10 Ways To Survive The Cold Front
10 Ways To Survive The Cold Front. It has been reported that the first real cold front of winter is set to hit Gauteng. Starting from Tuesday temperatures are expected to drop to between 15ºC and 17ºC maximum in Johannesburg and Pretoria.While many are complaining about the unpleasant weather,you can try these tips to survive.
1. Stay Active
Most of us tend to hole ourselves up in the winter, which means lots more couch potato-ing—especially if you’re used to exercising outside. That means to stay fit and healthy, you should try twice as hard to stay active as you do during the summer. Luckily, you have a lot of options, from running to biking.
2. Keep The Heat Inside Your Home
You probably need some sort of heat to survive the winter. But heat costs money, so make sure you aren’t wasting it on heat that’s escaping through the cracks. Check the most common places heat is escaping, and insulate them if you can. Run your ceiling fans clockwise to keep the heat circulating downward.
3. Heat Yourself Instead of the Entire House
Heating yourself is more efficient than heating your entire home (especially if you live alone). Prepare your body for winter, seal off any unused rooms, and consider a space heater to save a little on heating costs. It’s amazing what a good pair of socks or slippers will do.
4. Dress Your Windows Up In Warmer Clothes
If you’re not wearing a tank top or going sleeveless, your windows shouldn’t, either. Replace thin curtains with heavier wool or fleece drapes in the winter. But be sure to open them on sunny days for free heat.
5. Stay Healthy And Avoid Sickness
Cold weather may not directly cause colds, but cold season is definitely in full swing. You don’t have to hole yourself up to avoid getting sick, you just need to take a little extra care: get a good amount of sleep, wash your hands often, and stay active.
6. Layer Your Covers With The Thinnest, Densest Ones On Top
It’s intuitive, but fluffy blankets should be closer to your skin. Thin, dense blankets should be on top to prevent convective heat loss. Bonus tip: Don’t put your bed directly against an exterior wall. You’ll be warmer if you leave a little space.
7. Block Drafts With A Pool Noodle
Keep heat in and cold out by cutting a pool noodle in half lengthwise, wrapping it in fabric, and sliding it under your door. It’ll stay put all winter, and you can re-use it at the pool come summer. It is recommend though that you spring for a new one.
8. Wear A Hat
You might have been told that you lose 80 percent of your body heat through your head, but that’s not actually true. If you’re otherwise clothed, you’ll lose heat from any surface that’s exposed. So put on your hat, even if you’re inside.
9. Turn 0n The Ceiling Fan
Warm air rises to the ceiling. Run your fan on its lowest setting in a clockwise direction to push the warm air back down to where you can feel it.
10. Stuff Your Coat Pockets With DIY Hand Warmers
You could just buy hand warmers, but you’ll radiate pride and self-sufficiency if you make them yourself. All it takes is two Ziploc bags, water, and calcium chloride ice melt pellets from the hardware store.
