In this section...
Keep Warm and Safe this Winter
Hackney and City residents are
encouraged to keep warm and keep well this winter, as part of
a campaign run by Hackney Council and supported by NHS City
and Hackney and Age UK.
With the wintry weather setting in,
here are some hot tops for keeping warm:
- Keep curtains drawn and doors closed to block out
draughts.
- Have regular hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day if
possible. Eating regularly helps keep energy levels up during
winter.
- Wear several light layers of warm clothes (rather than one
chunky layer).
- Keep as active as possible.
- Wrap up warm if you need to go outside on cold days.
- Keep your main living room at around 18- 21°C (64-70°F), and
the rest of the house at least 16°C (61°F). If you can’t heat
all the rooms you use, heat the living room during the day and the
bedroom just before you go to sleep.
www.hackney.gov.uk/winter-planning.htm
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/winterhealth/Pages/Winterhealthhome.aspx
Keep gas bills
low
Gas and electricity bills often skyrocket during winter. Here
are some tips on how to keep warm, but still keep those bills
low:
- Turn off unnecessary lights
- Using energy-saving light bulbs
- Stop taps from dripping, and reduce the water temperature
If you want to find out how to save up
to £300 on household bills this winter, do a home energy check
online using the Energy Saving Trust website or call 0800 512
012.
Icy conditions
Icy pavements and roads can very slippery. Take extra care if
you go out and wear boots or shoes with good grip on the soles.
- There is no law preventing you from clearing snow and ice on
the pavement outside your property, pathways to your property or
public spaces. Here are some Department of Transport tips about
clearing ice or snow from footpaths.
- Do not use hot water. This will melt the snow, but may replace
it with black ice, increasing the risk of injury.
- Be a good neighbour: some people may be unable to clear snow
and iceon paths leading to their property or indeed the footway
fronting their property. Snowfall and cold weather pose particular
difficulties for them gaining access to and from their property or
walking to the shops.
- If shovelling snow, consider where you are going to put it, so
that it does not block people’s paths, or block drainage channels.
This could shift the problem elsewhere.
- Spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help to
prevent any ice forming. Table salt or dishwasher salt will work,
but avoid spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by
it. A few grams (a tablespoon) for each square metre you clear
should work. The salt found in salting bins will be needed for
keeping roads clear.
For information on travelling during
ice or snow conditions, visit the Highways Agency website
http://www.highways.gov.uk/
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