Chicago Home and Lifestyles – Power Out? How To Stay Warm

With the winter storm in Texas, we have seen that it is just as easy to lose your power in the winter as it is during summer thunderstorms. Winter power outages can be particularly dangerous as we lose heat in the bitter cold.

Do be safe when considering alternative heat sources. Sitting in your running car can be a good warm up but only if the vehicle is outside. Running a car in an attached garage can cause a buildup of lethal toxic fumes that are not always detectable. Generators also are made to run outdoors only. Some indoor models run on batteries, but one that uses any type of fuel must be used outdoors. This includes camp stoves too. You can boil water or cook on one, but you must be out in the open.

Layer your clothing. Now is the time to get out all the clothing you have. Many light layers are what you are looking for here. Insulated long underwear is good. Top with leggings or tights with multiple layers of pants. Wear oversized sweatpants to cover all the inner layers, and be sure to wear a hat and a hoodie with a scarf. Use gloves to avoid losing heat through your hands. Wrap yourself in shawls and blankets. Do not forget the pets. They can wear your sweatshirts and socks too. You can even google a DIY dog sweater. 

Close off unused rooms. Choose a room with as few exterior walls as possible and close the doors. Hang blankets in rooms with no doors. You will want to insulate this room as well as possible. Cover windows with garbage bags or bubble wrap and close curtains and blinds. It’s a good idea to stuff towels under doors and windowsills. Hang blankets on the walls for one more layer. If you have hard flooring, cover it with rugs or any other material you have (even dirty laundry). To keep warm, stay in the center of the room.

Keep as much heat on you as you can. Keep your feet off the floor. If you can sit in a curled-up position with your feet and hands covered, it is best. We lose a lot of heat through our hands and feet. Do eat; keeping your body warm is heavy work using many calories. If you have one of the camp stoves we mentioned before, it is good to sip hot beverages and eat hot soup. Wrap the cup in a towel to keep the drink as hot as possible and warm your hands. Avoid alcohol. It seems to warm you, but it actually makes you lose body heat as it dilates blood vessels. 

Good luck to you all this winter!

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO