Keeping your home warm and safe

How to keep warm

You can keep warm at home by:

• Wearing several layers of thinner clothing; this could keep you warmer than one thicker layer
• Trying to heat rooms you spend a lot of time in, such as the living room or bedroom, to at least 18°C
• Trying to reduce draughts; you can fit draught excluders around doors cheaply
• Keeping your bedroom windows closed at night.

While it is important to keep out the cold, it is also important to think about ventilation. This helps to avoid damp and mould, and reduce the spread of respiratory infections indoors. For information on how to do this, see the following websites:

• Heating advice for homes
• Making homes more energy efficient
• A guide to the effects of damp and mould, and how to prevent it (PDF)
• Keeping spaces ventilated to prevent respiratory illnesses

Concerns about home conditions

If you are concerned about the conditions of your home, such as damp and mould issues, you can do the following:

• If you live in Council housing - contact the Council’s Housing Team to arrange repair and maintenance
• If you are in private accommodation - speak to your landlord or housing association, or contact the Council’s Environmental Health Team if the condition of the property is in disrepair or is a statutory nuisance.

People sleeping rough in Wokingham Borough can access emergency accommodation during periods of severe weather. This provision is known as the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). If you are aware of someone sleeping rough in the Borough, you can send an alert to the Council using StreetLink. See our homelessness page for details.