Keeping Warm and Checking the Weather
How to keep your home warm?
Low indoor temperatures can also have a serious impact on people who have medical conditions or are elderly.
To help keep your home warm:
Keep bedroom windows closed at night
Fit draught excluders around doors and windows
Keep the most-used rooms to 18°C if you can. If you are struggling with energy costs, visit www.wirral.gov.uk/costofliving for more information or call Ask us Wirral at 0808 2787848
Why is it important to let fresh air in?
While keeping windows and doors shut is important to keep your home warm, letting fresh air in can help prevent mould and damp. Mould and damp can aggravate respiratory problems, infections, allergies or asthma and can also affect the immune system.
Additionally, it can help remove air that contains virus particles and prevent the spread of respiratory infections such as flu, COVID-19 and colds. Good ventilation can help with better sleep and concentration, and fewer sick days off from work or school.
When to ventilate your rooms?
If you can ventilate rooms when they are not in use by anyone. This simple action helps to get some fresh air in and helps to prevent mould, damp and infections. You can find further information about mould and damp here. Private and social rented landlords should respond to damp and mould and take preventative action.
Find advice about ventilation to reduce the spread of infections here.
Why is it important to keep track of the weather?
Temperatures can drop significantly during winter months. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and the news, this will help you to plan ahead and get prepared to face low temperatures.
Radio, TV, online weather checkers and mobile apps can be helpful ways to keep informed. You can also register here to get the weather alerts.
If bad weather is forecast (below 5°C), keep warm and check you’ve got enough medication and food in case it’s harder to leave the house. Check with your local pharmacy if they offer free delivery. Try calling Wirral Food Bank via 0151 638 7090 if you are struggling with food.
Why is keeping warm important?
Your body needs to keep around 37°C as a ‘core temperature’ to stay healthy. Keeping warm over the winter months can help to prevent serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression. There are many ways you can keep yourself warm, including:
Wearing multiple thin layers of clothing
Wearing a hat, scarf and gloves when you go outside
Wearing bed socks and thermal clothing at night
