Indoor Heating Without Power

Last week I answered an email with the article, Indoor Cooking Without Power, but there was a little more to that question. She also wanted to know about indoor heating without power. There are several ways to keep warm without electricity. In my research, I discovered lots of tips for staying warm including several things I hadn’t thought of.

Generate Heat

• Fireplace: This one is obvious, but I have to get it out of the way in case someone says, “Hey genius, you forgot to mention fireplaces.” Be sure to stock up on plenty of extra firewood.
• Generator: Another obvious one that I’m obligated to mention. If you can afford a generator and plenty of gasoline, get one now before it gets any colder outside.
• Space Heaters: If you don’t have a fireplace and can’t afford a generator, a good space heater is your next best option. Propane space heaters are supposed to be safe to use indoors, but they all have warning labels stating that they have to be in a well-ventilated room, which isn’t likely if you’re trying to keep the cold out. Kerosene space heaters are safer, though I’d still keep a carbon monoxide detector around.
• Lamps. The safest ones to use indoors are oil lamps or kerosene lamps. Set the kerosene lamp to burn with a blue flame to minimize carbon monoxide production. One lamp won’t do much, but several lamps can make a small difference, and every little bit helps.
• Candles: As with lamps, one won’t do much, but several dozen can actually bump up the temperature a few degrees. Just make sure they’re out of reach of pets and children and that they’re all in sturdy candle holders. And get odorless candles; too many scented candles will give you a headache.
• Sunlight. Most people keep the curtains drawn all the time to keep the cold out, but if you put clear shower curtains over your windows you can keep the cold out while letting the sunlight in. This makes a huge difference.
• Cook. The heat and steam produced from cooking indoors is enough to raise the room’s temperature, as long as you do it safely. Plus, sipping on hot cocoa or soup makes a huge difference when it’s cold. Spicy foods work even better.

Insulate Your House

• Doors. First off, make sure you have good weather stripping around all exterior doors. You should also put door sweeps beneath your doors. You could also hang extra blankets over doors for a little extra insulation.
• Windows. Check around the edges and seal any cracks with caulk. Here’s an idea: Get some thick curtains and thoroughly tack them to the wall around the edge of the window. Now drop extra clothes, towels and blankets down into the space between the curtain and the window. This adds several inches of insulation.
• Small Room. It’s best if everybody gets in a small room with only one outside wall, probably a bedroom. This way everyone’s body heat can keep the room warmer.
• Other Rooms. Go into the other rooms, close the heating vents and tape or nail something fairly thick over them. Do the same thing to the vent in the small room. The point is to seal your small room off from the other rooms as much as possible.  Also put blankets over the door and towels across the bottom.
• Floors. If there’s no carpet in the small room, make sure you at least have rugs and/or blankets. A room with hardwood floors or tile is much cooler.

Other Ideas

• Bundle up. This might seem obvious, but don’t forget the importance of layers. Thermal underwear, sweats, jeans, a t-shirt, a long-sleeved shirt, a turtleneck sweater, a coat, and maybe a couple of beanies (a lot of heat gets out through the head). And don’t forget about Snuggies. Several thin layers are better than one thick layer because your body heat gets held between the multiple layers.
• Exercise. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of space to exercise in a small room, which is why I recommend burpee pushups. They hit several major muscle groups, challenge your cardiovascular system, and are guaranteed to warm you up in just a few minutes.
• Cuddle. Any type of mammal is a heater that runs 24 hours a day. Cuddle up with friends, loved ones, or your pets.