Tips for keeping warm in winter with minimal heat?
July 16, 2022 12:23 PM Subscribe
In view of the likely worsening natural gas prices, what should we be doing now to prepare ourselves for the upcoming winter? What is cheaper to buy now to prepare?
(of course, this is specific to those living in the northern hemisphere)
Here in Germany, there have been many warnings in the media about possible energy rationing this winter, so I started to consider what I could do to prepare myself. Thankfully I don't find it gets particularly cold here, and usually manage to use the heat minimally, but even minimal usage was quite expensive last winter and will be worse in the upcoming winter. So far, I bought some hot water bottles (very cheap to buy in summer) to keep the bed warm at night, and a couple warm sweaters which were also cheap since they are out of season.
What other tips do you have for keeping warm in winter when you need to avoid using the heat as much as possible?
Relatedly, is it ever worthwhile to get a small electric heater? I know they are very inefficient, but I was considering buying one now for particularly cold times and using it only to heat the small room in which I'm in. Are certain types better than others? I suspect the oil-based radiator electric heaters are best since they retain the heat longer, but personally I would need to get something relatively small and on a budget <150€
(of course, this is specific to those living in the northern hemisphere)
Here in Germany, there have been many warnings in the media about possible energy rationing this winter, so I started to consider what I could do to prepare myself. Thankfully I don't find it gets particularly cold here, and usually manage to use the heat minimally, but even minimal usage was quite expensive last winter and will be worse in the upcoming winter. So far, I bought some hot water bottles (very cheap to buy in summer) to keep the bed warm at night, and a couple warm sweaters which were also cheap since they are out of season.
What other tips do you have for keeping warm in winter when you need to avoid using the heat as much as possible?
Relatedly, is it ever worthwhile to get a small electric heater? I know they are very inefficient, but I was considering buying one now for particularly cold times and using it only to heat the small room in which I'm in. Are certain types better than others? I suspect the oil-based radiator electric heaters are best since they retain the heat longer, but personally I would need to get something relatively small and on a budget <150€
Motorcycle supply and construction supply retailers sell battery-powered electric warming jackets, socks, gloves, etc. I believe many are 12V powered, and it's possible to charge a 12V battery with a small solar panel.
Also: warm hats (e.g. faux fur hats) are really good at keeping you warm, since there is so much blood supply and therefore heat loss through your head.
The hardest thing about a cold house is getting up in the morning. I might find a way to a) make the sleeping space as small as possible, and b) have some warming thing start automatically about 20 minutes before rising, whether that's a foot warmer, a small heater, or an electric tea kettle at the bedside.
posted by amtho at 12:40 PM on July 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also: warm hats (e.g. faux fur hats) are really good at keeping you warm, since there is so much blood supply and therefore heat loss through your head.
The hardest thing about a cold house is getting up in the morning. I might find a way to a) make the sleeping space as small as possible, and b) have some warming thing start automatically about 20 minutes before rising, whether that's a foot warmer, a small heater, or an electric tea kettle at the bedside.
posted by amtho at 12:40 PM on July 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
Good silk thermal underwear makes a huge difference. Gloves and hats indoors. Seriously!
"Heat the person not the space"
posted by lalochezia at 12:55 PM on July 16, 2022 [7 favorites]
"Heat the person not the space"
posted by lalochezia at 12:55 PM on July 16, 2022 [7 favorites]
Electric heated blankets or heat pads.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:58 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Crystalinne at 12:58 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
Wool socks. Down duvet. Pull the curtains/shutters at night to retain heat.
posted by praemunire at 12:58 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 12:58 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
Are you in an apartment, or could you install a heat pump?
posted by pinochiette at 1:00 PM on July 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by pinochiette at 1:00 PM on July 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Insulation is the highest priority. You want insulated walls, ceilings, and well sealed windows and doors. The less heat you let escape, the less gas you'll need (or electricity or firewood or whatever)
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 1:07 PM on July 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 1:07 PM on July 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
Focus on warming your body, not warming your home.
posted by parmanparman at 1:08 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by parmanparman at 1:08 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
I live in an old, ramshackle house that it would cost a fortune to retrofit for real energy efficiency - we generally take the "it's cheaper and easier to heat the body than the room/house" approach, as parmanparman and lalochezia note, and make regular use of small electric space heaters and heating pads.
I highly recommend fleece bootie-style slippers and good wool socks as well.
posted by ryanshepard at 1:31 PM on July 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
I highly recommend fleece bootie-style slippers and good wool socks as well.
posted by ryanshepard at 1:31 PM on July 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Heavy curtains can be bought room by room; or for more efficiency than aesthetics, get rigid foam insulation and make interior panels or folding panels that fit like interior storm windows.
posted by clew at 1:59 PM on July 16, 2022
posted by clew at 1:59 PM on July 16, 2022
Electric heaters are actually quite efficient; the problem is that electricity may or may not be more expensive that other fuel sources depending on where you live. I heat mostly with a wood stove but I do use space heaters to supplement/replace in certain situations. I have found that my favorite space heaters are fanless quartz infrared heaters--they will have tube-shaped glowing heating elements and a back reflector that indeed "heat the body" heaters rather than heat the space. Although, they will heat a space as well because they do warm up OTHER surfaces they contact and not just your body, and those surfaces will radiate heat out into the room as well. I like these better than ceramic heaters, which have a fan and can be LOUD, or oil-filled radiators, which are gentle and steady but DO "heat the room" more than the person and take quite a while to do so, plus they radiate heat in all directions so they have to be a certain distance from walls, furniture etc. Another type to consider are micathermic heaters, but you might not be able to find any within your budget.
Another thing to think about is thermal management of windows and doors to benefit from any potential solar heat during the daytime and then keep heat in at night. Heavy thermal drapes will take a while to pay for themselves in terms of energy savings but they are beneficial in both summer and winter, and if you have older windows, window film kits or other tricks to reduce drafts and heat loss can help. If you have newer double-pane windows with good seals, the benefits from film are minimal but you will still benefit from thermal curtains. Drafts under doors are another source of heat loss.
Finally, if you have ceiling fans (I don't know if they are common in Europe), switch the direction so they blow upwards, which will take the warm air that collects by the ceiling and circulate it down the walls and to the floor to increase the perception of warmth in the room, without blowing directly on occupants.
posted by drlith at 2:11 PM on July 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another thing to think about is thermal management of windows and doors to benefit from any potential solar heat during the daytime and then keep heat in at night. Heavy thermal drapes will take a while to pay for themselves in terms of energy savings but they are beneficial in both summer and winter, and if you have older windows, window film kits or other tricks to reduce drafts and heat loss can help. If you have newer double-pane windows with good seals, the benefits from film are minimal but you will still benefit from thermal curtains. Drafts under doors are another source of heat loss.
Finally, if you have ceiling fans (I don't know if they are common in Europe), switch the direction so they blow upwards, which will take the warm air that collects by the ceiling and circulate it down the walls and to the floor to increase the perception of warmth in the room, without blowing directly on occupants.
posted by drlith at 2:11 PM on July 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
I live in a cold climate in a little wooden house built in 1850 or so. It has a natural gas furnace (unfortunately it's pretty new, otherwise I might replace it but alas I can't imagine paying to do that now). The house is about as well-insulated as possible, with new thermal windows, but the walls (and the floors!, which matters on the ground floor) are thin. Sounds like you're in a similar boat. These are my routines:
- I have a programmable thermostat but I adjust it manually, keeping the heat low during the day and turning it down very low a couple of hours before bedtime. I only turn it back up when I'm up and about.
- Clothing: In the morning I immediately put on a few layers including a wool sweater and at least one pair of leggings. I have a Comfy which I often throw on over everything else. I wear wool or fleece socks and shearling lined Birkenstocks. Never saw the point of them before but they're cozy as heck with socks.
- Movement helps! I tend to keep physically busy during the day which means I don't notice the cold as much.
- For evening, watching TV and reading, I keep two electric blanket/throws on the couch, one to sit on and one to throw over me. If I'm still cold I put on a hat and grab a shawl.
- For sleep: I sleep in the smallest of the bedrooms. On my bed I have a mattress warmer and a quality down comforter. At the end of the day I turn the mattress warmer on high then take a hot bath or shower before getting into bed. I usually keep the mattress warmer on a low setting overnight while I sleep.
- Hot baths. I've always loved them! Sometimes, if I've caught a chill during the day I might even take an extra bath, just to get really warmed up again.
- Tea & other warm drinks. I also drink a fair amount of herbal tea, which was not my norm before. That definitely helps a little.
- I do have a little space heater (oil filled radiator) in the coldest room (which is sadly the living room) but it doesn't feel like it does much. I may have to look into another type.
- I have a fairly extensive collection of quilts and blankets that I keep handy.
- I like a cup of cappuccino in the morning. I plugged the machine into a timer so it turns on well before I rise. That way the cups on top and the machine itself are already warm.
posted by sl1ce at 3:09 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
- I have a programmable thermostat but I adjust it manually, keeping the heat low during the day and turning it down very low a couple of hours before bedtime. I only turn it back up when I'm up and about.
- Clothing: In the morning I immediately put on a few layers including a wool sweater and at least one pair of leggings. I have a Comfy which I often throw on over everything else. I wear wool or fleece socks and shearling lined Birkenstocks. Never saw the point of them before but they're cozy as heck with socks.
- Movement helps! I tend to keep physically busy during the day which means I don't notice the cold as much.
- For evening, watching TV and reading, I keep two electric blanket/throws on the couch, one to sit on and one to throw over me. If I'm still cold I put on a hat and grab a shawl.
- For sleep: I sleep in the smallest of the bedrooms. On my bed I have a mattress warmer and a quality down comforter. At the end of the day I turn the mattress warmer on high then take a hot bath or shower before getting into bed. I usually keep the mattress warmer on a low setting overnight while I sleep.
- Hot baths. I've always loved them! Sometimes, if I've caught a chill during the day I might even take an extra bath, just to get really warmed up again.
- Tea & other warm drinks. I also drink a fair amount of herbal tea, which was not my norm before. That definitely helps a little.
- I do have a little space heater (oil filled radiator) in the coldest room (which is sadly the living room) but it doesn't feel like it does much. I may have to look into another type.
- I have a fairly extensive collection of quilts and blankets that I keep handy.
- I like a cup of cappuccino in the morning. I plugged the machine into a timer so it turns on well before I rise. That way the cups on top and the machine itself are already warm.
posted by sl1ce at 3:09 PM on July 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
Also: why has no one mentioned cats?
posted by amtho at 3:39 PM on July 16, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by amtho at 3:39 PM on July 16, 2022 [9 favorites]
Microfleece clothing (I mostly stocked up on cheap Cuddl Duds stuff from Walmart) was a game-changer for me. Usually I prefer natural fibers, but wool can be itchy and/or complicated to wash. Silk isn’t itchy but is still hard to wash (and pricey.) Microfleece also doesn’t feel cold to the touch when you put it on like cotton does.
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:47 PM on July 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:47 PM on July 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
It gets cold where I live. I wear fleece tights, loose pants or a cozy skirt, usually a thermal undershirt, turtleneck, wool sweater or fleece. Slippers. a wool shawl or pashmina if I read in bed. i sometimes uses a small heater rather than turn up the heat. I use a Nest programmable thermostat, and adjust often.
Good luck; I hope it's not too dismal.
posted by theora55 at 8:07 PM on July 16, 2022
Good luck; I hope it's not too dismal.
posted by theora55 at 8:07 PM on July 16, 2022
Electric blanket for the couch like this, which is also now the favorite of our cat. (Watch out for purr paws though - not so good for these…) You can also move it to the bedroom to put on as a top layer.
posted by ec2y at 11:50 PM on July 16, 2022
posted by ec2y at 11:50 PM on July 16, 2022
We have central heating in the city, and the controller says that unless you have a huge home, it's cheaper to keep all the rooms at a steady low heat (18-19 C) than to have one or two warm rooms and the rest cold. However, you don't need to heat up your kitchen if you cook every day.
Even though you need to save on heating, you also need to thoroughly ventilate your whole home for at least 15 minutes a day, or you can get a whole load of other problems like mold, rot and allergies.
During the oil crisis in 1973, there were a lot of restrictions here. For a child, it was a glorious time; just to say it needn't be all horrible. But we wore layers. I agree silk, or silk/wool blend underwear is a very good start. Then layer up with some cotton and then either wool or fleece. Flannel pajamas, or just heavy quality jersey pajamas are good to have.
Gloves inside seem a bit dramatic, but cute little knitted hats could be a thing. Good woolen socks is definitely a thing. Or Uggs. And definitely ponchos.
Since I live part time in my ancestral home (sounds grand, but it's just old), I still have piles and piles of woolen blankets everywhere, for when you are sitting with a book or watching tv. Since I took over, I've supplemented with fleece blankets which are easier to keep clean, even though I have also installed a heat pump. Back then, I just thought the fleece blankets were nice to have when sitting out in the garden at night, but this winter, I had a power outage, and those fleeces were a source of constant joy.
Absolutely get some eiderdown duvets. They are a whole other scale of warmth. I think you have Jysk in Germany, and they have a sale right now.
Back in -73, we only bathed on workdays, and then only took showers.
For cooking, calculate wether it is best to use the oven or the stovetop. Or if it might pay to invest in a small combo-oven that can both toast, bake and microwave. Or an air fryer. This depends on where you are and how the prices are regulated. Here, there is a strong wind right now, and everyone on the local FB page was asking how we can use the cheap electricity while it's here, for things we can use later. That could be baking, or making stews in the oven, if your oven is electric as many here are. If you have a good freezer, it won't use much energy and then you can heat up your homemade instant meals in the microwave during winter, when the gas is too expensive.
Speaking of food, a lot of ancient traditions use very little energy, because firewood or the alternatives were hard to get. This is relevant on every level: many foodstuffs are already really expensive, and it will get worse, because of energy prices. So we need to use less of those and more of those that are cheaper -- not just cheaper to buy but also cheaper to cook. For example, wok cooking is very light on energy use, among other things because you cut everything into bite size pieces. If you make stocks now and freeze them, you can make a lot of different soups in winter in little time, since the stock-making is the time/gas consumer. Though if you don't have one already: get a pressure cooker! I prefer stovetop, but again, you might compare the energy use/price where you are before buying.
In my first adult home, the temperature never went over 14 C, summer or winter (long story). I must say, we spent a lot of time in bed. You can sit and write in bed, you can watch TV in bed, you can read a book in bed. But in that case it really makes sense to make your bed comfortable. A good backrest, side tables, good lighting. Remember to get out for a good long walk or run every day. We also went to a local public bath with a sauna once a week or so.
posted by mumimor at 12:21 AM on July 17, 2022 [4 favorites]
Even though you need to save on heating, you also need to thoroughly ventilate your whole home for at least 15 minutes a day, or you can get a whole load of other problems like mold, rot and allergies.
During the oil crisis in 1973, there were a lot of restrictions here. For a child, it was a glorious time; just to say it needn't be all horrible. But we wore layers. I agree silk, or silk/wool blend underwear is a very good start. Then layer up with some cotton and then either wool or fleece. Flannel pajamas, or just heavy quality jersey pajamas are good to have.
Gloves inside seem a bit dramatic, but cute little knitted hats could be a thing. Good woolen socks is definitely a thing. Or Uggs. And definitely ponchos.
Since I live part time in my ancestral home (sounds grand, but it's just old), I still have piles and piles of woolen blankets everywhere, for when you are sitting with a book or watching tv. Since I took over, I've supplemented with fleece blankets which are easier to keep clean, even though I have also installed a heat pump. Back then, I just thought the fleece blankets were nice to have when sitting out in the garden at night, but this winter, I had a power outage, and those fleeces were a source of constant joy.
Absolutely get some eiderdown duvets. They are a whole other scale of warmth. I think you have Jysk in Germany, and they have a sale right now.
Back in -73, we only bathed on workdays, and then only took showers.
For cooking, calculate wether it is best to use the oven or the stovetop. Or if it might pay to invest in a small combo-oven that can both toast, bake and microwave. Or an air fryer. This depends on where you are and how the prices are regulated. Here, there is a strong wind right now, and everyone on the local FB page was asking how we can use the cheap electricity while it's here, for things we can use later. That could be baking, or making stews in the oven, if your oven is electric as many here are. If you have a good freezer, it won't use much energy and then you can heat up your homemade instant meals in the microwave during winter, when the gas is too expensive.
Speaking of food, a lot of ancient traditions use very little energy, because firewood or the alternatives were hard to get. This is relevant on every level: many foodstuffs are already really expensive, and it will get worse, because of energy prices. So we need to use less of those and more of those that are cheaper -- not just cheaper to buy but also cheaper to cook. For example, wok cooking is very light on energy use, among other things because you cut everything into bite size pieces. If you make stocks now and freeze them, you can make a lot of different soups in winter in little time, since the stock-making is the time/gas consumer. Though if you don't have one already: get a pressure cooker! I prefer stovetop, but again, you might compare the energy use/price where you are before buying.
In my first adult home, the temperature never went over 14 C, summer or winter (long story). I must say, we spent a lot of time in bed. You can sit and write in bed, you can watch TV in bed, you can read a book in bed. But in that case it really makes sense to make your bed comfortable. A good backrest, side tables, good lighting. Remember to get out for a good long walk or run every day. We also went to a local public bath with a sauna once a week or so.
posted by mumimor at 12:21 AM on July 17, 2022 [4 favorites]
An alternative to an electric blanket, is a heated mattress pad. IMHO heated mattress pads are better than electric blankets for sleeping because a) heat rises b) you are separated from the electrical and cordy bits by a sheet/ mattress/ bed.
Electric space heaters are awesome. However, they can trip a circuit breaker/ blow a fuse, so maybe some testing before it gets cold is in order.
Maybe some solar panels?
posted by oceano at 12:57 AM on July 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
Electric space heaters are awesome. However, they can trip a circuit breaker/ blow a fuse, so maybe some testing before it gets cold is in order.
Maybe some solar panels?
posted by oceano at 12:57 AM on July 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
Wing backed upholstered chairs are designed to be comfortable in cold weather. The purpose of the wings is to keep the area near your face warmer. Use cushions and comforters on hard chairs.
Box beds keep you warmer while sleeping. The floor level is the coldest, so raising the bed up a couple of feet and using footstools can make a lot of difference.
If your feet and hands get cold washing them in hot water helps bring them back to comfortable faster than anything else. You can use the residual water in the kettle, or water from the bottom of the steamer, or dish water if you are being really stingy with fuel.
Socializing is a very important way to keep warm. Get your friends or family to gather for evening social time - you don't even have to interact. You can watch a video together or just work at silent activities in the same room. Six people in a moderately small room will heat it up nicely. They can all be using their phones and ignoring each other.
To really warm up a larger room get a group of people to do something strenuous together. Dancing is ideal. It's not just that the activity will warm up the people, but that as they get warmer and shed clothing they will be venting heat and the air temperature in the room goes up.
Hot water bottles are an alternative to electric heating pads. Put one on your footstool during the day and another one at the foot of the bed under the covers forty five minutes before you get into it. If you have a wood stove or a gas space heater, heat the water to replenish hot water bottles at the same time as you warm the room instead of staring with cold water in the kettle or on the electric stove.
Get up and move every half hour or so. Keep your circulation going. If you are a slug it will be harder to stay warm. If you do a full circuit of the house every fifteen minutes it will be easier. Livestock is sometimes kept alive in bitter cold weather by making them get up and run during the middle of the night. Huddling under the covers when they are not keeping you warm enough is a cue to get up and do something. Winter is an excellent time for a program of indoor calisthenics. By April you'll be wonderfully toned.
Share blankets. Two people on a couch with their feet up facing each other, covered with blankets will be warmer. You can make a spot warm for someone else with your own body heat. If you have a guest coming in from a home that is kept warmer than yours, give them the chair and lap robe that you got up from to answer the door.
Mittens are warmer than gloves as the fingers keep each other warm. Keep this principle in mind. If you put on three layered pairs of slightly too small socks to keep warm, your feet may be colder than in one pair of loose fluffy ones. You need room for your circulation to be effective. You need to dress in loose layers - you want air trapped between the layers of clothing. They sell fabric that encourages this, such as waffle weaves.
Don't use candles to heat - they produce enough toxins that it will be bad for your lungs. A candle light dinner is one thing, but not all evening, every evening, and a row of a dozen candles. People who used candles in the past lived in extremely draughty houses and still ended up vulnerable to respiratory illnesses. At the same time a tea light can keep your tea warm, or be used to warm up your hands.
Be aware which side of your home gets the sun and take advantage of the greenhouse effect. The breakfast room and the morning room get morning sun. In the afternoon switch to the opposite side of the house. A breakfast room is cold and dim in the later afternoon. If you want to keep houseplants happy keep them on a tea trolley and move them to the sunny side of the the house with you. The smallest room in the house is usually the warmest. Figure out which room is the warmest in the daytime or evening and rearrange your furniture to turn that into your living room.
Get some cheap solar lights for use if the power goes out and set them up where they will charge. Get used to reading by LED lights to save power.
Insulate water pipes that are near or inside outer walls. On bitter nights you can leave your cold water dribbling to help keep it from freezing. If you know you are going to lose power - say due to rationing, shut your water off in advance and drain the pipes. Definitely do this if you have already lost power and they are sending you to a warming station instead of restoring it.
Time the use of your oven to help warm up your home. Hang out in the kitchen while baking or roasting things, and then stay there until the heat is expended.
Insulate hot food with towels and such so it stays hot. A pot of stew put into an ice chest along with a couple of blankets will stay hot for a couple of hours and not need to be reheated or kept on the hob. Even just putting a pair of quilted cloth oven mitts on top of a pot with a flat lid will keep the contents warmer for awhile.
If you have to shut off the heat to distant rooms of your house they can be damaged by the cold - but this is usually only when the temperature drops below the dew point. To avoid damage make sure that the rooms are as dry as possible. Dry cold won't harm them, but the temperature going up and down when there is moisture in the plaster and furniture can cause damage. For this reason seal the cracks if there are any, and inspect the windows for condensation, if you stop heating a room and let it get near or below freezing.
Learn what parts of your body get cold and figure out what you need to stay comfortable. One person does fine so long as they have a loose knitted cap, another can't stand any hat but their ears get cold so they manage well with a turned up collar. Another person just can't get their feet to stay warm so they need to take off their shoes and sit with their feet tucked up against their legs. Actively try to figure this out and come up with solutions for each individual.
Back in the day people used to wear night caps. Either a loose soft cap, or a small throw amid the pillows to drape over your head may help you to be comfortable when falling asleep.
Check small children, as they can get out from under the covers, fall asleep somewhere else that is not suitable and become dreadfully cold without waking up, so they end up needing to be warmed up urgently. It's no fun taking them into bed with you to warm them up and it can be scary. So if you have an infant or toddler make sure you know where they are before you fall asleep yourself. It's traditional to go tuck them back in and make sure they are warm enough. Sharing beds is very effective. If you lose power and have to stay in place put everyone in the same bed.
posted by Jane the Brown at 12:02 PM on July 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
Box beds keep you warmer while sleeping. The floor level is the coldest, so raising the bed up a couple of feet and using footstools can make a lot of difference.
If your feet and hands get cold washing them in hot water helps bring them back to comfortable faster than anything else. You can use the residual water in the kettle, or water from the bottom of the steamer, or dish water if you are being really stingy with fuel.
Socializing is a very important way to keep warm. Get your friends or family to gather for evening social time - you don't even have to interact. You can watch a video together or just work at silent activities in the same room. Six people in a moderately small room will heat it up nicely. They can all be using their phones and ignoring each other.
To really warm up a larger room get a group of people to do something strenuous together. Dancing is ideal. It's not just that the activity will warm up the people, but that as they get warmer and shed clothing they will be venting heat and the air temperature in the room goes up.
Hot water bottles are an alternative to electric heating pads. Put one on your footstool during the day and another one at the foot of the bed under the covers forty five minutes before you get into it. If you have a wood stove or a gas space heater, heat the water to replenish hot water bottles at the same time as you warm the room instead of staring with cold water in the kettle or on the electric stove.
Get up and move every half hour or so. Keep your circulation going. If you are a slug it will be harder to stay warm. If you do a full circuit of the house every fifteen minutes it will be easier. Livestock is sometimes kept alive in bitter cold weather by making them get up and run during the middle of the night. Huddling under the covers when they are not keeping you warm enough is a cue to get up and do something. Winter is an excellent time for a program of indoor calisthenics. By April you'll be wonderfully toned.
Share blankets. Two people on a couch with their feet up facing each other, covered with blankets will be warmer. You can make a spot warm for someone else with your own body heat. If you have a guest coming in from a home that is kept warmer than yours, give them the chair and lap robe that you got up from to answer the door.
Mittens are warmer than gloves as the fingers keep each other warm. Keep this principle in mind. If you put on three layered pairs of slightly too small socks to keep warm, your feet may be colder than in one pair of loose fluffy ones. You need room for your circulation to be effective. You need to dress in loose layers - you want air trapped between the layers of clothing. They sell fabric that encourages this, such as waffle weaves.
Don't use candles to heat - they produce enough toxins that it will be bad for your lungs. A candle light dinner is one thing, but not all evening, every evening, and a row of a dozen candles. People who used candles in the past lived in extremely draughty houses and still ended up vulnerable to respiratory illnesses. At the same time a tea light can keep your tea warm, or be used to warm up your hands.
Be aware which side of your home gets the sun and take advantage of the greenhouse effect. The breakfast room and the morning room get morning sun. In the afternoon switch to the opposite side of the house. A breakfast room is cold and dim in the later afternoon. If you want to keep houseplants happy keep them on a tea trolley and move them to the sunny side of the the house with you. The smallest room in the house is usually the warmest. Figure out which room is the warmest in the daytime or evening and rearrange your furniture to turn that into your living room.
Get some cheap solar lights for use if the power goes out and set them up where they will charge. Get used to reading by LED lights to save power.
Insulate water pipes that are near or inside outer walls. On bitter nights you can leave your cold water dribbling to help keep it from freezing. If you know you are going to lose power - say due to rationing, shut your water off in advance and drain the pipes. Definitely do this if you have already lost power and they are sending you to a warming station instead of restoring it.
Time the use of your oven to help warm up your home. Hang out in the kitchen while baking or roasting things, and then stay there until the heat is expended.
Insulate hot food with towels and such so it stays hot. A pot of stew put into an ice chest along with a couple of blankets will stay hot for a couple of hours and not need to be reheated or kept on the hob. Even just putting a pair of quilted cloth oven mitts on top of a pot with a flat lid will keep the contents warmer for awhile.
If you have to shut off the heat to distant rooms of your house they can be damaged by the cold - but this is usually only when the temperature drops below the dew point. To avoid damage make sure that the rooms are as dry as possible. Dry cold won't harm them, but the temperature going up and down when there is moisture in the plaster and furniture can cause damage. For this reason seal the cracks if there are any, and inspect the windows for condensation, if you stop heating a room and let it get near or below freezing.
Learn what parts of your body get cold and figure out what you need to stay comfortable. One person does fine so long as they have a loose knitted cap, another can't stand any hat but their ears get cold so they manage well with a turned up collar. Another person just can't get their feet to stay warm so they need to take off their shoes and sit with their feet tucked up against their legs. Actively try to figure this out and come up with solutions for each individual.
Back in the day people used to wear night caps. Either a loose soft cap, or a small throw amid the pillows to drape over your head may help you to be comfortable when falling asleep.
Check small children, as they can get out from under the covers, fall asleep somewhere else that is not suitable and become dreadfully cold without waking up, so they end up needing to be warmed up urgently. It's no fun taking them into bed with you to warm them up and it can be scary. So if you have an infant or toddler make sure you know where they are before you fall asleep yourself. It's traditional to go tuck them back in and make sure they are warm enough. Sharing beds is very effective. If you lose power and have to stay in place put everyone in the same bed.
posted by Jane the Brown at 12:02 PM on July 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
I get cold a lot (I tend to be colder than other people in the same space) and while I started out with space heaters, someone somewhere recommended a heated throw (basically a slightly smaller electric blanket) and it is MAGIC. I sometimes put my feet (in socks) on a heating pad, but with the throw, I've rarely needed to do that. I spent lots of the coldest days of the past year with the space heater turned off, just because the throw kept me so comfy.
posted by kristi at 7:12 PM on July 18, 2022
posted by kristi at 7:12 PM on July 18, 2022
Bodies differ of course but it’s possible your (perception) of warmth may vary depending on what foods you eat or when you exercise. (I am someone who is usually warmer throughout the day if I get my heart rate up in the AM).
posted by oceano at 2:47 PM on July 25, 2022
posted by oceano at 2:47 PM on July 25, 2022
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Wearing a long-sleeve silk undershirt helps retain body heat. Thin, merino wool shirts are good, too.
An electric mattress heater makes the bed warm without heating the entire room/house.
If you do use an electric heater, keep the door to that room shut to retain the heat.
DO NOT HEAT YOUR HOME WITH THE OVEN. Sehr gefährlich!!
posted by wenestvedt at 12:33 PM on July 16, 2022 [11 favorites]