1 Check insulation
Check heating
3Take precautions
230
NATURAL DISASTERS
Extreme cold
Heavy snowfall and very low temperatures can produce difficult conditions both in the home and outside, especially if cold weather is prolonged. Prepare for wintry conditions well in advance by checking in summer or early autumn that your house is well-insulated. During a freeze, keep warm, stay safe, indoors if you can, and be a good neighbor to the elderly or frail.
PREPARING FOR EXTREME COLD
1 Check insulation
• Attach self-adhesive foam strips around loose-fitting doors and windows to prevent drafts.
• Fit draft protectors across the bottoms of external doors.
• Hang a heavy curtain at the front door to keep the hall draft-free.
• To improve insulation, secure sheets of glass in frames across single glazed windows. Alternatively, use a special heat-sensitive plastic film as a temporary measure( see box right); the film is cheaper, but less efficient.
• Check that outdoor pipes and faucets are properly insulated.
• Check that the attic, and pipes and water tanks within it, are well insulated.
2
Check heating
• Before winter arrives, turn on your central heating to check that it works. If you discover problems see p. 192 for advice.
• Stick aluminum foil sheets behind radiators to reflect heat back into the room. This is particularly important for radiators against external walls.
3Take precautions
• Buy low-wattage electric heaters that you can leave on overnight to keep rooms above freezing.
• If you depend on electricity, buy a portable gas heater to use should power lines come down.
• If you have a wood or coal fireplace, stock up on fuel and matches.
• Maintain medicine supplies.
• If your stove is electric, stock up on foods that do not need cooking.
TEMPORARY INSULATION
Keep the hairdryer moving to smooth film
Stretch plastic Press heat-sensitive plastic film across the window and onto the adhesive strips. Hold a hairdryer a few inches away and warm the plastic until the film is quite taut.
Attach lengths of tape
Apply adhesive tape Attach lengths of doublesided adhesive tape down the sides and across the top and bottom of the window. Allow adhesive to harden for 1 hour.