Blackout Survival: Staying Warm Without Power DIY Heaters

By Survival Ready Blog Team

When a storm causes the power to go out, and you could be left scrambling to stay warm. Staying warm outdoors in an emergency situation is even harder, and it’s more crucial as exposure to wind, moisture and low temperatures can quickly lead to hypothermia. That’s why winter preps should include a variety of methods for keeping you and your family warm under any condition.

The Basics
In the hierarchy of winter preparedness, the first step is to make sure your home is well insulated, that heat systems are working properly and that you have a backup generator in place in case of outages. A wood burning stove or fireplace can work in lieu of a backup generator. Fireplaces and stoves should receive proper maintenance to ensure they’re safe for use.

The next priority is to store an adequate amount of blankets and layers of clothing in a clean, dry place. Don’t forget your slippers, mittens and hats. Though the idea that we lose an extreme amount of body heat through our heads has been debunked, keeping all the extremities covered will help maintain the core temperature.

Emergency supplies like chemical hand warmers and space blankets are also helpful, and should definitely be included in your bugout bag and emergency bag.

Homemade stoves come in last on the list, but that doesn’t mean they’re not an important preparedness tool.

Flower Pots & Tea Lights Heater
via Instructables
A room heater made from a small roasting tray and its trivet two clay flower Pots 4 tea lights and a scrap of aluminum foil

Candle in a Can 
Via Consumer affairs
Of all the reasons you don't want to ride out a winter storm stranded in your car, the most obvious is the danger of freezing to death. In an immobilized vehicle, running the engine to generate heat is a bad idea for two reasons: one, even with a full tank you'll run out of gas in a few hours, thus leaving you unable to move even when traffic does eventually clear out; and two, if falling or drifting snow or ice blocks your car's exhaust pipe, you and everybody with you could easily die of carbon monoxide poisoning. 


Fortunately, it's easy to make heat without running the engine, and you can put together an emergency automotive heating kit for less than five dollars. You only need three items: an empty metal coffee can, metal-cup “tea light” candles, and some matches. (Well, make that four items: you'll want a resealable sandwich bag, too.) 

Vegetable Oil Lamp 
Via Instructables
 Preparing for the next time your power goes out? Nobody really seems to know what's going to happen, but if you need some oil lamps cheap, you can make them for free out of a glass container that has a metal lid.  You probably have been either throwing these containers away or recycling them.  Save a few and you can make all the oil lamps you want for just the cost of some wick.

Rubbing Alcohol Heater
Via Modern Survival Online
The purpose of this was to have a portable, ready-to-go device in case you need emergency heat in a situation such as a vehicle breakdown in the middle of winter.

P.S. Here's a done for you, step by step system, that tells you EXACTLY what you need to do to prepare yourself and your family for a disaster .