British Gas has issued a list of 10 steps for households to prepare for winter, as forecasters warn of an increased risk of snow from a Polar Vortex event. The advice covers insulation, pipe protection and emergency supplies.
Advice for Homes
The energy supplier's recommendations include improving insulation, such as weatherproofing gaps around windows and doors. It also advises protecting pipes by putting insulating tubing on any exposed pipes for boilers, heating or water supplies.
Other tips include storing extra wood for a log burner indoors and avoiding placing electric heaters near furniture. The firm also urged people to check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, especially when using indoor heating like a log burner.
Emergency Preparedness
Households were also told to locate their stopcock in case the water supply needs to be turned off due to a burst pipe. British Gas then advised preparing for the possibility of losing heating.
“While it’s unlikely that a heavy snowfall will leave you without any heating, it's always worth keeping sleeping bags, blankets and warm coats handy,” the company said. It also recommended making an emergency kit, adding: “It’s a good habit to have at least three days’ worth of food and essentials stored in an easy-to-reach part of your home.”
Met Office Warning
The Met Office has noted that colder conditions could arrive as early as November due to a record weakening of the Polar Vortex. Forecaster Marco Petagna said: “At the moment, we’ve got a warming taking place in the stratosphere. The polar vortex in the stratosphere is starting to weaken.”
If winds change direction, it could become a 'major sudden stratospheric warming' event, potentially the earliest on record. Petagna added: “For the UK, it does increase the chance of cold weather, normally a few weeks down the line, so sort of deeper into November is when we’re more likely to see an influence if it does happen.” He emphasised that a similar event last November did not directly lead to much cold weather in the UK.
The UK's Prepare website also urges households to stock supplies for emergencies lasting a few days, including non-perishable food and pet food, in case of power cuts, water outages or evacuation orders.
