How to stay warm when the power's out in winter
Heat one room, not the house
Pick a single interior room, close its door, and close off unused rooms. Layer clothing and use blankets and sleeping bags; body heat and insulation do more than most people expect. The American Red Cross recommends consolidating people and pets into one warm space.
The one rule that prevents deaths: no combustion indoors for heat
Never heat a home with a gas oven or stovetop, charcoal or gas grill, camp stove, or a portable generator — indoors, in a garage, or in any enclosed space. All produce carbon monoxide (CO), which is odorless and kills. The CDC ties hundreds of US CO deaths a year to exactly this. If you run a generator for heat via space heaters, the generator goes outside, ≥20 ft from windows and doors — see our generator-safety guide. Put a battery-powered CO alarm on every level of the home.
Safer heat sources
A UL-listed battery or electric space heater run off a properly-sized outdoor generator, a wood stove or fireplace with a working, unobstructed flue, and simply layering and insulating are the safe options. Keep anything flammable at least 3 feet from any heater, and never leave a heater running while you sleep unless it's a permanently installed, vented unit.
Know the signs of hypothermia
Per the CDC, warning signs in adults are shivering, exhaustion or drowsiness, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, and slurred speech; in infants, bright red or cold skin and very low energy. Body temperature below 95 °F (35 °C) is a medical emergency — warm the person's center first, and call 911.
Protect the pipes, protect the food
Let a faucet drip to reduce freeze-burst risk, and open cabinet doors so warm air reaches pipes. Keep the fridge and freezer closed — a full freezer holds safe temperature about 48 hours (see food safety). In deep cold, the outdoors is not a safe fridge substitute: sun and temperature swings make it unreliable, per USDA.
Know how long you're planning for
The decision to relocate to a warming center or a relative's home is easier at hour one than hour six. Check your address for the current restoration outlook — the utility's posted time and our independent estimate, side by side — and turn on free alerts for when power's back.