How to Keep Your House Warm Without Electricity: 15 Easy Tips
If your power goes out, you may worry about staying warm without your usual heating methods – particularly in the middle of winter. Blizzards with snow, ice, and wind often result in the loss of power, which can be, at best, inconvenient and, at worst dangerous and even fatal.
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You should have a backup plan for keeping yourself and your home warm if there’s a power outage. Luckily, you can do many things to stay cozy without electricity.
Our team at All Dry USA offers 15 easy tips to prevent you and your home from getting too cold when the power goes out.
1. Block Up Cracks and Crevices
While you might not notice it when your house is heated, small cracks and crevices around windows and doors can let in more cold air than you think.
Use towels or other thick materials to block drafts and secure them with tape. Granted, this doesn’t look great, but it’s certainly worth doing if you want to stay warm!
2. Wear Plenty of Layers
When the temperature in your house drops, you can keep yourself warm by wearing more clothes. But don’t just grab your jumper or coat – it’s all about insulating layers to keep you warm.
Layer a vest, short sleeve top, long sleeve top, sweater, and then your coat (or even a dressing gown if you want to be extra cozy).
Hats, gloves, socks, and slippers can help ward off the cold if temperatures are particularly low. You should also stay indoors and avoid opening your house and letting cold air enter.
3. Use Candles (Safely)
Many people use candles as decorative light rather than heat sources, but they actually give off a lot of warmth. Place several candles together on a table for a neutral heat source.
Always be safe when using candles, and never place them near flammable materials or somewhere they could easily fall over. Make sure all candles are put out before you go to bed.
Read more: Candle safety tips to avoid a fire
4. Have Blinds Open during the Day and Shut at Night
Use the blinds and/or curtains you already have to your benefit. When the power is out, ensure windows are uncovered in the day to get as much warmth from daylight as possible. At night, close the blinds to trap warm air inside and stop any drafts from getting in.
5. Keep Yourself and your Pets Warm with Blankets
As well as wearing layers of clothing, use extra blankets to keep your body temperature up in the evenings and at night. Don’t forget that any four-legged friends must also be kept warm without electricity, so offer them an extra blanket or two.
6. Grab Your Sleeping Bags
Because sleeping bags are designed for outdoor use, they offer more insulation and warmth than standard blankets. Consider using them at night during a power outage if you have them.
7. Do Some Exercise
Everyone knows that exercise raises your body temperature quickly and efficiently. Just 5 minutes of running on the sport or jumping jacks will have you feeling warmer instantly. If you have children, play energetic games to keep everybody warm.
8. Consume Warm Drinks
Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and soup bowls will help keep your body warm. With no power, you’ll have to use a camping stove or candle to heat your drinks. Try to have a hot drink every hour or two to feel the real benefits.
9. Put Up a Tent Indoors
If you’ve ever been on a camping trip, you’ll know how quickly tents get warm. If you’re really struggling with the cold in your home, consider pitching your tent in the lounge! It’s a quick and easy way to trap body sheep and provides you with a warm, cozy environment.
10. Use Water Bottles
If you can heat water on a gas camping stove or candle, put it in a water bottle for a heat source that will last a few hours. You can do the same with bags of beans. Put one by the fire and then use it to snuggle up with.
11. Sit in Your Car
If you’ve tried to keep yourself warm inside the house but still feel too chilly, try sitting in your car while idling it in your drive.
It’s extremely important that you don’t do this in your garage, as you could get a build-up of the highly toxic gas carbon monoxide.
12. Fire Up Your Grill or Fire Pit
If you need to go outdoors, use your grill or fire pit to keep you warm. Never take a grill or fire pit indoors, as this poses a serious fire risk and builds up carbon monoxide.
13. Get Solar Heaters
Be prepared for the power going out by having solar heaters for your home. These valuable devices use the sun to heat your house.
While they’re pretty expensive to heat a whole house, you could invest in a single panel and use it to heat one room if you live in an area frequently affected by power outages.
14. Get a Back-up Generator
Like the above, this probably won’t help you if you’re already in the midst of a power outage. However, it’s worth being prepared if it happens again, and investing in a backup generator will enable you to have some power in your house should the electricity go out.
15. Visit a Warming Center
Many states operate warming centers when there are severe power outages. If you don’t have electricity, see what resources are available in your local area, including shelter.
Read more: Does hot water work when power is out?
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Will a House Stay Warm Without Power?
A house will begin to lose heat as soon as the power cuts. It should stay warm for 8-12 hours, depending on environmental conditions.
Can You Have Heat Without Electricity?
Yes. Portable heaters and backup generators can prove to be lifesavers when it comes to freezing power cuts.
How do You Boil Water Without Electricity?
Wood stoves or fireplaces are both perfect for this purpose. Portable emergency stoves can also prove helpful.
Can I Boil Water to Stay Warm?
Yes. Filling a hot water bottle with boiling water is a perfect way to stay warm throughout the colder months.
Conclusion
You can do lots of things to keep yourself and your home warm when there’s a power outage. Remember that safety is paramount when using heat sources such as open flames inside your house, so take extra care and ensure you never fall asleep with an open flame still lit.
If you need help, contact All Dry USA today. We’re a team of full-service general contractors that can help you prepare your house for the next power outage with draft exclusion and backup power sources. We can check for any draft areas and make your home heat-proof.
Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help!
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With Ben’s knowledge, and visionary leadership, All Dry USA has expanded into a national, full-service property damage restoration company with multiple locations across the United States. Ben holds numerous specialty licenses and certifications in restoration and construction.
