While the spring season may mark the end of frigid temperatures and snow, spring presents it’s own unique challenges. The Spring season is often accompanied by heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms, and moderately brisk temperatures. To prepare for the possibility of a power outage, it’s important to become familiar with how to keep a house warm without power.
1.) Keep the Curtains Shut at Night
As the temperature begins to decrease at night, your home may begin to get colder as the night progresses. An excellent way to keep heat in your house without electricity is to keep the curtains shut at night while you’re sleeping. Keeping the curtains open throughout the evening may allow frigid air to enter your home through the glass or leaks near the windows. If some of the windows in your home do not include curtains, you can utilize towels or blankets to prevent cold air from coming into your house at night.
2.) Use the Fireplace & Candles
If you lose power on a cold night this spring, a cost-effective way to keep your house warm is to use the fireplace. Residents with gas fireplaces can easily start a fire by flipping a switch to begin the combustion and heating process. In addition, families with traditional wood-burning fireplaces can maintain a fire by using the wooden logs they have already purchased.
We also recommend lighting a candle in each area of the enclosure to keep your house warm without power. Candles are a cheap way to provide extra heat and light throughout the home. However, keep the candles out of reach from small children or pets to avoid physical injuries or house fires.
3.) Cook a Meal
If you’re dealing with a massive power outage in your area, you may be able to heat your house without electricity by cooking a meal. Since most homes feature gas ovens, most families will be able to cook lunch or dinner during an outage. While your oven is operating, it utilizes natural gas to produce heat to cook your food. Since the excess heat energy is vented into the kitchen throughout the heating cycle, cooking may be a beneficial way to heat a house with no electricity.
4.) Close the Doors of Unused Rooms
Since cold air is able to leak into your home through leaks near windows in your bedrooms, it’s vital to keep your doors shut in rooms that are not being used. This will prevent the cold air from each bedroom from entering the main living spaces, such as your living room or kitchen. The smartest way to keep your house warm without power is to keep everyone in your family in the same room.
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5.) Get the Entire Family in a Single Room
While it may be hard to get everyone in your family in a single room, this is an essential step to heat the house without electricity. Your body produces a large amount of heat when you’re talking and breathing. So, an excellent way to keep your family warm is to huddle together in a single room to preserve body heat.
6.) Apply Tape or Plastic to the Windows
Depending on the length of the power outage in your area, it may be worth your time to apply tape to the frames around your windows to cover small to moderate leaks. This will help prevent cold air from entering your house. You may also utilize sheets of plastic or bags to create an insulation barrier to keep your house warm without power.
7.) Invest in a Backup Generator
A backup generator is engineered to conserve energy that can be utilized in emergency situations such as a local power outage or widespread electrical grid failure. Due to financial constraints, investing in a backup generator may not be a viable option for every family. How do you keep your house warm without power? An affordable option is to purchase a portable backup generator that is able to run a couple of electric space heaters.
Heating & Cooling Services in Virginia
Snell Heating & Air Conditioning provides dependable and fast HVAC services to homes in Virginia such as furnace repair, air conditioning installation, and furnace replacement. If you need assistance with a heating or cooling issue, give our team a call by phone at (703) 543-9649 or book an appointment online. The team at Snell Heating & Air Conditioning provides HVAC services to areas of Virginia including Centreville, Arlington, Alexandria, and Reston.