Keeping a healthy home temperature – know the facts

As temperatures drop outside, households across the UK are buzzing with the same debate – how and when to heat a rapidly cooling home.

The prospect of rising bills and energy shortages is causing many of us to think twice this year. We’ve read all the advice – ‘put on an extra layer’ and ‘use an electric heater, not central heating’ – but what are the myths around staying warm this winter, and what is the reality of living and working in a cold environment?

What are the risks of being cold?

Living in the northern hemisphere, most of us are used to chilly winters, often associating them with the festive season and cosying up at home when the colder nights set in. This year the picture will look drastically different for many families. Aside from casting a gloomy shadow over Christmas, the reality of a cold home is not something to be taken lightly.

Recent research, from the University of South Wales, clearly shows that cold temperatures are more deadly than hot. Many are preparing for their coldest winters yet to keep costs down, yet they remain unaware of the dangers posed to their health from persistently low temperatures at home.

What are the watch-outs?

10°C doesn’t sound particularly cold. We might choose to pop on a coat, and maybe another pair of socks before venturing outside in it. However, temperatures as low as this inside the home can create havoc for our bodies, and in some cases they can prove deadly.

As fears grow over energy costs spiralling out of control, some will choose to face the cold, rather than the bills ahead, despite the very real risks involved. Here are some to consider:

• Blood pressure increases, causing an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks
• Rapid breathing, which can cause anxiety
• Reduction in blood flow to the brain, causing drowsiness, loss of focus and slowing of thought process
• Thickening of the blood, adding to the risk of clotting or vascular blockages

There is also an added layer of concern when we consider the effect that the cold can have on the very young and the elderly. Children and older people are less able to regulate their internal thermostats and are more vulnerable to colder temperatures as a result.

Viruses also spread more easily in the cold. With current fears over a triple pandemic this winter, the last thing any of us needs is yet another festive season dogged by Covid, or worse.

So, what can I do about it?

The media has been prolific in recent months, providing well meaning, yet conflicting advice on how to stay warm as temperatures drop and how to safely, and economically, heat your home. Here are the facts:

• Which cites your home’s heating system as being responsible for the top 10 ways to keep bills lower this winter
• For full peace of mind, and to ensure you’re system is literally ‘firing on all cylinders’, a heating system MOT is the best money you’ll spend this year, and next!
• Even though they’re touted as efficient, electric heaters are more expensive to run than gas. Don’t be fooled by the ads!
• Use and programme your thermostats. If you’re not sure how, we’re happy to help. Just give us a call 0116 298 5213
• Moving around more, wearing insulating clothing and eating slow-release carbohydrates are also small ways you can help your body stay warm

In the face of the economic challenges ahead, we’re here to help keep you cosy and safe this Christmas.

Need help with your boiler or heating system? Contact us today