Ontario Propane Blog

Propane Safety Tips | How to Stay Warm During a Winter Power Outage

Posted by James Callow on Fri, Jan 09, 2015 @ 07:00 AM

41Brrrr…its getting cold out there!  We’ve had extreme cold weather warnings throughout Southern Ontario this week, in addition the snow squall warnings in different regions.  What would you do if your power went out this week?

Do you remember the ice storm in December 2013? This storm left hundreds of thousands without power for days and made driving extremely hazardous. If you’re one of the 300,000 of Torontonians that was affected by this ice storm, you’re not likely to forget the frigid temperatures that creeped into your home.  

For the rest of us who were lucky enough to have power during that storm, you should still plan for future power outages.  How would you stay warm if there was an extended outage due to a winter storm?

Even if your home uses a propane furnace, it is likely that you will still lose power if there is an electrical outage.  Why?  Because most furnaces use forced heating systems that require electricity to function.  Unless you have invested in a back up generator, here are some tips to keep you warm:

  1. Grab your warmest clothes and blankets and bundle up.  Use your sleeping bags or warmest blankets. Layer your clothing and consider having special emergency clothing for cold weather such as wool socks and thermal underwear.  Most importantly, don't forget a warm hat.  Skip the ball cap and wear something that covers your ears and keeps you toasty.  

  2. Move everyone into one room and shut the door if possible.  Create a barrier that blocks the gap between the floor and the door to stop heating from escaping.  Moving your family or group into one room will create extra warmth through body heat.

  3. Do not use a outdoor heaters or start a fire indoors.  While its tempting to seek other options for heating, the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning will outweigh the benefits of warmth.  Most heaters need to be vented, so if you do plan to use a heater, ensure that you follow manufacturers instructions and vent properly.  You should also use a battery powered carbon monoxide detector in your home to reduce your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Learn more about carbon monoxide and propane safety here.

  4. Build an emergency kit that includes heat packs and hand warmer packets.  Those will certainly come in handy if the power goes out!  Try to save them for when you really need them – you don’t want to use them within the first few hours unless its an emergency.  If your power is out for a few days, you’ll be wishing you had saved them for the worst day!

  5. Take advantage of natural sunlight when you can.  When your choosing the one room to stay, try to choose one that has a window that receives lots of sunlight.  Open the curtains and let the warmth shine in!

  6. Heat from below by using rugs or blankets on the floor.  Floors sometimes allow heat to escape – adding rugs or blankets will prevent this heat loss while adding a few extra layers between you and the cold floor.

  7. Do a walk-through in your house to identify and eliminate heat loss.  Close doors, block drafts  and avoid opening and closing exterior doors.

  8. Camp inside.  Put up some tents, or even build a fort.  This will trap your body heat and give you a warmer space to wait out the storm.  This is also a great option if you have children – it may be fun for the kids to “camp” in your living room.  If you don’t have a tent, using blankets as a “fort” will also trap your body heat inside.  Try not to leave gaps that will allow the heat to escape.

  9. If you live in an area that has regular power outages, consider installing a wall mounted propane furnace that does not require electricity.  You could also install a propane fireplace that operates on a backup battery during a power outage. 

  10. If road conditions are passable, consider leaving your home for the day and go to public areas such as malls to keep warm.  Some communities also open “warming stations” to help residents in the event of a power outage.


If you are heating your home with propane, ensure that your tank is full or arrange for automatic delivery. Check out some other important winter safety tips for keeping warm this winter!

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Budget Propane Ontario supplies bulk propane to residential, commercial, and construction sites in central Ontario. Call us to discuss your needs and to learn about the benefits of using propane. 1 888 405.7777.

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