When the power cuts out in subzero temperatures, the cold creeps in fast. Without heat, staying warm turns into a safety issue, not just a comfort thing.
The best way to stay warm without power is to trap your body heat, insulate your living space, and use safe alternative heat sources. These steps help keep indoor temps more bearable and can stop dangerous drops in body temperature.
Extreme cold doesn’t just target people—it sneaks into homes through every gap and uninsulated surface. If you act quickly to seal up heat loss, layer your clothes, and make smaller, warmer spaces, you can slow that process.
Even simple stuff, like shutting unused rooms or hanging blankets to block drafts, really does help. It’s amazing how much difference a few quick changes can make.
Immediate Steps to Take During a Power Outage
When a winter storm knocks out the power in subzero weather, acting fast helps preserve heat and keeps cold-related dangers at bay. Focus on protecting yourself from exposure, conserving your body heat, and cutting down heat loss inside your home.
Assess Your Situation and Prioritize Safety
First, figure out if the outage is just your home or a bigger grid problem. Look outside for streetlights or check with neighbors.
If it’s a widespread outage, get ready for a long haul without electricity. Stay updated with a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
Listen for weather updates and emergency info. Don’t count on your phone alone—batteries die fast in the cold.
If you’re using alternative heat sources, make sure they’re indoor-safe and have good ventilation. Carbon monoxide from fuel-burning stuff can be deadly.
Keep a working carbon monoxide detector with fresh batteries nearby. Try not to go outside unless you really have to.
If you must head out, bundle up in insulated layers and cover all exposed skin to avoid frostbite.
Identify and Seal Off a Warm Room
Pick the smallest, most insulated room in your home as your main living space. Rooms without big windows or outside walls hold heat better.
Close off doors to unused rooms to reduce heat loss. Hang heavy blankets or quilts over doorways and windows to trap warmth.
Tape bubble wrap or plastic sheeting over glass for extra insulation. Throw rugs, towels, or blankets on bare floors to stop heat from leaking out through the ground.
Cold air loves to sneak under doors, so block gaps with rolled towels or draft stoppers. If you can, gather everyone—pets included—in the same space.
Shared body heat really helps keep the temperature up.
Monitor for Signs of Hypothermia
In freezing weather, hypothermia can hit even indoors if it gets cold enough. Watch for shivering, pale skin, and fatigue.
As it gets worse, people may seem confused, slur their words, or breathe slowly. Check on vulnerable folks often—infants, the elderly, or anyone with health issues.
Keep them bundled in layers and dry clothes. If someone shows symptoms, warm them up slowly with blankets, warm (non-alcoholic) drinks, or even skin-to-skin contact if needed.
Skip direct heat like hot water bottles or heating pads, since that can drop blood pressure fast. If symptoms don’t improve, get medical help right away.
Maximize Body Heat Retention
In extreme cold, you lose heat fast through exposed skin, thin clothes, or touching cold surfaces. To keep warm, you need to insulate, cover your extremities, and trap warm air close.
Even small tweaks in clothing or bedding can make a real difference.
Dress in Multiple Insulating Layers
Wearing a bunch of thin or medium layers works better than just one heavy coat. Each layer traps air, which insulates and slows heat loss.
Here’s a good setup:
- Base layer: Pulls moisture away from your skin so you stay dry.
- Middle layer: Adds insulation—think fleece or wool.
- Outer layer: Keeps out wind and moisture.
Skip cotton, since it soaks up moisture and makes you colder. Clothes should fit comfortably—not too tight, not too loose.
Looser layers trap more air, which helps insulate. If you’re stuck indoors with no power, throw extra layers over your regular clothes.
Adjust as needed—don’t let yourself sweat, or you’ll get cold once you’re damp.
Wear a Hat, Gloves, and Warm Socks
Your head, hands, and feet lose heat faster than anywhere else, especially in subzero temps. Covering them is crucial.
- Hat or beanie: Wool or fleece works best. It should fit snug but not too tight.
- Gloves or mittens: Mittens are warmer since your fingers share heat. Try layering thin gloves under thicker ones.
- Warm socks: Wool or synthetic blends keep you warm, even if damp. Don’t wear socks so tight they cut off circulation.
Keeping extremities warm also helps your body keep its core temp up. If you’re indoors, wear socks and slippers or insulated shoes to avoid losing heat through cold floors.
Utilize Blankets and Sleeping Bags
When you’re resting or sleeping, good bedding insulation is key. Stack up multiple blankets or use a high-quality sleeping bag to trap body heat.
Put the warmest blanket—like fleece or wool—closest to your body. Lighter blankets go on top to stop heat from escaping.
A sleeping bag rated for cold weather beats loose blankets for heat retention. You can toss a blanket over the bag or use a liner for more warmth.
Wrap up tight to cut down air gaps and keep warm air close. If you start sweating, pull off a layer—moisture kills insulation.
Insulate Your Home for Heat Conservation
Keeping your home warm during a winter outage is all about stopping heat from leaking out. Small gaps, uninsulated spots, and unused rooms can suck away warmth fast, especially in subzero weather.
You don’t need fancy gear—simple, cheap fixes can help you hang on to heat.
Block Drafts and Seal Windows and Doors
Cold air loves to sneak in around windows, doors, and baseboards. Even tiny gaps can drop the room temperature.
Use weatherstripping or draft stoppers on door bottoms. If you don’t have those, rolled towels or blankets work just fine.
For windows, slap on clear plastic film or bubble wrap for a quick insulation boost. It still lets some light in, which is nice.
Focus on old windows and outside doors—they’re usually the worst offenders. Painter’s tape holds plastic coverings tight.
Feel for cold air with the back of your hand to find sneaky drafts. Blocking them can slow heat loss a lot and means you won’t need as much extra heating.
Hang Thick Curtains and Use Rugs
Bare windows and floors bleed heat. Thick, insulated curtains trap warm air, especially at night.
During the day, open curtains on south-facing windows to let in sunlight. Close them before sunset to keep the heat in.
If you don’t have insulated curtains, hang up blankets or quilts. Floors—especially hard ones—pull warmth from your body.
Cover them with rugs, blankets, or even cardboard. This matters most in rooms where you’re sitting or sleeping.
Heavy curtains and floor coverings together can really boost heat retention.
Close Off Unused Rooms
Heating fewer rooms keeps your main living area warmer. Shut interior doors to rooms you’re not using, and block the gaps under those doors with towels or draft stoppers.
Stick to one or two well-insulated rooms. Pick spaces with few windows and decent natural light if you can.
If there’s an upper floor, use it as your main area since heat rises. This cuts down the space you need to keep warm and helps conserve body heat.
Alternative Heat Sources and Safe Usage
When it’s freezing and the power’s out, you need reliable, safe backup heat. The equipment, fuel, and ventilation all matter for keeping things safe and comfortable.
Use a Fireplace or Wood Stove
A wood stove or fireplace can crank out steady heat if you feed it dry, seasoned wood. Dry wood burns hotter and cleaner, which means less smoke and gunk buildup.
Inspect and clean chimneys before using them to lower the risk of chimney fires. A spark screen or glass door keeps embers from escaping.
Close off unused rooms and keep your main seating near the heat source. Store extra wood indoors or somewhere dry.
Keep a metal ash bucket handy for safe ash disposal.
Safely Operate Candles for Supplemental Warmth
Candles give off a little warmth, but they’re not a main heat source. Use them in stable, heat-safe holders on flat surfaces, away from anything flammable.
Keep flames at least a foot from curtains, papers, or clothes. Blow out candles before leaving the room or going to sleep.
If you want extra safety, try enclosed lantern-style candles or battery-powered LED lights. If you burn several candles, space them out so surfaces don’t get too hot.
Always keep a working smoke detector nearby.
Consider Portable Heaters and Generators
Portable heaters that run on propane, kerosene (if vented), or canned heat work well if they’re rated for indoor use. Check the instructions for ventilation needs and make sure oxygen sensors work.
Keep propane tanks outside, running fuel lines inside to the heater. Never use fuel-burning heaters in a closed room—carbon monoxide can build up fast.
A generator can run electric heaters, but always keep it outdoors at least 20 feet from doors and windows to avoid exhaust dangers.
Use heavy-duty extension cords that can handle the load. Store extra fuel safely, away from living spaces.
Regularly check and maintain heaters and generators so they’re ready when you need them.
Stay Warm While Sleeping
Stopping heat loss while you sleep is critical in subzero temps with no power. Small enclosed spaces, heated objects, and shared warmth can make a big difference overnight.
Set Up a Tent or Small Shelter Indoors
A small enclosed space holds heat better than a big open room. Setting up a camping tent inside your warmest room cuts down the air you need to heat with body warmth.
No tent? Drape blankets over a table or build a blanket fort. Make sure the floor is insulated with rugs, foam pads, or folded blankets to block heat loss.
Use sleeping bags rated for subzero temps inside your shelter. Nesting one bag inside another adds insulation.
Keep zippers and closures snug, but let a little air in to avoid condensation.
Utilize Hot Water Bottles or Heated Objects
Hot water bottles at your feet or core provide steady warmth for hours. If you don’t have a bottle, heat water in a pot and pour it into a heat-safe, tightly sealed container.
Wrap it in a towel before tossing it in your sleeping bag. You can also heat bricks or big stones in a fireplace or on a gas stove and use them as heat sources.
Always use tongs or gloves and wrap them up to avoid burns. Don’t overheat your sleeping area—if you sweat, you’ll cool off faster once things cool down.
Swap out or reheat your heat source as needed.
Share Warmth with Others or Pets
Sleeping close to others lets your body heat build up in a shared space. Two people in separate sleeping bags can put them side-by-side and toss an extra blanket over both.
For kids or infants, use safe co-sleeping methods to avoid overheating or suffocation. Pets help too.
Let your dog or cat sleep near your feet or next to you inside the shelter. Make sure your animals have their own bedding so they stay cozy as well.
Maintain Body Warmth with Food, Drinks, and Activity
When extreme cold hits, your body tends to lose heat faster than it can make it. Eating the right foods, sipping something hot, and moving around all help you keep your core temperature in a safer range.
Don’t forget about moisture—wet clothes just suck away your warmth way too quickly.
Consume Hot Drinks and Warm Foods
Hot drinks really do help warm you up from the inside. Tea, coffee, or hot chocolate can feel like a lifesaver, but stick to non-alcoholic options, since alcohol actually makes you lose heat faster.
Soup and stews aren’t just cozy—they hydrate you and give your body calories to burn for warmth.
Complex carbs, like oatmeal, whole grains, or potatoes, release energy more slowly, which means you stay warmer for longer.
If you like spicy food, a little chili pepper can make you feel warmer for a bit by getting your blood moving. Still, don’t swap out hearty meals for spice alone.
Try to eat at regular times if you can. Skipping meals when it’s freezing out makes you cool down and tire out much faster.
Keep Moving to Generate Heat
Moving around gets your blood flowing and muscles working, so you warm up naturally. Even just pacing, stretching, or a few light squats can help if you’re stuck indoors.
Short bursts of movement work better than long, sweaty workouts in the cold. Too much activity can make you sweat, and then you’ll just lose heat once you stop.
If you can, switch between sitting and moving every 15 to 30 minutes to keep your circulation up.
Little movements—wiggling your fingers or toes—can make a difference, especially for your hands and feet.
If you’re inside, doing chores like tidying up or organizing doubles as a way to stay warm, and you don’t need any special gear for that.
Stay Dry to Prevent Heat Loss
Moisture pulls heat from your body fast. If your clothes get wet from snow, sweat, or even an accidental spill, swap them out as soon as you can.
Start with a moisture-wicking layer right against your skin. That way, sweat moves away from your body instead of just soaking in.
Wool and synthetic fabrics, in my experience, keep you warmer than cotton when things get damp. Cotton just doesn’t cut it if you’re trying to stay warm.
Your feet, hands, and head lose heat the fastest when they’re wet. Always keep some dry socks, gloves, and a hat nearby so you can change them out when you need to.
If you’re stuck drying clothes inside without power, try hanging them near a safe heat source. If that’s not possible, use a well-ventilated spot to avoid frost building up.