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I cannot get warm today. I started out with a sweater and jeggings (leggings that look like blue jeans). I know have heavy sweatpants overs the jeggings, a cashmere scarf over my chest, with a heavy, zipped-up hoodie over that--and Ugg-type suede/faux fur boots and socks. Oh, and a hand-warmer in the pocket of the hoodie. I'm trying to find my fingerless gloves...I have the heat on, a kerosene heater in the living room and the fireplace burning in this room.
It's 10F, but feels like it's -12 below, and the wind has been very strong since last night. I'm amazed that we still have electricity. On Wednesday-Thursday, the wind chill be we up to -25 below.
I thought you may like some tips for keeping warm in unusually cold weather and/or if you lose power:
1. Windows: make sure the air is not coming through the sides, and, if the sun is out, let the sun in, then close the curtains and blinds at dark. Put plastic sheeting over the windows, if needed, or even blankets, quilts, lengths of fabric, towels, etc. in an emergency. I did this years ago when our heat pump died on February 4th. It took until March 4th to get everything fixed--of course, March 4th was 72F, and we didn't need heat!
2. Close off as many rooms as possible to retain heat. I used dowel rods and cup hooks mounted above the interior doorways to hang "curtains"--blankets with the top edged folded over the dowel, and safety pinned to keep them on the rods. This is why I rarely get rid of old, ugly curtains. I haven't forgotten spending a month in 44F cold!
3. Try to live in one room as much as possible. The more living creatures who give off body heat, the better!
4. If the power outage is prolonged, consider putting a tent in that room, and living in it. You can also sleep on the floor in it, and get as many pets and humans inside as you can. If you don't have a tent, drape blankets, tarps, fabric, sheets, etc. over a table as a makeshift tent. You can also do this over your bed.
5. Dress in layers, which trap the heat between them. Keep your feet, head and hands warm in particular.
6. Use those hunters' hand warmers that you shake to activate. One in each pocket, around the hip area, works best, IMHO. If you don't have any, take an old cotton sock, piece of 100% cotton fabric (must be cotton, as polyester can melt), fill with dry rice, knotted closed, and put in the microwave for about 2 minutes. BE CAREFUL--THIS WILL BE VERY HOT, AND THE RICE DOES NOT HEAT EVENLY. HANDLE BY THE VERY EDGES, AND LET COOL SLIGHTLY BEFORE USING. Wrap in a hand towel or fabric before using. Rice isn't perfect, but better than nothing. Also, a baked potato wrapped in a cloth is good.
7. Move around. I cleaned like a maniac when the heat pump died. Luckily, we still had electricity, so I could vacuum...and vacuum...and vacuum...
8. When you're tired of moving around, get under blankets, preferably with your pets or loved ones. Burrow. Don't come out until Spring.
9. Drink hot beverages. If you don't want tea, coffee, cocoa, etc., you can drink plain hot water. Mom swore it was good for your complexion!
10. Now's the time to bake! Crack open the oven when done, and use that heat.
11. Use more rugs on the floor. They help to insulate.
12. If you have no heat, try to get to a public place that has heat. Wegman's food store is our favorite--open 24/7, nice food court, nice staff, and they often put out device chargers when many people are without power. After the bad ice storm last year, they even served a free spaghetti dinner to the "refugees" "living" in the food court. (We had 80,000+ people in the area without electricity for nearly 2 weeks.) You could also discreeetly wash up in the bathrooms. I work in a library, and we're nice about well-behaved, nice-smelling people hanging out, and we also have device chargers in emergency situations. We also have snack machines and a coffee vending machine.
It's 10F, but feels like it's -12 below, and the wind has been very strong since last night. I'm amazed that we still have electricity. On Wednesday-Thursday, the wind chill be we up to -25 below.
I thought you may like some tips for keeping warm in unusually cold weather and/or if you lose power:
1. Windows: make sure the air is not coming through the sides, and, if the sun is out, let the sun in, then close the curtains and blinds at dark. Put plastic sheeting over the windows, if needed, or even blankets, quilts, lengths of fabric, towels, etc. in an emergency. I did this years ago when our heat pump died on February 4th. It took until March 4th to get everything fixed--of course, March 4th was 72F, and we didn't need heat!
2. Close off as many rooms as possible to retain heat. I used dowel rods and cup hooks mounted above the interior doorways to hang "curtains"--blankets with the top edged folded over the dowel, and safety pinned to keep them on the rods. This is why I rarely get rid of old, ugly curtains. I haven't forgotten spending a month in 44F cold!
3. Try to live in one room as much as possible. The more living creatures who give off body heat, the better!
4. If the power outage is prolonged, consider putting a tent in that room, and living in it. You can also sleep on the floor in it, and get as many pets and humans inside as you can. If you don't have a tent, drape blankets, tarps, fabric, sheets, etc. over a table as a makeshift tent. You can also do this over your bed.
5. Dress in layers, which trap the heat between them. Keep your feet, head and hands warm in particular.
6. Use those hunters' hand warmers that you shake to activate. One in each pocket, around the hip area, works best, IMHO. If you don't have any, take an old cotton sock, piece of 100% cotton fabric (must be cotton, as polyester can melt), fill with dry rice, knotted closed, and put in the microwave for about 2 minutes. BE CAREFUL--THIS WILL BE VERY HOT, AND THE RICE DOES NOT HEAT EVENLY. HANDLE BY THE VERY EDGES, AND LET COOL SLIGHTLY BEFORE USING. Wrap in a hand towel or fabric before using. Rice isn't perfect, but better than nothing. Also, a baked potato wrapped in a cloth is good.
7. Move around. I cleaned like a maniac when the heat pump died. Luckily, we still had electricity, so I could vacuum...and vacuum...and vacuum...
8. When you're tired of moving around, get under blankets, preferably with your pets or loved ones. Burrow. Don't come out until Spring.
9. Drink hot beverages. If you don't want tea, coffee, cocoa, etc., you can drink plain hot water. Mom swore it was good for your complexion!
10. Now's the time to bake! Crack open the oven when done, and use that heat.
11. Use more rugs on the floor. They help to insulate.
12. If you have no heat, try to get to a public place that has heat. Wegman's food store is our favorite--open 24/7, nice food court, nice staff, and they often put out device chargers when many people are without power. After the bad ice storm last year, they even served a free spaghetti dinner to the "refugees" "living" in the food court. (We had 80,000+ people in the area without electricity for nearly 2 weeks.) You could also discreeetly wash up in the bathrooms. I work in a library, and we're nice about well-behaved, nice-smelling people hanging out, and we also have device chargers in emergency situations. We also have snack machines and a coffee vending machine.
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