Four Ways to Keep Your Home Warm When the Heating Goes Out.

Many of us take living in a comfortable, heated home for granted. When the cold weather sets in, we simply put on warm socks, turn up the thermostat (or take other steps ), and go about our business. But most modern homes rely on the electric grid for heating. Even if your home is heated by natural gas or oil, chances are your heating system has an electric component.

This means that when the power goes out—say, in the middle of a severe snowstorm—the heating goes out too. Even in newly built homes, heat can be lost quickly, with temperatures dropping to uncomfortable (and even unsafe) levels in as little as 24 hours. If you’re unsure when the power will be restored, you need to find a way to keep your home as warm as possible to prevent damage to you and your belongings. Here are four ways to keep your home warm if the heat goes out.

Warm up your home before a thunderstorm.

If you’re warned of a possible power outage during cold weather—such as a winter storm—it’s a good idea to “preheat” your home. The warmer your home is during a power outage, the longer it will remain at a safe and/or comfortable temperature. While it doesn’t necessarily have to be tropical, a few degrees above normal will give you some time if the power goes out. Combined with ensuring your home is sealed as tightly as possible—for example, by hanging thermal curtains or blankets on windows, using plastic window insulation kits, and installing weatherstripping under doors and anywhere else cold air penetrates—this strategy can be very effective.

Isolate your family in one room.

Trying to heat a large house without a working heating system is a waste of time. Instead, focus on one room where everyone can gather, as a small room is much easier to heat. Here are some considerations when choosing a room:

• Because heat rises, rooms on the upper floors will be warmer than rooms on the ground floor.

• In a room that gets a lot of sunlight, you can warm the room during the day by opening the curtains and letting the sun’s energy do its work.

• Smaller rooms will be easier to heat, but consider how many people will need to live and sleep in them.

• Rooms next to bathrooms (or with private bathrooms) offer more convenience, especially if you plan to spend some time at the hotel.

Once you’ve chosen the room you’ll be using, try to seal it off as much as possible (close windows, eliminate drafts, keep the door closed). If you have a space heater suitable for indoor use (or you can make one yourself; see below), that’s a good idea.

If no other room in your home is suitable for these purposes, you can also consider pitching a tent indoors. Tents are designed to retain heat and allow you to create a small, controlled space that can be more easily maintained in an emergency.

Make your own heater from candles and clay pots.

If you’ve planned ahead and have a suitable indoor propane or kerosene heater (or even a portable solar heater ), this will obviously help keep your home warm (just be sure to follow all ventilation instructions for the space you’re heating). If you haven’t, or find your propane tanks leaking and you’re out of fuel, don’t despair. You can still get some warmth by building a candle-style heater—it’s a tried-and-true way to quickly get some heat.

A candlestick-shaped heater is quite simple to make : you’ll need 1-3 clay flower pots (or similar ceramic containers) of varying sizes, non-flammable materials for the base (bricks or stone tiles will work), and a few candles. Then arrange everything:

• Place bricks or other materials to create a raised platform with good air circulation.

• Place the smallest pot upside down on the bricks and cover the hole at the bottom (if it is a flower pot).

• Place a larger pot on top, and then if you have three pots, place the largest one on top.

• Place the candles below and light them.

Candles don’t give off much heat, but clay pots absorb this heat and gradually begin to radiate it. Instead of the candles’ heat simply rising to the ceiling and being cooled by the already cold air in the room, the pots trap it and amplify it.

Will this replace your heating system or even a portable propane heater? Absolutely not. But the difference will be noticeable, especially in small spaces.

There are several points to consider here:

• Candles are an open flame, so never leave the heater unattended and always be aware of the fire hazard.

• A foil-covered panel can be placed behind the heater to reflect heat in a specific direction (for example, towards the chair you are sitting on).

Purchase a backup battery for your furnace.

If you have a gas furnace, keeping it running even during a power outage isn’t that difficult if you have an alternative power source, such as a generator or even a portable charger. A furnace requires electricity to operate the ignition system, fan, and communication between the thermostat and the furnace or boiler. A good generator or powerful battery can certainly keep your furnace running for a while, and those extra hours or days can make all the difference during an extended power outage in cold weather.

If your furnace has a visible switch, you can install one fairly easily (here’s a video demonstrating how to do it ). This will allow you to connect a generator or external battery and keep your furnace running even during a power outage—all you need to do is plug it in and flip the switch. If you’re not completely confident with electrical wiring, you can, of course, hire a licensed electrician to install it. Once installed, you’ll never have to worry about a cold house again—as long as you connect the switch to a generator or battery with enough capacity to support the system.

More…