Top Tips Article written by Sunny Singh, Owner & Managing Director Home Instead South East Northumberland for the winter.
Plan ahead
• Ensure you have enough medication and food in case it becomes more challenging to leave the house.
• Keep a working torch handy in the eventuality of a power cut.
• If there are rooms in the home which are not currently used, turn off the radiators and close the doors to keep heat within the occupied rooms.
• If you need to leave the house, ensure you plan by checking the forecast for the best time to leave.
Emergency numbers.
• 999 Emergency Services
• 101 non-emergency service line
• 105 Power Cut emergency line
• 0800 111 999 Gas Emergency Number
Boiler Service/Inspection. Ensure the heating system has been inspected before we get into winter months. This will allow the engineer to assess if the boiler is running efficiently and potentially save on unnecessary energy expenses. It will aid with the prevention of any nasty surprises when the temperature drops.
Draught excluders. It’s important to stop the cold coming in. You may have old, cracked, or broken frames. It could be a good idea to seal the gaps or use draught excluders to stop the cold weather from creeping in!
Bleed radiators. Over time, air can get trapped in your radiators. This can prevent hot water from circulating as efficiently and may be why your home isn’t as warm as it used to be. Bleeding your radiators releases this trapped air.
Several thin layers. You could keep heating bills down by wearing several layers of clothing instead of one big jumper. This traps warm air in lots of layers so will keep you warmer for longer. You can also more easily control your temperature by adding or removing layers depending on how you feel. Consider wrapping up in a blanket or wearing more layers, instead of turning up the radiator.
Vaccination. Research the potential for the flu vaccine, it is available for free to those aged 65 years and over. It is a safe and effective vaccine offered e very year to reduce the risk of getting seriously ill from the flu.
Hydration. Keep drinking plenty of fluids, sweat evaporates quickly in the cold & dry air which can trick your body into believing you are not thirsty. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure you are hydrated, this will help with cold and flu prevention, better digestive health, increase energy levels and aid skin health. The NHS recommends between 6-8 glasses/cups of fluid a day in line with Eatwell guide. Water, lower-fat milk, and sugar free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.
Hot water bottle. Using a hot water bottle is a great way to stay warm during the day or keep your bed warm without spending as much on heating. They are easy to get hold of and relatively inexpensive. If you do get cold easily, we highly recommend them.
Keep warm and stay safe. If you do need some advice or support, please reach out to us [email protected]