Suppose your home is cozy comfortable in heating mode and then an unseasonable warm spell strikes. Now what? You’re probably running the furnace on wintertime, programmed thermostat settings. Also, the house is likely closed up and not letting in much cooling outdoor air. An unseasonable warm spell can mean days of discomfort until temperatures revert to normal winter levels. What steps can you take to keep indoor conditions pleasant in the meantime?
- Think before turning on the air conditioner. If the central AC was shut down for the winter, check to remind yourself whether a protective winter cover was placed over the outdoor condenser unit. Running a covered air conditioner can overheat and severely damage expensive components, including the system compressor.
- Use the thermostat’s Hold function. Most programmable thermostats include a Hold function that suspends the normal programmed temperature schedule and allows you to input a temporary temperature. This function permits you to set the furnace to a lower temperature that’s more appropriate for an unseasonable warm spell. When outdoor temperatures drop again to normal winter levels, you can cancel the Hold and the thermostat will revert to the permanent heating schedule.
- Keep the sunlight out. More than 50% of heat gain inside a house comes from solar energy present in sunlight that’s streaming through windows. To stay cooler during an unseasonable warm spell in the winter, close the blinds and draw curtains to block sunlight out during the day.
- Run ceiling fans. If you have them, ceiling fans are an excellent way to make a home feel cooler without cranking up the central air conditioner during an unseasonable warm spell. They are also very energy-efficient. Ceiling fans don’t actually reduce indoor temperatures, but the gentle circulation of moving air increases the perception of cooling for humans and pets, making rooms feel several degrees cooler. Make sure the fan rotational switch is set in a counterclockwise direction for proper cooling function.
For additional suggestions to make an unseasonable warm spell as comfortable as possible, contact Ace Hardware Home Services.
