How to Keep Your Home Warm When the Power Is Out

Use an alternative heat source. Many homes have alternative heat sources including fireplaces or space heaters. A generator to power electric heaters can be purchased at a home improvement store; these offer a way to keep limited power to your home during power failures. Other alternative heat sources include kerosene heaters or gas-fired hot water tanks.

Close off unused rooms and seal the doors with blankets or drapes, particularly on the side of the house being buffeted by prevailing winds. This concentrates heat in the portion of the home where it is needed most and avoids using rooms that are cooled more quickly due to wind.

Avoid using rooms with large windows and concentrate activity in the rooms with the least outer exposure, such as an interior bathroom or bedroom.

Hang heavy drapes or bedding over outer doors and windows. This blocks drafts and prevents heat loss through these weak points in a home's insulation.