Safety in the home | Support services
Ensuring you stay warm this winter comes with a variety of factors including oil costs, home safety and heating efficiency. This page should guide you on heating your home and keeping yourself warm and well this winter.
- Wear several layers of clothes rather than one chunky layer – clothes made from cotton, wool or fleecy fibres help maintain body heat
- Duvets and blankets can come in useful to keep warm if you heating stops working or your power supplies are cut off
- Setting your heating to a suitable temperature (18-21 °C, 65-70 °F), will keep your home warm. Keep your bedroom windows closed at night when the weather is cold
- Your heating systems should be serviced and if you have a coal fire arrange for the chimney to be swept or alternatively ask your landlord to do this if it is their responsibility
- For wood-burners, coal or gas heaters make sure the rooms are well ventilated
- Fit draught proofing to seal any gaps around windows and doors
- Make sure you have loft insulation. And if you have cavity walls, make sure they are insulated too
- Insulate your hot water cylinder and pipes
- Draw your curtains at dusk to help keep heat generated inside your rooms
- Make sure your radiators are not obstructed by furniture or curtains
- If you experience a problem with your gas connection contact 0808 1624 444
Safety in the home
- Make sure the batteries in your smoke alarms are tested regularly and that electric blankets are serviced at least every three years. Remember never use a hot water bottle with an electric blanket
- For more advice contact our local Fire and Rescue Service who offer community advice and help with the fitting and testing of these items
- Install a carbon monoxide detector in case air vents become blocked, for more advice view Isle of Man Energy Carbon Monoxide safety pages. Do not use a gas cooker or oven to heat your home; it is inefficient and there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and this can kill
- Learn a few simple first aid steps; such as how to deal with strains and sprains or broken bones, as trips and falls can increase in icy weather. The St John Ambulance website offers easy simple advice on first aid
- Don't be afraid to ask for help either by contacting friends, relatives, neighbours, your GP, Social Worker, District Nurse, or Housing Officer and remember, in a life threatening situation you should always dial 999 immediately
Also see: NHS Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Support services
- Fuel Poverty – the Social Security Division, Treasury offers a winter bonus to those who qualify or are entitled to income support. For further details visit the Winter Bonus page
- Free local Energy Efficiency Advice on heating and insulation at the Manx Energy Advice Centre, The Green Centre, Chester Street Complex, Douglas or by telephoning +44 1624 851482
For more tips on preparing for winter visit 'Get Winter Ready'.