A boiler breakdown can cause havoc at the best of times. But if you’re unlucky enough to have it breakdown during the winter months, not only can it disrupt your life until it’s resolved, it means you’re going to be struggling without heating during the cold weather. We discuss 5 ways to keep warm when your boiler is broken.
After being out of the house during the day, the one thing we look forward to is coming home to a nice warm and cosy house. So coming home to it being it being colder than outside is not something any of us want to go through.
Why has my Boiler Broken Down?
There are many reasons why your boiler may have broken down. It could be something that is relatively simple to resolve, or it could be that your boiler has finally run its course and it’s time to get a new one. Either way, you’re going to want it seen to, and quick.
In the unfortunate event that it does happen to you, it’s likely that your engineer won’t be able to attend or fix your boiler right away. There’s not much you can do about the engineer, but there are some tips and tricks for keeping warm so that you don’t have to feel the cold too much.
Top 5 Ways to Keep Warm
1. Layer Up
T-shirts, Vests, sweaters, jumpers, gillets, coats, hats, scarf and gloves if needed. Not forgetting a few pairs of socks either, as our feet being cold can make the rest of our bodies feel like ice too.
Several layers of thinner clothes instead of only a few layers of thicker clothes, will trap the extra heat in. So don’t dive straight in for your puffer jackets. Start with the lighter stuff and keep adding.
2. Hot Water Bottles
I’m sure some of you remember these as children as a bed companion for the colder months, hidden inside a teddy bear of sorts so it didn’t burn your legs. Time to dig them back out, as these insulated bottles hold heat for a long time, and can be a godsend when you’re feeling chilled to the bones.
You can also purchase beanie warmers too these days. Which are bears of some kind which you put in the microwave to warm them up. These also hold the heat and can be a great snuggle buddy, especially for children.
3. Stay Active
Time to do those jumping jacks and running on the spot. You can work up a real sweat if you keep moving, and it’s a great way to keep fit too. Put some music on and have a dance round your lounge, it’s good fun and it’ll warm you up quickly.
4. Hot Food and Hot Drinks
Get some good hot grub inside you. And a nice cup of tea can help warm you up from the inside out. If you have an electric oven of hob, you can still cook food, so make the most of having as many hot dinners and lunches as you can. Breakfast too if you have the time.
And not only will a hot drink warm you up from drinking it, it’ll keep your hands warm whilst you hold it too.
5. Check for draughts and close the doors
Whilst this may seem simple enough, many of us leave each room door open most of the time. If you’re in the living room, shut the door and trap the heat inside. When you leave, make sure to close it behind you. If you feel a draught under a door or a window, use a draught excluder to block it out.
Or if you don’t have one, roll up a towel and push it towards the draught to trap it. Make sure all windows are closed too. You’d be surprised how a little gap in a window that isn’t shut properly can cause a mighty big draught.
Some Other Tricks on Keeping Warm
Other things you can check are whether you have an immersion heater. If you have a hot water tank or cylinder, chances are you might have. Whilst this isn’t advised to be used too often, as it can be quite costly, it can be used for short periods of time to heat the water until it’s warm enough to use. Just make sure you turn it off, or you’ll have a very interesting bill.
Time wise will vary on how long you need to leave it on for. It’ll depend on how many people there are in the home, and what exactly you’re heating the water for. A shower will use a lot less water than a bath. Remember, if it’s an electric shower, this should work anyway without issues if your boiler breaks.
If you don’t have an immersion heater, remember there is always the trusty kettle. Boil a couple of kettles up and add cold water as needed to your bath, or if you have an electric hob a few pans of hot water will do the trick too.
Or have you got an electric blanket tucked away in your cupboard somewhere? Might be time to have a look, as now is the time it’ll come in handy in keeping you warm.
Who to Call if my Boiler Breaks Down
Remember to contact an engineer as soon as your boiler breaks down. The sooner the better, and try and be as flexible as you can to get the issue resolved as quickly as possible. Make sure you use a Gas Safe Registered engineer or company, as using someone who isn’t registered is not only illegal, it puts you and your family in danger as it will likely be unsafe.
To Conclude: 5 Ways to Keep Warm When Your Boiler is Broken
In this article we have discussed the 5 ways to keep warm when your boiler is broken. Especially in winter, when it is freezing cold. Having a boiler that isn’t working is not great at the best of times. However, when it happens in the dead of winter, your are going to have to keep warm.
Remember to contact a Gas Safe Engineer as soon as you can. The team at Greener Homes are always here to help. Feel free to contact us. We can get your boiler back up and running in no time. But whilst your boiler is broken, don’t forget to use these 5 tips.