Heating a room with a device that is not intended for this can be fatal. Short circuits in houses, electricity, gas leaks - this is not a complete list of problems that can arise and lead to great difficulties.

Experts say: the owner of gas stoves should be especially careful. It just seems that an open fire warms better. In fact, it significantly spoils the air, further aggravating the situation.

What to consider

Heating a room with an oven is pretty easy. However, it should be borne in mind that if you open the electric oven, your stove will immediately start working harder, because it will have to heat a much larger surface than the one for which it is designed. And this leads to an increase in power consumption, and to a faster wear of the furnace, and to the likelihood of a short circuit. After all, if the wiring is old and weak, it simply may not withstand such bullying.

Putting something in an open oven for cooking (so that the oven supposedly works as intended) is not an option. After all, she will not have enough power to carry out her direct duties.

As for gas stoves, the situation is even more serious. After all, such furnaces emit nitrogen dioxide into the atmosphere, and at a fairly high level. And this is a rather dangerous carcinogen, leading to very unexpected consequences. For example, it can aggravate asthma in children prone to it. Preschoolers are especially affected.

If the ventilation system does not work well in the house, you risk getting serious poisoning with the help of such heating of the premises.

And no amount of airing will help and you cannot heat the room with an oven. Moreover, opening the window and turning on the gas oven at the same time, you do not provide the proper level of heating. And as a result, you poison yourself more than you insulate your room.

What to do

The only sensible option that can be offered to those who like to warm up by the stove is to purchase an air conditioner or heater. Electrical appliances create a comfortable room temperature in minutes. Moreover, they are completely safe for humans and do not cause the development of such serious diseases as asthma or other problems with the respiratory system.

If possible, it is better to make a fireplace in the room. Small, but real. Firewood does not emit toxic substances during combustion, as a result of which the room is heated and no harm is caused to health.

And be sure to contact your housing office to resolve the issue with the temperature in the room. Perhaps your housing office will reconsider the conditions for supplying heat, if the whole house suffers just like you.

Indeed, if a resident of Russia is visiting an Englishman or a German in winter, it will seem to him that the house is rather cold. Most Europeans heat their homes on their own, which is why they fight the cold in more economical ways.

1. Hang up blackout curtains: open them in the morning and close them at dusk

With the onset of winter, thin curtains on the windows need to be closed as soon as it gets dark outside. Thick curtains will act as a thermal insulator and protect the house from cold air currents. This is especially true if the windows are blown out (unfortunately, not only old wooden windows, but also some modern plastic ones).

During the day, the curtains need to be opened, and the wider the better. Sunlight and heat will enter the room through the window. It is clear that the temperature will increase by a maximum of 1–2 degrees, but it will still be much more comfortable to be indoors at lunchtime.

2. Fill the foot bath

So you will not only warm up quickly, but also get a great figure and a clean apartment. Isn't that wonderful?

8. After baking, leave the oven door open

This may not be the safest way to heat up an apartment, so if you have small children or curious pets, skip the oven. But if you are sure that no one will get into the hot oven while you turn away, then feel free to use this method of heating the kitchen and neighboring rooms.

By the way, blankets with sleeves are now popular: it is very convenient to read a book, work at a computer or drink hot tea in them.

You can find a warm, beautiful and cozy blanket made of natural wool in the bedding salon.

10. Run the ceiling fan for 5-10 minutes

Fan in winter? What for? It's simple: warm air goes up, and cold air always remains below. Therefore, we and: it will stir the air, the warm will combine with the cold - and the temperature in the room will become a couple of degrees more comfortable.

Turn on the ceiling fan to the lowest setting, otherwise the air will not mix, but will cool down, and you will completely freeze.

11. Stock up on heating pads

Of course, an electric sheet is the result of technical progress, but hot water in a rubber heating pad or a simple plastic bottle was, is and will be one of the simplest and most effective means for heating a bed or body. It was not for nothing that servants used to put copper heating pads in their masters' beds several centuries ago. And now the rules of the game have not changed: - and enjoy the warmth.

It should be noted that there are special heating pads on sale that can be placed in the microwave. Heat it up for one minute and you can use it. In addition, there is a salt heating pad: it heats up due to salt crystallization. The temperature of such a heating pad reaches 52 degrees Celsius.

12. Brew warming teas

What does “warming” mean? “Any hot tea warms up,” you say. Yes, you can't argue with that, but you still have to contain special ingredients: ginger, cinnamon, lemon, honey, cloves, pepper. For example, here's a recipe for ginger tea with apple and lime:

  • 0.5 l of water;
  • 3-4 cm of ginger root;
  • a pinch of cinnamon;
  • 1 tsp green tea;
  • 3 tsp flower honey;
  • cloves;
  • 1/2 lemon;
  • slices of green apple and lime.

Cooking method:

  • peel and finely chop the ginger root;
  • pour water into a saucepan, add ginger, cinnamon, cloves;
  • bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes;
  • put honey and lemon (squeeze the juice from the lemon and throw the leftovers into the saucepan);
  • cook for another 5 minutes;
  • brew green tea in a teapot, strain hot broth into it;
  • pour into circles, adding slices of green apple and lime. Done!

13. Heat the bed with a hairdryer

How else can you warm up your bed before bed? Dry it with a hot hair dryer! It will be useful for you not only for cooled bed linen, but also for clothes and shoes. Remember the safety rules: the hair dryer must not be covered with a blanket or other cloth - it can overheat and cause a fire.


It's cold outside and the heating in the apartment is not enough for to keep warm... Sound familiar? The reason for the low temperature in the room is either a poor-quality heating system or sky-high prices for heat and electricity. Therefore, many people freeze.

But staying in a cold apartment often turns into colds. And in order to prevent this, you need to keep the room at the optimum temperature.

But how to keep warm no damage to the wallet? The Europeans know the answer to this question. Despite the fact that they save on heating, their average temperature at home is never lower than 21 degrees, and they feel quite comfortable.

What heating methods do they use? The editors of the Internet edition of the site have collected several life hacks that Europeans use to keep warm when the room is cold.

Keeping warm in a cold room: moving more

Movement is life. Everyone knows about this old adage. Physical activity not only makes us vigorous, energetic, fit and beautiful, but it also warms up in a cold room .

Immediately after waking up, when you don't feel like getting out of a warm bed, squat, jump, bend from one side to the side, swing your abs, or do something else.

These simple exercises increase your heart rate and improve blood circulation, resulting in a rise in body temperature and the body adapting to room temperature.

Take a hot shower or bath

If you are frozen and don't know how to keep warm without a heater that consumes a lot of electricity, take a shower or bath with hot water. Such an event will return warmth to your body. It is only advisable to do such a procedure in the evening before going to bed, so that immediately after it you do not have a planned trip to the street.

After showering or bathing, put on thick flannel pajamas, wool socks, and cozy warm slippers. This is exactly what Europeans wear at home. After that, run straight to bed and wrap yourself in a warm blanket.

By the way, do not forget to leave the bathroom doors open. Warm and humid air will warm the hallway and the bedroom if it is located next to the bathroom for at least half an hour.

Insulate the bed and you will keep warm

Agree, going to bed in a cold bed is very unpleasant. And even if you hide from above with a few more blankets, you will surely be shake in the cold and you won't be able to sleep.

therefore take care of insulating the bed in advance... Cover her with an electric sheet or blanket a few minutes before bed. These devices have special heating elements and several temperature conditions. They also don't “eat” as much electricity as household heaters.

In addition, such technical innovations are absolutely safe, since they automatically turn off after warming up to the required temperature.

Microwave heating pads are especially popular. They look like soft toys filled with dried lavender, grains, or other natural ingredients. After holding such a heating pad in the microwave for several minutes and putting it in bed, you will feel not only warmth, but also a wonderful aroma that will help you fall asleep.

If this method does not suit you, use the old and tried-and-true method: Place a rubber heating pad or plastic bottle filled with hot water in your bed under the covers.

You can also place a dog or cat at your feet, of course, if you have a pet at home. Fluffy pet , unlike a heating pad, which cools down quickly, it will keep you warm all night.

Leave the oven door open after baking.

According to statistics, the temperature in the kitchen is 1-3 degrees higher than in other rooms. This is because heat is emitted from the oven, hob and hot water after cooking.

It stands out especially actively after baking. Therefore, as soon as you have finished baking cakes, cookies, or anything else, turn off the oven and leave the door open. The heat will spread throughout the kitchen and adjacent rooms. You can even customize your workspace at the kitchen table.

But, before you warm yourself in this way, make sure that there are no small children and pets in your house. After all, showing their curiosity, they can climb into the oven and get badly burned.

How to keep warm: include hot foods and drinks in your menu

Food is energy, most of which is spent on heating the body. Therefore, eat well during the cold season. Include in your diet those foods that warm.

It:
... meat;
... a fish;
... potatoes;
... cheese;
... bow;
... horseradish;
... dried apricots;
... bananas.

Also instantly warm spices such as ginger, pepper, cinnamon, garlic, cumin, curry. Good drinks to drink tea ... And not an ordinary hot one, but with spices: ginger, lemon, cinnamon, cloves and other ingredients.

Recipe for ginger tea with apple and lime: pour 0.5 water into a saucepan, then add peeled and finely chopped ginger root, a pinch of cinnamon, cloves. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add the squeezed juice from ½ lemon and the pulp. Cook for another 5 minutes. Strain the hot broth into the brewed green tea and pour into cups. Top with green apple and lime wedges.

Of course, this is not all life hacks to help keep warm in an apartment or house. Europeans also cover themselves with blankets laid out on sofas, hang blackout curtains on the windows, and also install a small panel covered with foil between the wall and the radiator, which reflects heat back into the room.

And they also hug family and friends. So why don't you use their advice and stop chattering your teeth from the cold?

Moreover, these life hacks are available to everyone, and they do not significantly affect electricity bills.

You may be interested in: Perfect belly in 5 minutes a day.

"I want to become Wim Hov!" - I declared. MCH felt my forehead. I had to explain: "He is known as Iceman, he easily plunges into a container of ice, climbs Mont Blanc in only shorts!" The beloved sighed: “Hovom, so Hovom. Just don’t forget to put on socks and a scarf, otherwise you’ll catch a cold again! ”

The first commandment of the freezing one: not a step out of the house without eating porridge! Or buckwheat. Or something else. Food is energy, and most of it (up to 75%) will go to heating yourself. By the way, in the cold season, you can eat 400 more calories per day.

The second commandment: vegetables are good, but chicken and lamb in winter are needed no less. Continuing to eat as if it’s summer can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome. And if you often get cold, switch to "hot" foods: meat, fish, nuts, potatoes, cheese, pumpkin, dried apricots, bananas, grapes. Onions and horseradish also help, but this is not for everybody. And, most importantly, don't forget about the spices: ginger, cinnamon, curry, pepper, cumin and garlic - they warm you up almost instantly.

2. Watch the degree (of the drink)

There was a Soviet poster: an uncle in a jacket waves his hand away from an extended glass of vodka. It's time to hang it on the wall. The fact is that alcohol in the cold can only warm up for a short time, and after that the body will rapidly begin to lose heat. By the way, coffee doesn't heat either. Better to drink herbal tea, tea with ginger or lemongrass, and hot chocolate (a favorite drink of many climbers). And also take note of this recipe: add half a teaspoon of cinnamon to a glass of apple juice. Bring it to a boil and drink.

3. Develop tummo

Tibetan monks are able to dry wet towels on a naked body on a winter night. They are proficient in the practice of tummo. It is based on the visualization method: sitting in the snow, a monk imagines how a hair-sized flame arises in his body, it flares up and begins to fill the body. Finally, the inner heat bursts out. This is not just a legend. The effectiveness of tummo has been proven by researchers.

4. Massage your hands and feet

Do you know when the thought of cold comes in? When hands or feet freeze. To quickly save the limbs from the cold - massage them. There is a little time, arrange an aromatherapy session: add essential oils to any foot or hand cream - 4 drops of sage, 3 drops of fennel and 2 drops of ginger. The oils will create a quick rush of heat and scent your body. You can do a massage both before going outside and upon returning to the warmth. Another recipe: Rub a drop of thyme or clove oil into the crook of your elbow. It will get warmer.

5. Breathe correctly

"Our lungs can warm you!" - suggested half a century ago biophysicist Karl Trincher. His enthusiastic followers found out: in winter you need to inhale slowly and not very deeply, this calms the nervous system and allows you to quickly adapt to the cold. If you feel that “five more minutes and I’ll completely freeze,” use the method of the monks already mentioned: inhale with both nostrils, and exhale through one, holding the other.

6. Follow the news (science)

USB gloves were developed specifically for office frost. It looks like ordinary knitted gloves without fingers, but a wire with a connector departs from them, like a flash drive. You plug it into a computer, and in five minutes the gloves heat up to 46 degrees! By the way, there are also USB slippers of a similar design. A microwave heating pad (Cozy Cuddles) looks like a stuffed toy. After two minutes in the microwave, she keeps the heat for hours and shares it with the owner. Thermal package - an option for long walks. Put it in your jacket for extra warmth.

7. Forget about loneliness

Scientists have found that a person who feels lonely freezes faster. There is also an inverse relationship: if you look at a photo of your beloved, imagine your family or your bosom friend, you will immediately feel a surge of warmth. Hugs are even more effective. We are warm-blooded and produce heat. Cuddle up to your loved one more often.

8. Get hardened it saves

I do not urge to jump into the hole. You can also temper at home. Place a wet towel in the freezer for half an hour, then trample on it for a few minutes. Put on warm socks immediately after the procedure. If you do this every night, your legs will get used and become less sensitive to the cold.

9. Try not to be nervous

Stress affects our body in the same way as frost. In case of a strong emotional shock, the blood drains from the limbs and “rushes” to the brain so that a person can make the right decision. When cold and stress meet, the chance to freeze increases! Learn to relax. This exercise is suitable: for a short time, strain all the muscles, and then sharply relax them.

10. As a last resort

Rumor has it that the actors, in order not to freeze on the winter shooting, stick a mustard plaster on their shoulders. The blood quickly rushes to the surface of the skin and gives a feeling of warmth. Alternatively, you can rub your feet with an anti-cellulite cream with cayenne pepper. The same effect. Vodka works no worse than pepper. Another "insulation" is paper. If you have to stand outside for a long time, put paper insoles in your shoes. It will get easier.

PS. Thermal underwear also helps. Tested and effective.

Useful Tips

Before you start learning all the secrets of keeping warm in a house, you should pay attention to how heat escapes from our house (percentage of all losses in an ordinary panel house):

* Walls and doors - 42%

* Ventilation - 30%

* Windows - 16%

* Basements - 5%

* Roof - 7%


How to keep your home warm

1. Open curtains and / or blinds in the morning to allow sunlight to enter your home. Glass in the window allows light to pass in, but not back out. In a home, light builds up, bouncing off walls and furniture, and eventually turns into heat.

2. At night, use thick curtains to prevent heat from escaping through the windows. Without sunlight, windows are your enemy. Create a thick wallpaper to keep the heat from escaping.

* You can use just a thick blanket to which a rod or stick is attached to maintain its shape.

Measure your window and find something solid, such as a stiff rod or a sturdy stick, that you can then wrap the curtain around. You can also use an old curtain rod (if you have one).

* You can also use two pieces of heavyweight fabric. There is an instruction for this:

2.1 Prepare two pieces of thick fabric. Put both pieces of fabric one on top of the other patterned to each other. Secure everything with pins and cut so that you end up with a size several centimeters larger than the size of the window.

2.2 Sew all layers on three sides. On the last 4th side, sew a third of the entire length from each end (it turns out that one third not sewn in the middle). Use the unstitched portion to turn fabrics inside out.

2.3 Insert a pin into the hole and secure it with a stitch, and sew the fabrics to the end.

* If the curtains are long and cover the batteries, attach loops to the bottom edge of the curtain, and sew buttons in the middle of the curtain. This will allow you to string the buttonholes while raising the curtains over the battery.

3. Seal old window frames to avoid heat leakage. You don't have to spend a lot - you can find inexpensive sealant at any hardware store. It will also take you very little time.

4. If you still have bubble wrap from the goods that were wrapped in it, cut the size you need. It should be noted that such a film can be purchased separately. Spray a little water on the window and place the film with bubbles against the window - the water will serve as glue for the film, and then there will be no stains. This will reduce heat loss by 50%.

How to make the floor warmer

5. Cover the floors with carpets. There is nothing more frustrating than getting bare feet on a cold floor in the morning. In addition to a pleasant feel, carpets also create an additional insulating layer that prevents cold air from rising from the floor, which means your feet will thank you.

6. Use a sealing gasket (cotton wool or foam, for example) to close all gaps in the windows. After that, cover the slots with strips of cotton fabric (each strip is 4-5 cm wide). This will keep the warmth from escaping your home.

7. It is advisable to have thick, massive doors in the house that will keep you a lot of heat. You can also upholster an old front door with leatherette filled with a foam pad.

It is advisable to plaster all cracks with polyurethane foam. If you decide to install a new door, then see if you can keep the old one, because the two entrance doors create an air cushion between them, and it insulates the heat.

How to keep your home warm

8. Attach a sheet of foil behind the radiator and it will reflect heat back into the room, with little heat escaping through the wall. It should be noted that the gap between the foil and the battery must be at least 3 cm.

9. If for one reason or another it is not possible to attach a screen made of metal foil, try to insulate the house from the outside. Order insulation of the end wall (as a rule, this is done with special plates).

10. Take a shower with the door open (if possible). The warmth and humid air created during bathing will raise the air temperature throughout the house.

11. Dry things in the house. Just like bathing with the door open, this method increases the humidity in the air and makes you more pleasant and comfortable.

Do-it-yourself home insulation

12. Rearrange furniture

Can't afford to insulate your walls outside? Then try rearranging the furniture. For example, place a large cabinet near the coldest wall. But please note that the sofa should not be placed near the battery, as you will disrupt air exchange.

13. If you have cracked windows, be sure to replace them.

14. If you decide to bake something, leave the kitchen door open so that the heat of the oven and / or stovetop spreads throughout the house.

15. Last but not least, you can purchase a heater.

How to choose a heater

There are a few things to know before purchasing a heater.

First you need to decide what you need it for. Based on this, it is worth choosing how powerful a heater is required. Find out the area of \u200b\u200bthe room (room). An ordinary apartment with ceilings of 2.75 - 2.8 m needs a heater with a capacity of at least 1 kW for every 10 sq. m.

A big plus will be the presence of a temperature and power regulator in the heater. There are several types of heaters:

15.1 Oil heater

How does he work:

Inside such a heater there are 2 or 3 heating elements that are used to heat mineral oil. This oil has a rather high boiling point and when it heats up, heat is transferred over the entire metal surface of the apparatus.

With the help of such a heater, the air heats up quite quickly, besides the oil heater does not dry out the air. It can be equipped with a thermostat that switches off the heater when the temperature reaches a set level.

15.2 Convector

How does he work:

Cold air is passed through the heating element and heats up, and then exits through the grilles located in the upper part of the device. An additional source of heat is the convector body, which also heats up. But the heater should be placed away from furniture, because a warm housing may ruin it.

Convectors can be mounted to the wall or placed on special legs. The device is quite safe because its heating element is hidden inside the case. If the convector has a thermostat, then it can work continuously.

The only negative is that the heater heats the room slowly. It should be used to maintain the correct temperature.

15.3 Fan heater

How does he work:

There is a thin spiral inside this heater, which gets very hot. The heat generated by the heating of the coil is distributed throughout the room by a fan.

The air in the room heats up quite quickly, besides, the device itself is easy to carry, because it's pretty lightweight. Typically a thermal fan is used in offices

But it should be noted that the device dries up the air, which in turn is harmful to health. It is undesirable to use a thermal fan where there is an asthmatic. Another disadvantage of such a device is the constant noise during its operation.

15.4 Infrared heater (quartz radiator)

How does he work:

This device, unlike others, heats objects around it, not air. Further, the room is heated thanks to the heat emanating from the heated floors, walls and furniture. This saves electricity as the device itself may not work, and the room is still warm.

If in the first place - savings, then it is worth choosing just such a heater. But you should know that infrared quartz emitters are the most expensive and you need a specialist to install them.


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