to the air can keep you and your family warm. Turn on your humidifier, or buy one if you don’t have one. Talk to a B&L Ott professional to learn more or to get help choosing the right humidifier for your Berks County home.

Have B&L Ott Install a Home Zoning System

One of the best ways to save while increasing comfort is to have B&L Ott install a home zoning system for you. A home zoning system divides your home into separate sections using dampers in your air ducts. This allows you to direct the warm air directly where you want it to go. This helps save energy and lower utility bills by just focusing on certain areas rather than warming your entire house equally.

If you would like to learn more or schedule an appointment to have B&L Ott install a home zoning system, you can do so here: https://otthvac.com/contact-us/. You can also call B&L Ott at 610-927-5133.