Heating Without Electricity

Preparation Steps

• Designate one room as your "warm room" — choose the smallest interior room with the fewest windows; this room retains heat most efficiently with body heat and supplemental sources.
• Stock emergency thermal blankets, quality sleeping bags, and layered winter clothing before winter.
• If you own a portable indoor-safe propane heater, store it with a full fuel canister and always have a working battery-powered CO detector nearby.
• Install weatherstripping on doors and windows to minimize drafts before cold weather arrives.
• Never plan to use your kitchen oven or gas range as a heat source — both create serious carbon monoxide and fire risks.

Immediate Actions

• Gather all household members into the single warmest room — multiple people in a small enclosed space raise the temperature significantly through body heat alone.
• Layer clothing effectively: a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating layer (fleece or wool), and an outer layer; do not forget hats and gloves indoors.
• Hang heavy blankets or towels over windows and any doors leading to unheated rooms to reduce heat loss.
• Use only a portable heater rated for indoor use (propane or kerosene models with an oxygen depletion sensor) and ensure the room has adequate ventilation.
• Run your battery-powered CO detector continuously whenever a fuel-burning heater is in use.

What to Avoid

• Do not use your kitchen oven or gas stove to heat your home — both produce deadly carbon monoxide in an enclosed space and are a serious fire hazard.
• Never run a generator, charcoal grill, or outdoor propane heater indoors or in an attached garage — CO poisoning can be fatal within minutes.
• Do not burn wood in a fireplace without first confirming the flue is fully open.
• Avoid leaving any portable heater unattended or running while you sleep.
• Do not seal a room so tightly that there is no air exchange when a fuel-burning heater is running — this depletes oxygen and concentrates CO.

Supplies Needed

• Indoor-rated portable propane heater (e.g., Mr. Heater Buddy series) with extra 1 lb fuel canisters.
• Battery-powered or plug-in CO detector with a low-battery alarm.
• Emergency thermal (mylar) blankets — one per person.
• Sleeping bags rated for temperatures below what you expect indoors.
• Wool or thick fleece blankets.
• Chemical hand warmers and foot warmers for extended cold periods.

Recovery Steps

• Once power is restored, check pipes for freezing or bursting before resuming normal water use — a burst pipe causes serious secondary damage.
• Let all taps run at a slow drip for the first hour after power returns if pipes may have been near freezing.
• Inspect your main heating system before restarting — call a technician if there are any concerns about damage or integrity.
• Restock fuel canisters and replace any chemical hand warmers used during the outage.
• Assess your home's insulation after the event and address any drafts or weak points before next winter.