Things You Do to Stay Warm that Actually Make You Colder in Rapid City

November 18, 2015

Winter in Rapid City comes with cold temperatures that will have you searching for ways to stay warm. Surefire ways to stay warm include scheduling regular furnace service and bundling up with layered clothing. You’ll hear a lot of other ways to stay warm when the temperatures drop, but beware: a lot of these recommendations are actually myths and could end up making you feel colder!

Common Myths:

  • Hot drinks will make you warmer: Sure, holding a toasty cup of coffee or hot chocolate can warm your hands and you’ll feel like you’re warming up as you gulp it down. But in reality, the warmth of the drink actually prompts your brain to start chilling your body.
  • Alcoholic drinks will warm you up: False. While alcoholic drinks will make your skin feel warmer, alcohol has the ability to cause your body’s core temperature to drop. Keeping your furnace well-maintained and running smoothly with regular furnace service is a much better way to stay warm.
  • Hot showers heat you up: Unfortunately, the warmth you feel from a hot shower will leave once you turn off the water. You’ll feel colder as the water dries up, which is why it’s often difficult to get out of the shower.
  • Wearing a hat will take care of your warming needs: You’ve probably heard this many times, but all uncovered skin adds to heat loss—not just that on your head. If you’re only covering your head and not other areas of exposed skin, you’re going to lose more body heat.

When you see all the misleading information about staying warm in winter, it’s not hard to see how imperative furnace service is to your comfort. While there are more ways to keep yourself warm besides furnace service, not many will have such a big influence on your daily comfort. To find out more about what furnace service can do for you in Rapid City, call Precision Mechanical at 605-206-3766 or schedule an appointment online.