These Are The Extra Steps You Can Take to Stay Warm
That northern cold air can be unrelenting in the depth of winter. In addition to winterizing your home, here are 8 tips to help you keep warm during these brutal months.
Double Check Your Skirting
If you notice your home feels cooler than usual, you may have a gap in the mobile home’s skirting, allowing cold air to blow under your home. Not only would this breach create cold air in the home, but it could also cause a frozen mobile home pipe.
Roll A Beach Towel for the Bottom of Doors
In some cases you can get a cold draft coming from around and under the entries. An easy and cost-effective temporary solution is to roll up a large towel or small blanket and line the bottom of each entry. Also, closets can sometimes be the culprit, too, so give those interior doors the same treatment.
Cook, Cook, Cook
Whenever the mercury drops and I’m in need of a warmup, I go to the kitchen. Turn on the oven. Heat some water on the range. And then hang out a bit and figure out what to cook. That way you have a good excuse to keep the fires burning.
Soup is a Winter Salvation
Canned soup can be really good. But the best way to make a soup is to use every bit of odd little leftover you can find. I’m pretty sure that’s where soup was born, so stick with tradition, tidy up the fridge a bit and create a delightful mix of warmth and nutrition. Fill a big pot with stock or broth and find a colorful mix of vegetable, beans or noodles – Whatever your preference!
Today was green bean, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, onion, ginger and brown rice with a nice blend of spices, including fresh rosemary, thyme and sage. Just let it simmer and enjoy through the day or plan for a sit-down meal.
Baking for Warmth
Whether you’re putting oven time into lasagna or some fresh breads, keeping the oven warm with a bit of simmering water on the stovetop creates a secondary heating source, and one that will put some moisture back into the air. Just like during summer humidity makes the air feel warmer, you can make the same sensation work to your benefit.
When you’re done actively baking, leave the door open a bit while the oven cools. Warm your hands next to it if you must!
Bathe and Shower
The bath and shower can be a good source of steam, just as we said added moisture from the stovetop can add a measure of comfort during cold days. And, of course, creating a bit of a spa in your master bath will help reduce stress, raise body temperature and generally wash away the achy cold you may be feeling. Even taking a simple warm foot bath can go a long way toward staying warm. Throw in some essential oils or aromatic spices to further soothe you.
Heat a Space to Stay Warm
You want to keep your entire house reasonably warm, if for no other reason than to fend off the creeping cold air.
Your goal is to keep yourself and your loved ones not just reasonably warm, but to stay comfortably warm in a mobile home. So if you can close a couple doors, pull in a couple dividers or hang a few blankets… You see where we’re going with this. Find your most comfortable spot. Get out the space heater. Plug in the electric blanket. Shine the heat lamp.
OK, all of this at once might get a bit excessive. But, with weather reports that show severely low temps, who wants to take a chance?
Heating pad, hot water bottle? And your favorite hot beverage. Nurture the inner warmth.
Let There be Flame
Clearly, if you have a fireplace, get it started. And if you were just reading ‘heat that space’ above, make right next to the fire place the spot and you will be in pretty good shape. But, more so, there’s something about flickering light that makes us feel warm. So, in a safe spot, light a candle or two. And be grateful for warmth.
