7 Winter Preparations to Finish in November: Heating Costs, Electric Blanket Fires, Frozen Pipes, Asking for Dorm Heating, Flu Shot and Health Checkup, Winter Work Clothes

Who is this for

• People spending their first winter in Korea
• People who do not know how the heating works in their dorm or studio room (원룸)
• People who got a very high heating bill or had frozen pipes last winter
• People who work outdoors, in cold storage warehouses, or on farms

7-item checklist

1. Check your heating type and cost

• Ask your boss or landlord which heating your housing uses: city gas boiler, oil boiler, electric (panel or water heater), or late-night electricity (심야전기). Each one is charged in a different way.
• City gas: a bill every month, about 50,000 to 150,000 원 per month for a studio room in mid-winter. Oil boiler: you must fill it with kerosene, and one drum (200L) costs several hundred thousand 원. Electric panel: can be the most expensive, because the electricity price per unit goes up the more you use (누진제, progressive rates).
• Check your 근로계약서 (employment contract) and dormitory information notice to see if heating is included in the dorm fee or charged separately. For costs that change with how much you use, like heating and cooling, the rule is settlement later based on the real cost. Taking this money from your pay needs your written agreement in your own language (Dorm standards and deductions for housing and food).
• Do not turn the boiler off when you go out. Use the "외출" (away) mode. If you turn it off completely, the pipes freeze, and heating up again costs more.

2. Electric blanket and electric heater safety

• Use only electric blankets with the KC certification mark. Do not fold them for storage. Roll them up (folded wires break and cause fires).
• If you put a thick blanket or a latex mattress on top of the electric blanket, heat builds up and causes a fire. Use only a thin pad.
• Turn off electric heaters when you sleep, and keep them more than 1m away from blankets, clothes, and curtains. Do not plug a heater, an electric blanket, and a rice cooker into one power strip together (too much power).
• If you smell burning or the outlet changes color, stop using it right away.
• In a fire, call 119 and say in Korean "불이야 (buriya)" ("Fire!") + your address.

3. Prevent frozen water pipes

• On nights when the forecast is minus 5 degrees or colder, open the tap a little so water runs in a thin line (the repair cost for a burst pipe is much higher than the water bill).
• Wrap the boiler pipes and outdoor water pipes with old clothes or insulation material.
• When you are away for a few days, set the boiler to "외출" (away) mode, and fill the water meter box with old clothes.
• If a pipe is frozen, do not pour hot water on it. Warm it slowly with lukewarm water or a hair dryer. Hot water makes pipes burst.

4. If dorm heating is not enough, ask for it

• The employer must provide proper heating in the dormitory. Having no heating, or leaving broken heating unrepaired, breaks the standards.
• Ask by text message so there is a record: "기숙사 난방이 안 됩니다. 수리해 주세요 (gisuksa nanbang-i an doemnida. suri-hae juseyo)." ("The dorm heating does not work. Please fix it.") Add the date and photos (a thermometer, the broken part).
• If it is not fixed, call 1577-0071 for counseling, and consider changing your workplace because of a breach of working conditions or dormitory standards (If your housing is cold or a plastic greenhouse).

5. Flu shot

• October to November is the time for the shot. Adults under 65 usually pay (30,000 to 40,000 원), but if your company arranges a group vaccination, it may be free. Pregnant women and people with long-term illnesses may get it free, so check with the 보건소 (public health center) (Things to do in October: flu shot and health checkup).

6. Health checkup by December 31

• Workplace members who are non-office workers get a general health checkup every year. If you do not take it, the fine goes to the employer, but it is your chance to check your health. Hospitals are crowded in December, so book in November. To check if you are eligible, call 국민건강보험공단 (National Health Insurance Service) 1577-1000 or use the The건강보험 app.

7. Warm work clothes and protective gear

• For outdoor, freezer, and farm work, the employer must give warm protective gear (winter jacket, gloves, earmuffs) and give rest breaks. If they do not give it, ask by text message.
• Things you need to buy yourself: thermal underwear, warm socks, hand warmers (핫팩, 1,000 to 2,000 원 at a convenience store), a scarf. Daiso (다이소) and E-mart (이마트) are cheap.
• On days with a cold wave warning (한파 경보), you can ask for more rest during outdoor work. If you cannot feel your hands or feet, it is frostbite (동상). Go to a warm place right away.

What to prepare

• Thermometer (to record the dorm temperature, 2,000 to 3,000 원 at Daiso)
• Insulation material or old clothes (to wrap pipes)
• KC-certified electric blanket, power strip with a switch for each outlet
• Hand warmers, thermal underwear, warm socks
• Check if you are eligible for a health checkup (app or 1577-1000)

Be careful

• Using a coal briquette (연탄) or gas stove in a closed room causes carbon monoxide poisoning, and you can die. Never use them without opening a window for fresh air.
• If the boiler exhaust vent is blocked, there is also a risk of poisoning. Do not pile things around the vent.
• A very high heating bill usually happens when an electric panel or fan heater is on all day. Check the bill every month. If something looks wrong, ask the landlord or boss for the details.
• When heating costs are taken from your salary, it must be based on the real bill amount. If a large fixed amount is taken, check your 급여명세서 (payslip) and get counseling.

Frequently asked questions

Q. My dorm is a container and there is only one heater. A. In principle, containers and plastic greenhouses are not allowed as dormitories. Take photos and call 1577-0071 for counseling. It can be a reason to change your workplace.

Q. My boss takes a fixed 100,000 원 every month for heating. A. In principle, heating and cooling costs are settled later based on real use, and taking them from your pay needs your written agreement in your own language. Ask to see the bill. If they do not show it, get counseling.

Q. Where do I get the health checkup? A. Call a checkup center chosen by the National Health Insurance Service (a local clinic or hospital) and say "일반건강검진 예약" ("I want to book a general health checkup"). Bring your 외국인등록증 (residence card). If Korean is hard for you, you can let AI make the call for you to book.

Where to get help

Organization	Phone	What they help with
외국인력상담센터 (Foreign Workers' Counseling Center)	1577-0071	Counseling on dorm heating and missing warm protective gear, Nepali language
국민건강보험공단	1577-1000	Health checkup eligibility, checkup centers
보건소	Varies by area	Flu shot eligibility and cost
Emergency	119	Fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, frostbite emergencies