Setting cold weather records

The Windy City has had it’s share of cold days but recently it’s been breaking records and getting dangerously cold. The cities most recent low was 15 below zero with Chicago’s infamous wind chill bringing the temperature to as low as 42 below zero. This record beats previous record lows set in 1894 and 1988. It would even have been warmer at the South Pole with temperatures of only 11 below. Not only was the record low beaten, as the record for the lowest high was broken on January 6th with a high of -1. 

With temperatures like this and schools being cancelled it’s clear that the best thing to do is avoid going outside as much as possible. If you do go outside, make sure you are prepared and that you spend as little time outdoors as possible. Staying warm at home comes with the assumption that your home is actually warm. These cold and windy days will most likely inform you and your family the importance of having a properly insulated and heated home. These may also be the days when you realize that your chimney has been merely decorative, and you might want to use it.  

Keeping your home warm and safe

Lighting a fire in your fireplace is an inexpensive way to add additional warmth to your home but can also be somewhat problematic if you don’t have your chimney properly maintained. If your fireplace is not properly set up, you could end up losing much of the warm air in your home and let some of the freezing cold air in. While this is an issue with fireplaces, doesn’t mean that it is not preventable. Adding a chimney liner can prevent the loss of heat and can increase the amount of heat your fire produces for your home as well as preventing a number of other problems associated with houses with chimneys.

Adding a class cover to your fireplace helps prevent letting some of the cold air in. While it also allows you to see the fire and enjoy the atmosphere that it provides, it is effective at conducting heat into the room. These glass doors to your fireplace will also prevent heat from escaping from your home even when there is no fire lit. So even if you do not plan to light any fires, consider getting glass doors for your fireplace as they are good insulators and improve the overall aesthetic of the room. 

If you have not been properly maintaining your fireplace and chimney, you run the risk of starting a fire. This risk is increased because of how dry your chimney gets in these extremely low temperatures. Having your chimney properly or even professionally cleaned can help avoid the risk of a fire starting. It is recommended that you do this before starting a fire.