Hired heaters can literally save lives

During a particularly cold snap, heating at a home can prove inadequate. This is where the option to hire additional portable heaters (to supplement an existing system that is probably running over and above capacity) can literally prove ‘a life saver’, particularly at weekends when an oil supply for a fixed system can run out, with no prospect of supplies being replenished until the following week.

Some of the more serious cases of care homes being left without heat, have been documented by the media: they often involve heating failure over a bank holiday or Christmas and leave residents wearing body warmers, fleeces and blankets around the clock.

While there is no strict minimum temperature to be provided for residents or patients at UK care homes or nursing homes, Health and Safety Executive guidelines state that managers have a duty of care towards people on their premises, this includes the provision of reasonable heat.

The elderly need not be without heat

With the elderly often being frail and susceptible to illness (particularly chest-related illnesses, when temperatures dramatically fall), any heating failure at a care home is particularly worrying.

The tragedy of it all is that in the vast majority of cases one phone call to a heater leasing specialist who operates a 24/7 emergency call-out service could immediately solve the problem.

In such situations, small heaters (e.g., oil-filled radiators, 3kW DE-25 units...) would be used as they are unobtrusive, have simple controls, are very safe, and are easily powered (most portable electric hired heaters work off a standard 13a 240v power supply).

Heater hire engineers will situate the rented heaters safely, ensuring that supply cables will not be a trip hazard for residents with vision or maneuverability challenges.

Hired mobile heaters can be used to heat large rooms and communal areas as well as individual bedrooms, so everyday life at a home could continue without upheaval or upset being caused.

How contingency plans can mean peace of mind

Premises managers can safeguard themselves against the consequences of a heating system failure in winter by formulating a contingency plan with a heater hire specialist, during the autumn months. As part of the plan, the specialist will perform a site survey. They will consider factors such as: their fastest possible response time, access to the building, available power there, budget, etc., and will then be thoroughly prepared and primed to respond immediately to an emergency call-out.

The many benefits to hiring heaters

As well as being the ideal emergency back-up option, leased portable heating units are energy efficient, environmentally-friendly, and can be:

Used immediately;

Easily stored;

Rented on a short contract basis;

The perfect stop-gap between the removal of an existing (fixed) heating system at a care home or nursing home, and the installation of a new one;

Added to an existing heating solution when extra heating is required.

Portable heaters can also be hired during planned servicing or maintenance work to a fixed heating system at a care home or nursing home, of course.

Specialists will pull out all the stops

Specialist heater hire companies recognise just how vital it is that care homes and nursing homes are properly heated in winter, and so will offer a 24/7 service in order to provide a stop-gap heating solution until a built-in heating system at a home is repaired and operating fully again.