Over recent weeks the UK has endured Storm Abigail and Storm Barney, with the latter bringing gusts of winds of up to 85mph, which left thousands throughout the UK without power. Whilst Abigail and Barney may have eased off, the winter weather is likely to tighten its grip over coming months.

To make sure you’re ready for any big freeze, we’ve compiled 9 top tips to help you stay warm in winter.

How Warm Should Your Home Be?

First thing in the morning and as soon as you get home from work, it’s likely your home will have a bit of a chill leading to many of us giving our heating a quick blast. But do you know how warm your home should be during winter?

Heating causes many debates during the winter months, with complaints the heating is turned up too high or too low. To prevent such debates, you’ll be pleased to know there are recommended temperatures your home should be.

According to the World Health Organisation, the temperature of the home should be…

• 18⁰C for healthy people who are adequately dressed
• Minimum of 16⁰C for those with respiratory problems
• Minimum of 20⁰C for sick / disabled / elderly people
  [source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12606943]

Whilst there’s a recommended temperature the home should be, it has been suggested you should have the room you spend the most of the time in at a temperature of 18⁰C to 21⁰C.

How to Stay Warm at Home in Winter:

When it comes to keeping warm in the winter, along with making sure you’re adequately dressed (yes this means putting on a jumper, before putting the heating on), why not try some of the following tips:

• Use portable heaters to add extra heat in your home. From oil filled radiators and panel heaters, to convector and ceramic heaters, there’s a wide range of portable heaters available. All of these heaters are a great source of heat during the cold months, whilst they remain discreet enough not to hinder the look of your room.
• Make your radiators more effective, by placing foil behind them. The foil will reflect the heat back into the room and prevent it from being lost, and whilst everyday kitchen foil will do the job it is possible to purchase specialist foil.
• Leave certain doors open, at certain times. Whilst keeping your doors closed will help you to keep the heat in the rooms, when running a hot bath or having a shower it is recommended to leave the bathroom door open. By doing this, you’ll allow the heat (and steam) to travel through nearby areas of your house and keep them warm.After you’ve switched your oven off, consider leaving the door of it open whilst it cools down to allow the heat from it to disperse into your kitchen. [source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/personal-finance/10-ways-keep-warm-save-4602593]

   

• Keep little draughts in the house at bay to prevent them from causing a nuisance. Key areas to focus on include the letter box, keyholes and cat flaps – all of which can be altered to help keep the cold air out and the hot air in.
• Schedule your heating to ensure you stay warm throughout the day. There’s nothing worse than waking up to a freezing cold house, make sure you don’t have to face this by scheduling your heating to come on at a set time.Along with scheduling the heating for set times of the day, programme your thermostat to kick in when the house drops below a set temperature and to switch off when it hits your desired temperature.

• Eat a well balanced diet, not only will this help to keep you healthy but it also goes some way to keeping you warm during the winter months. It’s also recommended to have at least one hot meal per day.
• Struggling to keep warm at night? There are a few things you can do to help including using a hot water bottle to heat your bed before you get in it, using an electric blanket to take off the chill and closing the windows at dusk to keep the warmth which has built up during the day in.It’s worth noting that the recommended temperature of your bedroom, for a comfortable night sleep, is 18⁰C.
• Stay active not only to stay fit and healthy, but to keep warm too. We’re not saying you should go out for a run or visit the gym, but by moving about and not sitting down for hours at a time will help you to keep warm.
• Dress for the occasion, and we don’t mean just put on another jumper. Choose your clothing wisely and opt for woollen, cotton or fleecy fabrics as these will help you stay warmer in winter. [source: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/spread-the-warmth1/tips-on-keeping-warm-this-winter/]

By following just a few of these tips, there’s no reason why you cannot be warm and cosy inside, dreaming of those warm summer days which are just around the corner, when you can relax and unwind on the beach with the waves tickling your feet and a drink in your hand.

Help others keep warm this winter, by sharing these tips on Twitter & Facebook.

Tags: Heating, How to Keep Warm, Winter