Heat one room, layer up, and avoid the carbon monoxide mistakes that hurt people every winter.
Key takeaways
- Heat one small room, not the whole house.
- Never use a BBQ, camp stove or generator indoors: carbon monoxide kills.
- If indoor temperatures approach freezing, go to a warming centre.
Never use a barbecue, camp stove, charcoal, gas oven or generator inside a home, garage or tent. They produce carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell and which can kill. Have a working CO alarm with battery backup.
Heat one room, not the house
- Pick a small interior room, ideally with few windows.
- Close doors, hang blankets over windows and doorways, roll a towel against drafts.
- Move mattresses or sleeping bags into that room so everyone shares body heat.
Clothing and bedding
- Wool or synthetic layers, hat, gloves, warm socks. Avoid cotton when damp.
- Sleeping bags rated for the temperature are far more effective than extra blankets.
- Keep moving. Eat regularly and drink warm fluids.
Heaters: what is actually safe
- Only use heaters designed for indoor use, with tip-over and low-oxygen shutoffs where the maker specifies them, and follow ventilation instructions exactly.
- Electric heaters draw too much for most power stations. A 1,500 W heater empties a 1,000 Wh unit in well under an hour.
- A fireplace or wood stove is fine only if it is in good order and was serviced before the season.
Protect your pipes
If the house will get very cold, open cabinet doors under sinks and let taps drip. Know where your main water shut-off is.
Know when to leave
If indoor temperatures drop near freezing, or anyone is elderly, very young or unwell, go to a warming centre, friends or family. Watch for signs of hypothermia: shivering that stops, confusion, slurred speech. Call emergency services if you see them.
What to put in a cold-weather kit
- Sleeping bags and wool blankets
- Hats, gloves and thermal base layers
- Headlamps and spare batteries
- Hand warmers
- A battery powered CO alarm
Quick answers
Can a power station run a space heater?
Technically yes, but a 1,500 W heater drains a 1,000 Wh unit in well under an hour.
What is the safest way to stay warm?
Layers, a rated sleeping bag, one small closed room and body heat. Electric blankets use far less power than heaters.
Sources (1)
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