Stay Warm, Stay Healthy and Save Money

Mini Quiz What is the recommended temperature for a healthy person’s living room? What is the recommended temperature for storing hot water used for washing and bathing? Name one thing you can do in your home that costs nothing and will reduce your gas and electricity bills?

Continued... How can we reduce moisture in our homes? What do you think are the main illnesses linked to living in a cold and damp home? What is the recommended temperature for a healthy persons bedroom?

Where does the heat go?

Could you home be improved?

What do you think the most common home hazards are?

Decent Homes Standard Excess cold – because of increased heat loss Fire Lead – from old paint Donestic hygiene, pests and refuse Noise

Damp & Mould? Produce less moisture Ventilate effectively Insulate and draught proof Heat your home effectively Contact a damp advisor for a free assessment.

Health Coughs and wheezes Conjunctivitis Eczema Increased asthma severity in sufferers Depression Anxiety Chest Infections Pneumonia

Health Children living in cold homes are more than twice as likely to suffer from a variety of respiratory problems than children living in warm homes. Mental health is negatively affected by fuel poverty and cold housing for any age group. Circulatory diseases cause around 40% of excess winter deaths and respiratory diseases about a third. –- Marmot Review Team (2011), The health impacts of cold homes on fuel poverty. London: Friends of the Earth In Britain a cold spell during a mild winter is followed:- Two days later by a sudden rise in heart attacks Five days later there is a big rise in the number of strokes Twelve days later by a big rise in respiratory illness - Eurowinter Group (1997). Cold exposure and winter mortality from ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease and all causes in warm and cold regions of Europe. The Lancet; 349, Its estimated that for each excess winter death there are another 8 emergency admissions - South East Regional Public Health (2009). Health and Winter Warmth. Reducing Health Inequalities Group Fact Sheet. London: DH.

High Energy Bills? Is you home loosing heat? Can you perform simple measure to exclude draughts? – Temperature settings on your Thermostat – Water temperature settings on your boiler – Seal windows – Air escaping through old fire places – cover up – Draught excluders

Saving Money in Simple Steps Compare Prices for Utilities every 12 months at least Pay by Direct Debit if you can Dual Fuel Discount Green Deal – for Homeowners and Private Tenants Government schemes and grants e.g. Warm Home Discount Scheme

Save Money II Sandwell Energy Switch – starts 6 th August until 15 th October

Green Deal The Green Deal process has four steps: assessment, finance, installation and repayment.  A Green Deal assessor or advisor will make an assessment of your home and recommend energy-saving improvements in a Green Deal advice report.  A Green Deal provider will then issue you with a quote for a Green Deal plan to pay for the improvements based on the Green Deal advice report.  A Green Deal installer will provide and install the measures agreed under your Green Deal plan.  Your electricity supplier will pay back the Green Deal 'loan' through the savings made on your energy bills.

Energy Performance Certificate

Energy saving tips for the home - kitchen Always used the right sized pan for the hob Defrost food in the fridge overnight rather than microwaving it. Ensure warm foods are cooled down before putting them in the fridge Only boil the water you need in a kettle and de-scale it from time to time Cooking big batches of food is more energy efficient.

Living room Draw curtains at dusk to keep the heat in Leaving equipment on standby can cost an extra £ 40 every year. Energy efficient light bulbs save £ 2.50 per year each. Put you set top box on a different plug to everything else If going on holiday switch everything off at the plug

Bedrooms Use the right tog duvet for the weather Use a hot water bottle instead of an electric blanket Don’t leave your mobile phone on charge all night Programme your thermostat appropriately Keep extra blankets by the bed

Other suggestions Get into the habit of keeping doors closed A new laptop uses around 85% less energy compared to a desktop computer Fit draught excluders Radiator reflectors

Signposting Citizens Advice customer helpline – National Debtline – Home Heat Helpline – Energy Saving Trust – Turn2us Warm Zone – Smethwick Energy Action –

What Brushstrokes can offer Personal Budgeting Advice Welfare Rights Advice Specialised Information – Energy Advice Credit Union Collection Point Outreach – Home Visits Help with interpreting and translating Signposting and referrals to relevant agencies

Where to find us Contact Details Brushstrokes Community Project St Philips Parish Centre Messenger Road (Watt Street) Smethwick, West Midlands B66 3DU Telephone/Fax