How to stay warm with no heating
The biggest danger is usually warming up the wrong way.
Every tip comes from an official source, listed on the sources page.
All of this, put into a plan for your home, is in the guide Ready in 7 Days.
1
Before
- Insulate, caulk and weather-strip, and learn how to keep your pipes from freezing.
- Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups.
- Pick a warm room: small, with a door. Blankets, hats and thick socks for everyone.
- Know the terms: a watch means a storm is possible; a warning means it is coming or happening.
2
During
- Under a winter storm warning, get inside and stay off the roads.
- Everyone in the warm room, doors closed, gaps sealed with towels.
- Layers of clothing, warm drinks, food that gives energy.
- Shovel snow slowly: overexertion can cause a heart attack.
3
Hypothermia and frostbite
- Hypothermia: shivering, drowsiness, confusion, slurred speech. Below 95 °F is an emergency: call 911, get to a warm room and warm the center of the body first.
- Frostbite: numb, white or waxy skin. Warm it with warm water or body heat. Don't rub it or use a heating pad.
Don't
- Heat your home with a gas stove or oven.
- Run a generator or grill indoors or in the garage.
- Sleep with a fuel-burning heater on.
- Drink alcohol to warm up.
This does not replace instructions from the authorities or 911: if they say something different, do what they say.
What to have ready beforehand
All of the above is easier if this is already at home before the next cold spell:
Safety at home
For the two risks a blackout brings into the home: carbon monoxide and fire.
See in the kitLight
One light per person, and no candles.
See in the kitBattery and charging
Keep the phone and the radio going for three days.
See in the kitThe grab bag
One per person, by the door, in case you have to leave.
See in the kit
The basics in one go? This pack goes straight to your Amazon cart. To pick another model or leave out what you already have, the full kit.
Links go to amazon.com and are affiliate links: if you buy through them we get a small commission and it costs you nothing extra.
The plan, before the next cold spell
In Ready in 7 Days this page comes with space to write down your warm room and where you go if the house gets too cold, alongside your home's plan for three days with no help.
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