Every state can have a cold snap during the winter, even Florida. Some heating and air conditioning systems may become inoperable, leaving your home with a chill. The cold can leave some homeowners looking for alternate heat sources after weather-related outages, such as hurricanes and severe storms.
It’s imperative, though, to be careful with your alternative mode of heat because safety is of extreme importance in a heating emergency.
One of the more popular options for alternative heat sources people might look to use is ovens. Using a gas or electric range is a dangerous option.
Gas ovens may burn inefficiently or go out altogether. The gas flame heats the oven, thus producing carbon monoxide. Without proper ventilation, this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Good ventilation means avoiding using foil to cover vent holes on the floor of the oven. You should also always utilize the range hood while cooking to pull the gas out of the house. When people attempt to use a gas oven as a heat source, they’ll leave the oven door open. An opened oven can lead to the threat of burning unsuspecting family members and animals as well as an increased amount of carbon monoxide to unhealthy levels in your home.
While there is no threat of carbon monoxide poisoning with electric ovens, it’s important to note that electric ovens are not designed to heat a large space, thus rendering their use ineffective. You can leave the door open to allow the heated air to flow throughout the room, but this can create a dangerous area to bump into for children, pets, and even adults.
The heat coming from an oven left on for prolonged times can also cause damage to temperature dials and other items nearby. The damage to temperature dials can lead to electrical malfunctions, challenge the oven to work effectively, or, even worse, a fire.
Your safest bet is to invest in a high-quality heat pump from Rainaldi, your home comfort expert. Heat pumps work year-round, keeping your home comfortable, safe, and more efficient than ovens and portable heaters. Heat pumps are considered the most efficient source of heat for the home, which is why they’re popular in Florida.
Supplemental heat can come from your home’s fireplace. Just make sure you’ve prepped your fireplace and chimney for the season by having a routine cleaning (including roof, chimney flue, and fireplace) and having a mesh screen spark arrestor coving the chimney to prevent sparks from flying to neighboring trees outside the home.
If you’re worried about the function of your heat pump or looking for ways to keep your home warm this winter, contact Central Florida’s home comfort experts at Rainaldi Home Services.
Rainaldi Home Services provides fast, dependable plumbing and HVAC services to Orlando, Apopka, Kissimmee, Longwood, Oviedo, Winter Park and the Greater Orlando Area.