Multiple severe weather warnings for snow, ice, rain and gale force winds have been issued as Storm Bert arrives in the UK this weekend.
The Met Office has warned the storm will be a “multi-hazard event” that is expected to cause power cuts, mobile phone outages, travel delays and cancellations, and may leave some rural communities cut off.
The storm is due to arrive overnight on Friday and into Saturday, bringing snow to parts of Scotland, north Wales and northern England, as well as heavy rain, particularly in southern and western parts of the UK.
Temperatures are forecast to feel very chilly, reaching a maximum of just 7C or 8C during the day.
To help stay warm and safe during the cold weather, households are advised to keep their heating at the same temperature both during the day and at night.
Not only will this ensure your home stays warm, keeping your heating on overnight also reduces the risk of frozen pipes. When temperatures fall below 0C it can cause the water in your pipes to freeze and expand, leading them to burst.
Keeping a consistent temperature also allows you to avoid energy spikes caused by turning your heating on and off throughout the day, which can be costly.
The NHS, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Age UK recommend heating your home to a minimum of 18C to protect against the cold and this temperature should be maintained day and night.
It’s particularly important not to dip below this temperature if you’re not very mobile, are aged 65 or over, or you have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease.
The NHS adds that families with babies should heat rooms between 16C and 20C while they sleep to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
You can also keep your home warm by drawing your curtains at dusk, keeping doors closed to block out draughts – fitting draught excluders is a relatively cheap way to do this – and keeping your bedroom windows closed at night.
It’s also advised that you wear several layers of thinner clothing during bouts of cold weather, as this will keep you warmer than one thick layer, and have plenty of hot drinks to keep your body temperature up throughout the day.