what creative ways do you keep warm when your heat is out?

[okinawama]

due to rolling black outs, our gas is out (something about the rolling blackouts impeding the delivery of natural gas), and therefore we have no access to heat. We have a gas fireplace, but obviously fires aren't an option. We do have electricity (for now), and one space heater ( every single store in town has sold out) that we plan to use in my DS room.

Other than layering clothes, what suggestions can you give me to keep my family warm?

[lizzywednesday]

Cook & bake, but don't leave the oven on for heat because that's a great way to get CO poisoning. ETA: D'oh! This assumes your stove isn't gas!!!

If you're not iced in, can you go out somewhere that might still have heat? A mall or coffee shop?

You can also retreat to whatever room(s) in your house stay the warmest during the day and keep the door shut. (DH and I do this with DD because our heater is fairly inefficient and our bedroom ends up being the warmest room in the house.) We even have TV there, so we don't need to leave except to get lunch.

[zoestargrove]

oh dear! I hope you get your heat back soon.

we lost power for a week a few years back in the winter because of an ice storm. Fortunately, we had a wood stove that heated up some of the house.

I do remember hearing that moist air is warmer (feels wamer) so local people were recommending to boil large pots of water on your stove.

We all wore lots of layers, kept hats on too..and piled under blankets.

I went to double check that fact before posting and came up with a nice list of ways to help.

Dress in layers
Wear wool
Wear thicker socks or slippers
Leave the oven open after you bake
Eat soup and other warm meals
Drink warm beverages
Open curtains and blinds during the day to let the sun in
Close curtains and blinds at night to keep out the cold
Pile extra blankets on your bed
Switch to flannel sheets and a down comforter
Snuggle up in a blanket whenever you're sitting down
Do something active (clean the house, exercise, etc.)
Wear a hat to prevent heat loss
Use a humidifier. Humid air feels warmer
Don't run the bathroom fan after you shower; the humidity will make the house feel warmer
Shut bathroom fans off as quickly as possible to prevent heat loss
Run ceiling fans in reverse to push warm air back down to the ground
Put on clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer
Use rugs on bare floors
Block drafts with weather stripping, rolled up towels or homemade draftstoppers
Keep your fireplace flue closed when you don't have a fire to prevent unnecessary heat loss
Make sure heat vents, registers and radiators are free of obstructions. If they're covered with furniture, the warm air won't reach you – even though you've paid for it

[a2mom]

We thought about this in preparation for the big snowstorm too.

Our best thought was to get into our 3 person tent (during the day, not at night) to keep warm by all of our body heat (we have a toddler and a baby, plus my husband and I). Then we'd probably put the baby or toddler in the PeaPod at night with sleep sacks and put the other child in the pack & play in our room with 2-3 sleepers and a sleep sack on.

Or somehow make a bigger tent with blankets for all of us to stay together in during the day.

I hope your heat comes on soon!

[hillview]

S#X!!

Ok just my first thought.

Hope the heat is on soon!
/hillary

[lkarp]

S#X!!

Ok just my first thought.

Hope the heat is on soon!
/hillary

Glad I wasn't the only to think this after reading the title...

[LMPC]

Yeah, s#x came to my mind as well! Hee hee hee!

[tmahanes]

S#X!!

Ok just my first thought.

Hope the heat is on soon!
/hillary


YES! I thought I was the only one whose head this popped into!

Sent from my Ally using Tapatalk

[okinawama]

you ladies are too funny.

We are still without heat, and unfortunately are told to plan for at least another day or two. So far the house is doing a good job at keeping warm with just regular household activity, I'm sure the temperature will drop significantly tonight though.

So far we've all camped out in one room with our space heater ( thank goodness electricity is still on) and are dressed in lots of layers . Ive also made some "rice socks" and heated them in the microwave and plan on using them when I go to bed. We're also working at keeping our pipes from freezing.