Keeping warm in the winter months is vital for your physical health and mental wellbeing. This can seem harder to do when energy bills are at an all-time high. But there are ways to stay warm and comfortable without cranking up the central heating.
The first area to look at is your home and whether there are any draughts from poorly fitting windows or doors. Often, fitting draught excluder strips is a cheap and easy way to help keep warm air in and cold air out.
Single glazed windows, or even older double glazed windows can transfer a lot of heat. Putting up heavier thermal curtains can make a significant difference.
Fuel Yourself
Our bodies are pretty effective heating systems. Like any heating system they need fuel. Eating properly, with at least one hot meal each day is essential. Regular hot drinks will also help keep you feeling warm. A care at home service can help out with daily hot meals if it feels a bit of a struggle.
Keeping that heat in with warm clothes and slippers or thick socks is obviously a good idea. It also helps to keep on the move as much as possible as this will convert some of the calories you’ve eaten into heat. So stand up, walk around and do a few stretches if you’re able.
Warm Yourself, Not the Room
There are plenty of electrically heated clothes on the market such as socks and waistcoats. These can be highly effective at keeping you warm without turning on the heating. Similarly, modern electric blankets don’t cost a fortune to run.
Efficient Heating
While it’s possible to keep warm without turning on the heating at all, it’s not necessarily a great idea. Unheated homes can suffer from damp and poor air quality, which can cause mould and respiratory problems. But you can concentrate the heat where it’s needed by turning down radiators in rooms you don’t use.
The flow temperatures on gas boilers are often set too high. If you have a combination gas boiler, turning the flow temperature down to about 600 will ensure it runs more efficiently.
If you have any questions about care at home or any other service give Altogether Care a call, visit our website, or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk. We’ll be happy to answer any questions.
