So winter is here, the 20+ inches we received was our hint, and now with the bitter cold temperatures, there is no denying it. With winter, the snow and frigid temperatures come, thus the epic battle of keeping warm begins. One side of this epic battle is the battle with the snow. We at Polinger like to think that we are constantly fighting that fight; winning. We worked hard to clear all of the snow during the blizzard so that our residents weren’t trapped for days. We received many “kudos” and “thank yous” from many of our residents, here are just a couple:
“Thank you, Country Place Maintenance Team for an amazing job of cleaning the parking lots and sidewalks during the snow. In the 30 inches of snow that the DMV received and other states, you and all the essential employees did a great job. THANK YOU! It was no easy task. Thank you state, county and most of all maintenance team.” – Resident from Country Place
“I just want to take a moment to let you know how appreciative we are for all the snow removal efforts. You guys were on top of things the first night of the storm. I know you get plenty of messages for all the things you may do wrong, so I want to be sure you get the kudos you deserve. JOB WELL DONE!!!” – Resident from Arcadian
The obvious way to stay warm would be to up the heat on the thermostat. While, you may be warm, your wallet is crying because your electric bill is through the roof. Here are some ways to stay warm without bumping up the heat and making a huge dent in your wallet.
- Close Vents In Unused Rooms – This may seem pretty obvious, but also very much overlooked. If you have a guest room or an office that isn’t used every single day; close the vent and then close that door. You won’t be wasting energy trying to heat that room when you aren’t “living” in it on a regular basis.
- Vinyl Shower Curtain Behind Drapes – Your curtains and drapes are working hard for you. They make your place look good, some of them even keep the sun out, and with the help of a vinyl shower curtain, they can help keep the cold air from going anywhere. You know when you are in the shower and after you turn the water off, you just kind of hang out in the shower because the warm air is just hanging out there? That is thanks to the shower curtain, and it can do that with cold air around your windows.
- Rugs and Tapestries – Rugs and Tapestries are GREAT for keeping an area warm. Back in the day of people living in castles, the tapestries weren’t only for aesthetic reasons; those castles were drafty, and the tapestries helped keep the drafts out. Similar to how the vinyl shower curtain works for the windows. Rugs and tapestries will help on the walls and the floors. Even if you have carpet, an extra layer of “insulation” will help.
- Roll a Towel Up and Place Under Doors and Windows – Windows and Doors work really hard to keep the harsh weather conditions out, but they aren’t 100% perfect. By simply rolling up a towel and placing it under a door or around a drafty window, the temperature in your apartment will change drastically.
- Bake! – This is a win-win solution. By using your oven, you help raise the temperature in your place, with less effort than your thermostat. And not only that, you end up with amazing yummy goodies! So, bake some cookies, a cake, a pie, lasagna…and share it with your neighbor who helped shovel you out this weekend. And while you are in the kitchen, you can do this next tip to help keep you warm.
- Drink Something Hot – While you are waiting for those yummy chocolate cookies to bake, go ahead and put the kettle on and make a nice cup of hot tea, or make a cup of coffee. The heat from the hot beverage will actually warm you up from the inside out. And with the health benefits of drinking tea, and even coffee, you aren’t doing anything bad for you!
- Hot Water Bottle or Electric Blanket – These may seem like some old school solutions to keep warm; but they have lasted this long for a reason, they work. When you are watching TV, reading a book, or just hanging out, warm up with one of those two options. For a health and safety standpoint, don’t combine the two, and do NOT fall asleep with the electric blanket while it is on and plugged in.
- Wear Thick Socks – You lose heat through your feet and head. By wearing thick socks around the house, you body will be able to hold in the heat that it is retaining.
With these tips and the hard work to keep the snow at bay, this winter should be smooth sailing.