17 Simple Ways to Stay Warm Without Electricity
We all know how frustrating it can be when the power goes out, especially when the cause of the outage is severe enough that it takes crews a substantial amount of time to repair. Depending on where you live and what the weather is like, a power outage can actually be dangerous.
The tips below will help answer the question, how do I heat a room without electricity? If you live somewhere with frequent snowstorms or freezing weather, these tips are crucial to keeping you and your family warm and safe during power outages.
17 Simple Ways to Heat a Room Without Electricity
1. Close Off Rooms that You Don't Use
There is no point in paying to heat rooms that you don’t use. When you turn on your central heating, your system aims to warm your whole home evenly. However, you can easily divert the warm air to rooms you use most to cut down on your energy usage by closing off unused rooms.
This can be done easily by sealing the doors to the unused rooms and even hanging sheets or tarps over opened doorways.
2. Let the Sun Heat Your Room
One of the simplest and more natural ways to heat your home is the sun! On sunny days or times when the most sunlight is directed at your windows, open your curtains and let the warmth in! When it gets dark out or the sun is no longer directed at your windows, you can close the curtains. Curtains are one of the simplest insulators that can limit heat loss and also allow for more natural warmth to come in.
3. Use Fans to Circulate Warm Air Upward
Remember that middle school science lesson about particles and how hot air rises and cold air sinks? This same phenomena takes place inside your home! The warm air from your heating system hovers at your ceiling. If you have a ceiling fan, reversing the direction it spins and running it at its lowest setting can help recirculate the warm air downward throughout the room. Although it may seem counterintuitive, this hack can make a big difference in keeping your room warm.
You can learn more about this from our EPB Energy ProsSM here.
4. Install Storm Windows to Keep the Heat from Escaping
Windows are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to heat escaping. One way you can make sure your windows aren’t letting out your heat is by installing storm windows. Storm windows prevent the inflow and outflow of heat from windows by creating a tighter seal and providing an extra layer between your home and the elements.
5. Insulate Your Windows to Keep the Heat Inside
Again, windows can let cold air in or warm air out if they are not sealed properly. Another way you can prevent this from happening is insulating your windows by covering them with plastic wrapping or fabric. This creates another layer between your home and the cold outside air, while also trapping warm air indoors.
6. Seal Air Cracks so Heat Can’t Escape
If you feel like no matter how high you turn up your thermostat, you can’t keep your house warm — you may have a leak somewhere! You can check your windows and exterior doors by holding up your hand and feeling whether you can detect cold air seeping in through cracks.
Once you have found any air cracks, you can use sealing kits or fabric to block these leaks.
7. Use Water Bottles to Create a Personal Heater
If your home has a gas stove, you can create personal heaters when your home is cold by heating water on the stove and pouring the water into water bottles. You can then wrap these in a towel to create a personal heater that you can put under your blanket to keep you warm when there is a power outage or you don’t have access to electricity.
8. Get Solar Heaters
Solar heaters harness the power of the sun to create a reserve of power that you can use in the event of power outages. When you are unable to heat your home because there is no power, solar heaters can get the job done! If you live in an area that is storm prone or often have snow and ice storms, a solar heater can be an investment that heats your home and keeps your family comfortable during weather events.
You can explore a variety of solar-powered heaters and choose the one that best fits your needs here.
9. Use A Soapstone Heater
In times of electricity outages, you can rely on ancient techniques that people used before electricity was even available! One of these is using a soapstone heater. Soapstone is an insulator, so placing a block of soapstone next to a heat source allows for the block to absorb the heat.
You can then place the block in a colder room or area and it will radiate this heat outward for several hours. Although this may not be the most powerful heater, it can work in a pinch.
10. Try Alcohol Heater
Another alternative heater you can use when there is no electricity is an alcohol heater. You can use this type of heater to burn alcohol and create heat. This is a more clean and safe form of energy production than some other types of alternative heaters. They usually cost a couple hundred dollars. Although this is pricier than other forms of heat, it could be an investment that is worth it if you live in a cold area with frequent outages.
It is important that you know how to safely utilize this resource to heat your home. Before using an alcohol heater, make sure you:
- Make sure your hair is pulled back away from any potential flame sources.
- Clear the area around the heater, ensuring there are no flammable objects close to the heat source.
- Always be sure that the flame is fully extinguished for capping or storing the heater. This can be tricky since many alcohol heaters have clear flames!
- Do not burn alcohol heaters excessively, once the room is warm extinguish the flame.
You can read more about alcohol heater safety and explore which model will work best for you here.
11. Wear Plenty of Layers
Pull out your sweaters — even that ugly Christmas one you only get to wear once a year! One of the simplest ways to stay warm when you do not have electricity is to layer up your clothes. You can also invest in thermal base layers that will insulate your body heat and keep you from getting cold, even if it is cold in your home.
12. Keep Yourself Warm with Blankets
If you are still chilly in your home once you have layered on all your warmest clothing, you can add additional layers by bundling up in multiple blankets. This will help you reserve your body heat. Cuddle with your family and share blankets to produce even more heat!
13. Grab Your Sleeping Bags
Although sleeping bags are typically thought of for outdoor use, when you are without electricity your sleeping bags can be a valuable tool to keep you warm! Bundle up and get in your sleeping bag to conserve your body heat.
14. Stay Warm with Some Exercise
This may seem obvious, but one easy way to fight off the cold is by raising your body temperature. You can do this easily by exercising. Pull up an at home workout from YouTube on your phone if you are able. Or better yet, get the whole family together for a dance party. Exercise is a great way to raise your body temperature, boost your overall health and mood, and bond with those you live with.
15. Consume Warm Drinks
Warm your body from the inside out! If you have a way to heat water, you can make coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Sipping these drinks will raise your internal body temperature and assist in keeping you warm when your home is cold.
16. Put Up a Tent Indoors
Remember that tent in the garage that you used once and have had in storage since? Now is the perfect time to break it out! If you are wondering how to keep your home warm without electricity, a tent might be your answer.
Since tents are usually quite small and made to be used out in the elements, they get warm very quickly and can hold in heat. Set your tent up indoors, get your family together, and have an unforgettable at-home camping experience. Not only will huddling together conserve body heat, but it will also create lasting memories.
17. Consider Purchasing a Gas Generator
Although they can be quite pricey, gas generators are an investment that might be worthwhile if you experience frequent outages in your area during the cold months. Gas generators can produce enough power for you to keep your house warm in times of crisis. You can read more about how to choose and safely operate generators here. Still need help? The EPB Energy Pros are available to help you identify how to safely install and use a gas generator.
Keep Your Room Heated Even Without Electricity
With these steps, you will be prepared to heat any room and stay warm without electricity in times without power. Choosing the plan of action that is best suited for you and your family’s needs will assure that power outages during the cold months are less stressful and everyone stays happy, healthy and warm.
If you live in EPB’s service area you can stay up to date using the outage tracker in the MyEPB app and check EPB.com or follow EPB on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for updates.
