As we settle into another Kiwi winter, grey skies, rain, frost and snow can make the winter months feel long. Even though it’s cold, there are a few easy things you can do to keep yourself and your whānau warm until spring.
Here are our top tips for staying warm this winter:
Tips for your home
1. Get rid of dampness
Cooking, showering and drying clothes indoors all creates moisture in your home, causing dampness. A damp, mouldy home can be harder to heat and cause respiratory illnesses.
To minimise dampness, dry your clothes outside, use extractor fans when cooking and showering and remove condensation from windows and doors daily.
2. Let in fresh air
Even when it’s cold outside, open windows during the day, if only for a few minutes, to remove moisture from your home and let in fresh air.
3. Keep your home warm
The World Health Organization recommends keeping your home heated to 18ºC, but if you have young children, elderly family members or people who are unwell in your home you may need to keep your house warmer.
Try and retain heat by keeping out draughts by using draught stoppers around doors and windows. Find out the most effective way to heat your house.
4. Open and close curtains
Open your curtains in the morning to let the winter sun warm your home and close your curtains as the sun goes down to try and retain some warmth.
Tips for you and your whānau
1. Dress in warm layers
Keep warm by wearing warm layers of clothing, such as woollen jumpers, hats and singlets. Wrap up warm when you’re outside, including jackets and gloves.
2. Enjoy warm food
Hot food such as porridge for breakfast and soup for dinner helps to keep you warm from the inside. For a cheap and easy pick-me-up, drink a cup of hot water.
3. Stay warm in bed
Take a hot water bottle to bed and add extra layers, such as a woollen blanket to your bed. Dress in warm pyjamas and keep your feet warm with socks.
Learn more
Heating your home EECA Energy Wise New Zealand EECA Energy Wise New Zealand
Keeping your home warm and dry EECA Energy Wise New Zealand
Keeping warm and healthy this winter Ministry of Social Development