If the power goes out in cold weather, the priorities are: stay safe from fire and carbon monoxide, keep your body warm, and conserve whatever heat you do have.

First: Safety Rules (Non‑negotiable)

  • Never use a gas oven, outdoor grill, charcoal barbecue, or gasoline generator indoors for heat; they can quickly produce deadly carbon monoxide.
  • Only use indoor‑rated propane/kerosene heaters, follow the manual, ventilate slightly, and keep a carbon monoxide detector running if you have battery backup.
  • Keep anything that burns fuel or candles away from curtains, bedding, and pets/kids; have a fire extinguisher handy.
  • If anyone shows headache, dizziness, confusion, or nausea, get everyone outside and call emergency services; these can be CO symptoms.

Heat Your Body, Not the House

  • Put on multiple loose layers (base layer, insulating fleece/wool, outer wind‑resistant layer) plus hat, scarf, and thick socks; most heat is lost from head, neck, hands, and feet.
  • Share body heat: sit close together under shared blankets or a sleeping bag; emergency foil blankets help reflect body heat back.
  • Eat and drink warm things if you can (soup, oatmeal, hot drinks); your body generates more heat when fueled and hydrated.
  • Avoid alcohol, which makes you feel warm but actually causes heat loss.

Make One “Warm Room”

  • Pick the smallest interior room you can (bedroom, small living room), preferably south‑facing for daytime sun.
  • Close all other doors, hang blankets over doorways, and roll towels at the base of doors and windows to stop drafts.
  • Put down rugs, foam mats, or cardboard so you’re not sitting or sleeping directly on cold floors.
  • Sleep in a shared room “camp style” on the floor or on mattresses pushed together to pool warmth.

Safe Heat Sources You Might Have

  • Working fireplace, wood‑burning stove, or vented gas fireplace: use them as directed, keep chimneys/flues open and clear, and store extra dry wood if you rely on them.
  • Indoor‑rated propane/kerosene “Buddy”‑type heater: only if it is specifically marked for indoor use; crack a window and use a CO detector.
  • Hot‑water solutions: boil water if you still have gas or a camping stove that’s safe to use, then fill sturdy bottles or camping heat bags; wrap them in cloth and tuck them under blankets near your core and feet.

Low‑Tech Heat Tricks (Last‑Resort Boosts)

  • Candle + clay pot “heater”: several tea lights under an upside‑down terracotta pot can gently warm a tiny, well‑sealed space; treat it like an open flame, keep it on a non‑flammable base, and never leave it unattended.
  • Heat‑storage objects: pre‑warm soapstone, bricks, or water containers near a safe flame or stove, then move them (carefully!) into your warm room to slowly radiate heat.
  • Layers and lots of candles: a few candles can take the edge off the cold in a small room, but think of them as a comfort boost, not a primary heating system.

If You Have Backup Power or Solar

  • A properly installed generator outside, never in a garage or indoors, can run small electric space heaters; oil‑filled radiators are safer than glowing coil heaters.
  • Homes with solar plus battery storage can sometimes keep the main heating system running during grid outages, depending on how the system is wired.

When It’s Too Cold to Stay

  • Watch for hypothermia signs: uncontrollable shivering, slurred speech, clumsiness, confusion, or drowsiness, especially in kids, older adults, and people with health conditions.
  • If indoor temperatures drop near freezing and you cannot maintain even one warm room, consider going to a friend’s place, hotel, or official warming center if it is safe to travel.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.