As the winter months approach, it is a must to have your heater checked and remember the basics of winter survival.
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Winter Survival Guide: Keeping Your House Warm
Be Prepared and Survive the Winter
Winter is getting colder and colder every year. The relentless consequences of global warming are unmistakable.
What is more adverse is when you have to live without heat in the middle of a winter storm. Without heat, surviving through the winter season is undeniably challenging, but you can still survive despite the cold.
Preparedness is the answer. It’s your ticket out of harm’s way especially when SHTF. A malfunctioning system can have disastrous effects when temperatures plummet.
Be prepared for the seasons’ changes to prevent this from happening. No mortal man can stop the winter season from occurring but we can do something to keep ourselves comfortable in the cold.
Below is a list of winter survival tips. Learn how to stay warm even when the heat goes out.
Before the Winter
Before the worst of winter hits, prepare your home for anything that can happen.
There are a few things which should be done beforehand in case the bad gets to worse, and you are left without a heater.
1. Have Your Chimney Inspected
If you are planning on using your fireplace, this is essential to prevent disastrous situations from occurring. In a situation like this, you need a winter survival fire to live through the cold winter.
Burning wood releases gasses which will cool and stick to the inside of the chimney, forming a flammable hazard. Take care of this before it becomes a threat.
2. Flip the Switch on Your Ceiling Fan
Although many people use their ceiling fan in the summer, most don’t realize the advantages of using it in the winter.
Each fan should have a small switch on the side, moving the blades to turn in the opposite direction. This forces the warm air down, keeping the heat from escaping.
3. Check for Cracks in Your Windows or Doors
These small cracks in the caulking or even in the window itself can cause you to lose warmth.
Rather than allowing this to happen, check the windows before the worst of the cold hits. Repair the cracks as soon as possible.
4. Have Your Furnace Inspected
There’s nothing worse than having your furnace go out in the dead of winter. Most repair companies are swamped with hundreds of others who are calling for the same issues.
Rather than deal with it later, have it checked before the worst of winter hits!
5. Protect Your Pipes
You need to inspect and protect your pipes. Although keeping your sink dripping may seem expensive, this will save you from bursting pipes because it allows the water to escape before pressure builds up.
To prevent your pipes from freezing, you need to insulate them, especially those that are exposed to the outside elements.
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During the Winter
If your heater goes out in the middle of winter, call for professional help immediately. Set up an appointment as soon as you can.
Keep yourself and your family warm while waiting for help to arrive.
1. Close What You Need to Close
- Close all your windows including storm doors. Open them only during the day if the outside temperature is higher than the inside.
- Keep the curtains closed and open them only when the sun is shining directly in the window.
- Close any rooms you aren’t using to prevent the warm air from going out of your winter survival shelter.
What Are Storm Doors?
It is an additional exterior door that protects the primary access door against bad weather and cold. Usually, it is steel or wood.
2. Use Rugs
If you have hardwood floors, use rugs to keep the heat. Rugs are efficient for blocking out cold.
Wool rugs make awesome insulation, but they are difficult to clean and they can be very expensive. Cotton and nylon rugs are perfect alternatives and affordable too.
Rugs can make your winter shelter (i.e., your home) cozier.
3. Use Candles
Candles don’t only give light, but they can also produce more heat than you realize. Candles are part of your winter survival basics so make sure you always have them handy.
Just make sure the candles are in a safe place and away from objects that easily catch fire.
4. Incandescent Lights
Incandescent lights give off more heat than light. Turn on as many of these around where you want to keep warm as possible.
It may not be cost-efficient but it will surely make the temperature rise.
5. Cook
Use the oven to bake cookies or anything you need to cook. This will not only keep you warm but will give you more winter survival food for sustenance during a snowy day.
Use the excess heat from the oven by leaving the door open after using it. Stay as close to the kitchen as you can.
Looking for more cold weather survival tips? Check out this video from Homesteading Ways and learn different ways how to stay warm in case of a power outage in the winter:
Surviving the cold winter is difficult when you’re unprepared. Make sure to ready your house to protect your family from the plummeting temperatures.
By taking a few steps beforehand, your home will be better equipped to protect you from the extreme cold.
If you know nothing about heating equipment, call a professional to mend the situation. Give yourself a clear advantage before things go out of hand.
Penny for your thoughts? Tell us what you think about these winter survival tips in the comments section below!
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Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!**Disclaimer: All content on this site is for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer here**Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 17, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
