Hosting the family Thanksgiving meal can warm the soul, but all that cooking can leave your kitchen feeling like a tropical rainforest – albeit one that smells like turkey and mashed potatoes. Don’t let an uncomfortable kitchen ruin your South Jersey Thanksgiving celebration. Check out these tips from Heating Specialties, so you can keep your cool during the Turkey Day meal.
Use your kitchen exhaust fan
The folks in the stands of the big game aren’t the only fans who show up at Thanksgiving. If your home has an exhaust fan, use it to grab the humidity and odors that are wafting from your stovetop. Pull out a few more fans to keep the indoor air moving, so your guests stay comfortable. Got ceiling fans? Make sure they’re running.
Open some windows
South Jersey Novembers can be tricky, and you may not want to think about cracking a window when the outside air is uncomfortably cold. Remember, hot air naturally moves toward the cooler spaces. While that’s no fun during a hot July day, use it to your advantage when you’re juggling the turkey tasks with the green bean casserole your mother always made.
Turn down the temperature in your home
This is one holiday where you want to start off a few degrees below your regular comfort zone temperature. Between the oven, stovetop, warming trays, appliances, and guests, your home temperature will be rising quicker than your Aunt Mary’s homemade rolls. Are you worried about waking up to a cold home on Friday because you forgot to set the thermostat back to its regularly scheduled setting? Consider a programmable thermostat that will adjust the temperature automatically.
Go outside
If you have a smoker or grill, consider moving some of the cooking tasks outdoors. You’ll free up space in your oven and put a new spin on the old Thanksgiving Day standards. Plus, you’ll have fewer pans to clean afterward. Read more on how to grill a turkey here.
Consider using different appliances
Cooking on the stove is convenient, but it’s going to add that heat and humidity to the air on a day when the kitchen is already warming up. Pull out the pressure cooker or slow cooker and let them handle the mashed potatoes or other side dishes.
Outsource some of the cooking tasks
Thanksgiving is the ultimate shared meal, and many of your guests want to bring a dish. Let them. That’s one less preparation task that contributes to the kitchen heat.
Make sure your home’s HVAC system is up to the task
Ideally, you have an HVAC system that’s good at reading the indoor temperature and keeping your home comfortable. What’s that? Did you neglect to schedule your regular fall furnace, boiler, or heat pump tune-up with Heating Specialties? Don’t leave your home’s comfort to chance. Let a Heating Specialties HVAC technician stop by to make sure your system is in working order and is ready to handle not only the changing seasons but also the task of keeping everyone warm and cozy throughout the holidays and beyond. Regular tune-ups can catch small problems before they become costly fixes, and they may even add years to your HVAC unit’s lifespan. Now that’s a holiday present everyone wants!
The holiday season is upon us, and you’re going to want a home that is welcoming and warm – not stuffy – for your family and visitors. Call Heating Specialties now at (866) 923-2653 or schedule an appointment online now to troubleshoot any problems and make sure your unit is ready for winter. Enjoy the holiday season and beyond with Heating Specialties!