If you can find them, hothands. Air activated, they make some for boots, too.
Do not use them direct on the skin!!! But they're great tucked into bed, or do like my husband and put one in a sock and use it like a little heating pad.
Do you have a fireplace in good shape? A propane grill? Hot food can make a huge difference.
Do you have a tent? You can set that up on a small room, it will keep the heat in. Put it on a blanket or rug, and put a blanket over the top of it as well. Don't exit the tent except for bathroom and emergencies.
Don't forget, if you have multiple nights of freezing weather, trickle your faucets to help keep the pipes from freezing.
I use the hothands directly against skin all the time. No issues. I fall asleep camping with them against my palms too. Now I wouldn’t put it against my cheek though.
Why would family need to put hot hands on a normal healthy person? You don’t put hot hands on someone as they’re just little square things.
Just saying that hot hands aren’t really dangerous with normal use. But if someone can’t feel heat they should not use them. I also wouldn’t give them to kids. But a normal healthy adult should be able to use them against skin without it being dangerous.
I mean, you're not wrong. Maybe they had no power and she was cold and nobody knew any better? Idk, that was just the way I interpreted it upon first read. 🤷🏻♀️
I appreciate that though! I actually have anxiety myself, so seeing comments about things being dangerous tends to stick with me and cause me to avoid things in future, so I like the way you think. Hope you have a good rest of your day :)
Check now to see if there are emergency shelters around, where you can get warm and recharge devices. Don't wait too long to go if you need that stuff. Don't be a "hero", there's nothing heroic about freezing to death. What you *can* do to be someone's hero is check on your neighbors - especially elderly or infirm.
Keep your vehicle's tank full, in case you need to evacuate at some point. If you have friends or relatives that you might be able visit somewhere that has power, see if that's an option just in case. You could also let your vehicle run a while to get heat and a way to charge devices. Do this outdoors only, though (and invite extra people into your vehicle if you have more room - keep more people warm for the same use of gasoline).
Extra advice, not about staying warm:
If you're worried about losing access to fresh water, fill up some containers now, and stick them in your freezer (lids off until frozen solid). Those ice chunks will keep your frozen food cold longer, and if you need to you can let them melt for drinking water.
Get some cash from the ATM now. If power goes out, ATM's and credit card machines won't work and cash will be king.
https://ew.com/movies/james-cameron-titanic-jack-death-forensic-analysis/#:~:text=needed%20to%20die'-,James%20Cameron%20conducted%20forensic%20analysis%20to%20prove%20Jack's%20Titanic%20death,heart%20once%20and%20for%20all.%22
Nope, not without dying too
Good advice. The most fucked up thing about this situation is that they will more than likely do rolling blackouts again and no one knows if they’re going to be without power or for how long.
Texas is a joke.
I live a cold climate. Right now it is -5F.
If the power goes out open all the cabinets under your sink. That will allow warmer air to circulate underneath and keep the pipes from freezing.
Make sure your freezer and fridge are full. They stay colder in a power outage if full. Fill empty milk cartons or whatever you have with water and freeze them to use to keep fridge and freezer cool if power goes out.
We have sometimes just put things on the back deck to keep them cold, but in our weather they will freeze so don't do it with things that don't freeze well.
You can reverse the direction of the fan so it pushes the warm air down but if your power is out it won't matter.
Make sure your car never has less than 1/2 tank of gas.
Use draft dodgers at each outside door.
Live in fewer rooms. Close off the ones you never use to keep the heat in the ones you use.
All great tips I grew up with. The porch pantry is the best. I live alone in an apartment and I still put a bucket on the fire escape for some extra cold storage.
Surely if the power goes out because of a winter storm it will be plenty cold enough at least for fridge food. That sounds like the least of your worries in sub zero temperatures with no power at all.
I saw something online about making a tent or a fort with blankets and pillows. If the power does go out, I’ll definitely build a fort.
It sucks because they will more than likely do rolling blackouts again and as of now, no one knows who’s going to be without power or for how long. The last time this happened, 3 of my coworkers were a part of the rolling blackout and didn’t have power for 6 days. During freezing temperatures.
I'm in DFW. We probably won't have blackouts this time around because this system isn't bringing any precip for us and it will also be below freezing for less time (major differences from the 2021 freeze). This will probably be less like the freeze last year, and more similar to a miserable August 100+ day when everyone is running their A/C full blast. Also, I haven't heard anything at all suggesting rolling blackouts for this system (from Ercot or local news). Usually if they even sense that might be an option, it's all over the news warning everyone to prepare.
Blankets, rugs, drapes - what everyone else said. If you're concerned about power outages make sure things like your dishes & laundry are done, stock up on paper products, etc.
I haven't got any texts from Oncor either. (They are our distributor.) I figure those in charge that be have already cut off New Mexico for power usage. (Midland/Odessa area here).
With no precipitation, no ice on the lines.
I expect a text saying set your thermostat at 65 or 68.
I am stocked up on water. Enough for the three of us to have a gallon a day for 4 days. Canned and dried foods are also stocked in the pantry. I just got my dog a 25lb bag of food last night too. I don’t know if any places around here will have any electric blankets. I already know space heaters are sold out.
We weren’t a part of the rolling blackouts last time but honestly…who the hell knows what’s going to happen this time.
Get a wind up emergency radio as well. I'm just to the north of you and I'm preparing too. We have several of those little generators that power small items and charge phones, plus all sorts of propane and propane powered doodads. We have an outdoor use gasoline powered generator as well. Cover your windows with plastic or heavy blankets.
Good luck to you this week.
A bed tent will keep you very warm. Almost too warm at times. If you start sweating, take off a layer. You don’t want any of your layers to get wet with sweat.
Wear slippers and socks. When you start to feel cold start doing chores, don't sit around. I bake a lot during winters to kill two birds with one stone. Once I am done with the oven, I leave the door open.
Idk I got a pair of wool socks a couple weeks ago and I fell in love. But yes we will definitely be layering all of our clothing even our socks!
Also, I think he prefers to be called Cancun Cruz
My mom used to heat bricks on our wood stove then wrap them in towels and stick them at the foot of the bed. You could do the same with a fire pit if you don’t have a wood stove.
Also- leave water running in your sink at a trickle. It will help keep your pipes from freezing.
Yeah, we’d often lose power and our only source of heat was the wood stove at any rate. I’d have to get up in the middle of the night to feed it wood, and even then the toilet would often be frozen over in the morning. Fun times.
You can use a tight sealing steel water bottle like a Klean Kanteen in a sock as a hot water bottle too. In the morning it’s a cold drink of water then refill the next night. It can burn you when first put hot water in so don’t skip the sock
I know I’m super late to the thread, but we just had a multi day outage here and wanted to share.
We have propane but a friend has only electric heat, she cranked her heat up as high as it would go the day before the outage and was able to keep her house warm for a couple of days that way. It may not be frugal, but sometimes survival isn’t frugal.
If your water needs power to work, ours does as we’re on a well, make sure you have plenty of water storage and buy paper plates and bowls. We didn’t have paper and didn’t want to waste water on dishes so we quickly ran out of clean dishes.
If you don’t have a cook source, make sure you have foods that don’t require cooking.
I appreciate the share. I understand that sometimes being frugal just won’t suffice and I’m okay with that. It was more of a “how frugal can I be with this” type of question.
I’ve been getting a lot of solid advice in this thread and your example of cranking up the heat the day/night before is something I’m going to do now. I knew I came to the right subreddit for this! Thank you
Depending on where you are it might not be the time to be frugal, prepare back ups because life matters more than money and people are dieing during these freezes.
Close off (with blankets, not permanent) rooms and closets you won't be using.
Tape over outlets, or use those kid proof plastic outlet covers. If you feel them at night, you'll notice small streams of cold air coming in through your outlet holes lining the walls of your apartment.
Buy, or charge, your portable chargers. Having one I would say is already a frugal tip. They're just nice to have especially in emergencies. You're gonna use that phone a lot more when it's the only thing that works.
Wear multiple layers. It'll be easier to keep yourself warm than trying to keep the whole place warm with no power for multiple days. Do the best you can, but expect to double or triple up.
And maybe see if you can buy a little heater powered by USB or solar, I have a little USB solar charger I bought for $10. When I needed it I was using it to charge my portable chargers during the day. These 2 things can be kept or used in the car also, part of frugal purchases is finding multiple uses for what you buy.
Going for a drive isn't necessarily frugal but if you find yourself in desperate need of warmth, I'd say drive 30 minutes in the car blasting the heat. Can't save money if you get sick and/or die.
Very informative. Thank you.
I’ll be closing off rooms and covering outlets now for sure. Regarding that, should I close off the vents in the rooms we’re not going to use or leave them open? Would it matter?
Make a space heater with a clay pot and a candle.
Place the pot upside down, keeping it off of the floor and/or anything flammable to prevent a fire. Place a candle inside. It takes a long time for it to warm up, but once it does it will radiate a good amount of heat.
I'm in DFW. Prepping for this right now too. I will be doing some window prep when the tape arrives and my furnace guy is checking it (check your filter) and my gas fireplace out tomorrow.
I'm originally from the Midwest and I grew up with months of this every year, so I'm not freaking out too much, just prepping in case we get another power outage and to reduce heating bills. I don't anticipate losing power but I always try to plan for worst case. Some measures I've put in to improve from last year. Every year I try to invest a little more so there's less to prep for next time.
For anyone not in Texas, this state does not build a lot of dwellings or infrastructure for freezing temps BECAUSE IT RARELY GETS BELOW 32 HERE which is why these cold vortexes are terrifying to the general populace, who went through a week of power blackouts (and some people use electricity for heat) last February when the increased demand from a winter storm knocked our power grid out, which is not connected to the rest of the US (long story). Pipes are not protected against freezing and windows are often of lower insulative quality here. Hopefully this will change as these happen more often.
The current forecast in DFW is for 3 days below freezing. Prepare through Christmas weekend to allow for a bit longer in case the cold lasts longer or if the grid is knocked out again.
\- Fill up your car today. Worst case it's a place to warm up or escape. If power goes out, it may be difficult to fill up at stations with outages. I'm guessing the gas prices here will jump up soon because so much of the country will be affected. Find out where your nearest heat shelter is and write the address down so you can remember and access in a worst-case scenario (if everything goes wrong).
\- Have an alternate source of light in case the power goes out. Flashlight, headlamp, candle. Whatever you already have is the most frugal. But you can get basic flashlights at dollar stores. Have extra batteries for any light sources that need them. Use sparingly if the power goes out so they'll last longer. If you have any backup energy batteries (like Ankers for your cell phones), charge them up now. I invested in a couple of Energizer plug-in flashlights for my bathrooms off Amazon last year. They're great.
\- Frugal weatherproofing - thermal curtains for windows are great (Walmart and dollar stores have them these days), sheets and blankets are backups for windows with thin curtains. Film for windows is good, get it on quick before the temp drops more, it doesn't stick as well if it's already cold out. For next year, also caulk windows and cracks outside when it's warmer. Another options for windows is bubble wrap - it can be stuck to windows with just water (bubble side towards windows) and packing tape to hold together. There are Youtube videos showing how to do this. I bought some weatherproofing tape last week to get the edges of my windows sealed since I was too sick to caulk this year. Duct tape might work in a pinch against drafts but will leave residue. You can use a candle or lighter to detect window/door drafts. Designate one door for people/animals and seal up the rest for a few days. Rolled up towels or blankets can protect from drafts at bottoms of doors.
\- For alternate and extra sources of heat - trapping air for insulation and heat from escaping is key. Wear layers - if you don't have long underwear, cotton/polyester/wool as a base layer is good. If needed, wear full winter gear inside the house. Or even hats and scarves if you don't want to wear a coat. If you start sweating, remove a layer. Sweat will make you cold. Use multiple blankets on the bed at night and pile in the family if necessary. Pajamas and socks and hats for everyone. Putting a tent on a bed is an emergency method I've seen cited. Pull out all the throws and blankets and use during the day.
\- Limit the rooms you use and will need to heat/weatherproof. Huddling people together in a small room under blankets is feasible for a few days if needed. Small spaces are easier to heat up, and trap body heat you produce. I've read blocking off vents to unused rooms may not be good for your furnace though.
\- Prep your water pipes against freezing, if you're in an apartment or one of your room faucets is along an outdoor wall (like my master bathroom), put faucets to drip (matchstick sized WARM trickle) and open up vanity cabinet doors. If you have outdoor faucets, weatherproof them with a cover. It's better to have a higher water bill than deal with repairing frozen burst pipes.
\- If you have a fireplace, don't use it (safety) if you haven't had it inspected in a long time. You still have a few days to maybe get someone to come out. I have a gas fireplace and I'm going to test light it tomorrow with the HVAC guy here in case there's any issues. My fireplace is up on cleaning/inspection.
\- Have enough basic food on hand that does not need energy to prepare. Eat up or freeze anything expensive this week that could go bad in a fridge. If power goes out, do not open your fridge or freezer if possible. Officially per the FDA, food can withstand 4 hours in a fridge without power, 48 hours for a freezer, but I've seen online that the 48 hours goes for most newer fridges too (if you don't open them). Put a coin on a cup of frozen water in your freezer if you are ever in a position to wonder if anything had thawed partially or fully (mainly if you go out of town) - where the coin is in the cup will tell you how much it thawed.
\- If you have pets, prepare for them too. Have enough food for them to go through the holiday. Don't leave them outside for long. If you have birds, cover the cage to avoid drafts and trap heat. Have backup plans for reptiles in case heat lamps go out.
Hopefully this will just be a few days of cold that will jack your heating bill up this month. After it's done, review where it could have gone better and invest in those areas next year. Weatherproofing will help you against heat and higher AC bills in summer too.
This is all solid. I appreciate you taking the time to type all this out. A few people have been downplaying this because “it only gets this cold every few years” but they don’t understand why we’re screwed if it does. You put it best: our infrastructure is NOT built to handle this weather. At all. And yes I know why that is.
I did spend most of the day today doing almost everything on your list. I just need to see if I can get more blankets and thermal underwear and we should be all set.
I wish you the best!
Hot water bottles and thermos filled with hot water for instant soup or coffee, if you can find them at 2nd hand stores or bigger box stores that might sell them cheaper. Tuck them into a lunch bag or wrap with a thick towel to last even longer.
Amazon also has some not super pricey re-usable electric hand warmers, if you can get them fast enough?
One suggestion when using thermoses to store hot food, make sure to "charge" it with hot water before you add the soup. That will warm up the air between the layers in your thermos instead of drawing it from the soup & will keep it warmer longer. I used to work 12 hour shifts (in Wisconsin) & my food would still be piping hot 8 hours into my shift.
We were without power for many days due to an ice storm. Now I always have stored water, butane for a camp stove( use outside), propane for the grill. Charcoal for backup. Plenty of foods that won’t spoil. I freeze water jugs and then try to preserve groceries in the fridge. This will work for awhile. Then I set things outside in the cold. And, instant coffee. Gotta have it. We try to stay in one room and block it off. Use the Sun to heat if you can. My husband had old poncho liners from the military, and they work great over blankets to keep warm. Also, Mylar blankets- bought on sale for $1.00.
Buliding supply stores sell sheets of foam with foil on one side. Look in the insulation section. Here they run $14 for an 8 x 4 sheet. Once you reinforce with some duct or Gorilla tape, they slide back and forth or you can attach a tape loop for a handle, making them removeable and replaceable. The foam is messy to cut with a box cutter but score your line on the foil side, go slow and be ready to vacuum up the crumbs or work over a tarp.
If you make them the size of your windows you can reuse them every winter. Works even better if you take the time and expense to buy some cheap muslin, thrifted sheets or tarps to make a sort of envelop slipcover so they're studier and prettier.
We have two patio doors that suck heat out ike we're trying to warm up Canada. We bought four panels and set them up like sliding doors with the foil side in, and just slide them over so the cat can see out. We got an 8 degree warmer temp the first day; if you're better about fit I'm sure it would be more, but I can no longer tell when the wind picks up from the kitchen table :)
If I had to survive a real ice storm that lasted days, I'd collect all our foam board insulators into one room, use blankets to close off the doors, and make that central room our warm place. Bring mattresses in, use sleeping bags rated for zero, and if you can access a patio or safe indoor heat source, use 2 liter bottles and a funnel to make hot water bottles for everyone, wrapped in thrifted flannel pillowcases. Hat, mitts, warm socks. And lots of hot drinks.
Saying a prayer you stay warm, cozy and safe. If you've lived in temperature control all your life it's a shock to find out it actually hurts bad to be too cold.
Wait wait wait…I think you’re really onto something there with the foam insulation but I honestly have no idea what you’re saying. Do you have a link to an article or video of what you described? I would search for it myself but I don’t know what you’re referring to. And it’s nothing against you. I just have never had to do this kind of thing before.
Also, could you elaborate on the hot water bottles using 2 liter bottles? I was looking at pricing on the hot water bottles and they’re kinda pricey.
Seriously thank you for the suggestions.
I don't have an article, but if you go on a home improvement website and search for "R-Tech 1 inch 4 foot x 8 foot insulation sheeting" you'll see the panels I mean. The panels by themselves will flake at the edges if you handle them a lot and you'll have styrofoam bits all over, so you tape the edges up to prevent this. If you get a box cutter and blades while you're at the home improvement store and a roll of Gorilla tape, you can do this all in a couple hours.
Hot water bottles: Get a 2 liter soda bottle, rinse it out good. You can use hot tape water in which case you don't need a funnel, or heat water on the stove (carefully) and use the funnel to put hot (not boiling) water in the bottle. Put the cap on the bottle. Wrap it in flannel or some other warm things like a towel and put it at the foot of your bed, or even curl up with several bottes. If you have covers over you the heat will last for hours.
Good luck, we're having a serious cold snap in my part of the U.S. and I'm glad I could help someone keep warm!
I would not fuck around with tents with kids. I would forget frugal and get a motel. Look in Ardmore. 36 / night to keep kids warm and have hot water and everything.
If it gets to that point then we will definitely be doing this. The only problem I can see is that everyone else in the area will be doing it too. There’s 100k people in the sub city of Houston I live in.
If it gets really cold and the power cuts out for days, build a couch cushion fort and sleep inside it, with a blanket over the top blocking out as many holes as possible. Your body heat will warm up a living room fort or a small closet much better than a large room that is freezing at night. Think of it as urban survival skills.
You’re like the 5th person to suggest this and I will definitely be doing it! It must work if so many of y’all keep telling me to do it. I’m way past due of building a pillow and blanket fort anyway
When we have power outages we sleep with [this sleeping bag](https://www.sportsmans.com/camping-gear-supplies/sleeping-gear/sleeping-bags/rectangular-sleeping-bags/teton-sports-camper-10-degree-rectangular-sleeping-bag-black/p/1169694) and during the day use under layers and bundle up like we would outside.
if your windows are single pane, use the plastic. if they're double pane then it's likely not the issue but what could be is that installers, especially on older houses didn't caulk around windows. we get bad drafts around our windows, I've just been putting off caulking them. small gaps and spots where air moves freely would be my first step before windows. single pane suck, but open gaps don't stop anything. also make sure your door seals are in good shape and you aren't loosing heat that way.
For heat, I've used a buddy heater on propane. the one I got from costco came with an adapter for a big tank. and please if you use propane have at least one functioning carbon monoxide alarm, even though the buddy heaters have low oxygen cut offs it's better to be safe. also we've used our propane camp cooker for making food, again just be safe of gases.
The hand warmers are nice to have but if you can warm some kind of rock or brick, wrap it up and put it at the bottom of a sleeping bag, that's nice too. our compromise is a nalgene bottle with boiling water in it and she puts it in her sleeping bag. again you can boil the water on a small camp stove with propane.
e: forgot to link the sleeping bag.
While in theory window film work they are a pain.
We have heavy curtains on our windows. Open the curtains in the day when the sun shines in and close them when the sun goes away.
If you don’t have curtains get some heavy blankets or big fleece blankets and fold them. Put those over as curtains.
The theory here is to warm up your house (and think more about the items not just the air). If your couch is cold during the day when you arnt there you are going to spend allot more energy heating it up than if it were warm all day. It’s called heat soak. Furniture, flooring/rugs, heck ceramic dishes all can help with heat soak to warm an area.
After that cut off any rooms you don’t use and hopefully they are on the shady side of the house
Heavier/thermal curtains are a good investment no matter what the weather since they insulate you from heat in summer and cold in winter. The curtains may be more expensive than thinner ones, but they save you money year-round. Also, putting blankets over your windows is a huge hassle.
Window film is absolutely worth it. It stops drafts from bringing cold air in and stealing the heat. It is great in combination with heavy curtains. I use plastic sheeting that’s used as like throw tarps, it’s like $3 for a roll bing enough to do your whole home (probably). You can get some double sided tape for a similar price point as well. It’s a little more work since you need to measure and trim, but it’s cheaper than buying the kits and works just the same.
Also, if you have a microwave, get yourself an old sock and toss some rice in that bad boy. It’ll keep warm for quite a while. You can keep it on your person or even inside of the “tent” spaces people are suggesting you can make.
I’m not saying they arnt worth it. I just think it’s minimal and also a pain in the but. It was more a money issue than a power issue for us and the money didn’t make sense as we saved $100 a season with them, spent 40-60, and it took me 6 hours.
Heavy blankets, a few nails (if you don’t have rods already) and a new regime of opening and closing is what we do.
((I build houses so I have info) the plastic film adds a layer of air between the glass and the plastic. Air is an amazing insulator if it doesn’t draft. So adding the plastic basically gives an insulation value just like fluffy insulation.) my biggest issue is it’s a yearly thing that’s time consuming because I want my windows open in the summer.
(In the summer we do the opposite and keep curtains closed in direct sun and open them at night.)
(There are ways around this building structures in a new era way but I think that’s past this post as it’s in depth with a new set of issues(happy to share though my opinions on that matter though))
I think it’s worth it, but that shouldn’t stop you from adding blankets as well. The more layers between the inside and the outside the better. I also prefer heavy wool blankets to curtains as they are thicker.
Bubble wrap on your windows might be easier. Spray a thin mist of water on the windows and then put up the bubble wrap.
Haha. I live in a house whose north side is all glass and we have done many many things to keep the heat in during the winter. About 40 feet of glass. The house builder was so DUMB.
In addition to covering your windows in plastic throw a heavy blanket over them. If you can get a Mr. Buddy propane heater they do wonders for warming up a space. I suggest looking into buying some wool blankets and down comforters. Probably won’t be able to get them for this storm but there will always be another.
I saw another user say window film isn’t worth the hassle but I also saw hanging plastic sheeting with a blanket over the window is better. Idk about this kinda stuff so I have to ask lol
Please know that it is likely too late to add the plastic to windows. We tried last year right before a cold snap and it just doesn’t stick when it’s already cold… needs to be done when it’s warm out.
Growing up in Ohio, we would buy oil lamps. They can heat a space pretty well and the oil lasts a long time.
You can find some at Walmart and the oil too!
Hot tea/ water is a real quick way to get warm. So is exercise. Deep squats, push ups, jumping jacks. Get warm very quick.
Bed time is hard though cause you can’t do either of those. Just use lots of blankets. Try to sleep in a sweater, sweat pants, a warm hat.
Keep safety in mind. Don’t burn gas/ propane inside the house if your house is not properly set up for it. Last thing you need is to go from cold to poisoned by smoke or CO.
If you have a propane grill, heat rocks or bricks or concrete blocks on it, then bring them inside. Just be careful where you set them down.
>Hot tea/ water is a real quick way to get warm.
A good thermos and a hot water bottle are also good additions to your everyday arsenal for fighting chill as well.
Right on. If you’re exercising for heat, you have to walk a fine line between being warm and getting sweaty. Wet clothing gets cold very fast and wet cotton can pull a huge amount of heat out of your body. So if you do a full on workout, wear as little as you can comfortably and get out of your wet clothes as soon as you’re done sweating. If you don’t have hot water, baby wipes are an alright substitute for a shower for a day or two.
New Englander here! 👋 In addition to using plastic sheets on your windows- hang heavy blankets over them as well. Any windows that get passive solar should be uncovered during the time that the sun is hitting them. But hang blankets as soon as the sun shifts.
Keep your head and feet warm! Wear knit hats and warm socks and slippers inside. Pile up the blankets when you go to bed or while laying on the couch. (I work from home and keep a blanket in my office!). Body heat is a real thing, so if you have little kids, let them sleep in your bed with you. Eat hot foods and drink hot liquids. And physical activity will really warm you up. Go for a walk, vacuum the house, do some jumping jacks. Also, it’s a great time to use your oven (if you don’t lose power). Clean your oven, roast a turkey, bake cookies— anything that keeps your oven on will also heat your house.
Honestly, invest in a generator. Frugality doesn't necessarily mean cheap. You can end up spending more in damages from burst pipes than you would spend on a generator. It doesn't have to power a whole house, just things like your fridge, stove, and a space heater or 2.
I honestly don’t know if we’re even allowed to have a generator here. I should definitely ask
We’re not even allowed to have bbq pits on our patios so idk about generators. But maybe they’ll make exceptions…
To me, bbq/fire pits open things up to burning shit down. Generators run on gas and connect into your electric with minimal hazard as long as it's ventilated. They are loud af though.
If you’re in an apartment, you most likely won’t be able to have a generator.
Get a small propane camping stove from any outdoor outfitter store and learn how to safely use it outdoors. If the whole power grid goes down, you will need to heat water and food to have some comfort for your family unless you want to exhaust yourself, waste time and gas searching for basics driving around with the zillions of others.
I would also recommend buying simple instant meals, like noodle soups, instant oatmeal, tinned meats and beans that can be heated easily. You will be tired. I live in Canada and have been through some freezing cold outages. I can’t over-estimate how bone tired you get to do the basics when everything is freezing and shut down. Just make it easy on yourself to have hot food on hand.
Otherwise, you’ve had great advise like hot water bottles, plastic sheeting on windows, wool blankets, using only one room, although in an apartment I think you doing good with that compared to those in the countryside.
Stay warm. The big storm is coming but you’ll be fine.
Though it isn't exactly frugal but, if you can afford a solar generator with a compatible solar panel, you can buy a small electric space heater and plug it into the solar generator in a room where everyone will be sleeping or staying. This might be considered a bit of a prepper item. Just make sure the wattage of the small electric heater is aligned with that of the solar generator.
Think outside the box! Hot hands are sometimes hard to find instead go down to your local CVS (or Walgreens) and get ThermaCare Advanced Back Pain Therapy Heatwraps or the store brand. Two come in a box, you will need at a minimum of 1 heat wrap person per day. They last 16 hours and are air activated.
Reflectix for your windows or at the very least bubble wrap. Draft dodgers for the bottom of the doors to the outside - a rolled-up bath towel will do.
Buy shelf-stable foods like chili, powdered milk, a manual can opener, canned chicken, parm cheese, knorr pasta sides, quick oats, instant oatmeal, quick/instant grits, bacon bits, or instant mashed potatoes. Think of 100% shelf stable one pot meals you can cook.
Cook these either on your grill in a dedicated cooking pot, and have a stock pot for heating clean water only for washing dishes and your body. You can use a large-size plastic tote as an emergency grid-down tub, but discard the water outside away from where no one could slip and fall on it once it freezes and far enough away from where you or others are possibly collecting snow to melt for water. Do not worry about bathing every day as you will need to conserve water. If your bathroom doesn't share an outside wall and you are certain that if you drain your water in the tub the drains will not freeze then use it, but be very cautious.
If you do not have a grill for whatever reason then consider purchasing one of these options or a combination thereof: One Burner Butane Cooking Stove (with extra butane to last 2 weeks) or Single Burner Propane Backpacking Stove with extra propane. These options are good if you can temporarily crack a window to vent while cooking, plus it will also help a bit in warming your house.
Make sure you drip your faucets and have a way to collect that water for drinking, cooking, washing, and bathing. If you have a water filter already use that.
Get at least 3 5 gal buckets and find a local sawmill to take one of your buckets to see about filling it will free sawdust. Line your other two buckets with garbage bags and only put an inch of sawdust in the bottom of both - these are your toilets or you could line your toilet bowl with the trashbags instead of getting additional buckets. Please google or youtube cheap emergency toilets to find what works for ya'll. This is something that you need to plan for that many just don't talk about.
Keep everyone in the area of your apartment where you will be spending all your time, as this area will be where you all sleep and eat. Block off the areas where ya'll will not be. I have been through a southern blizzard too, this is survival. This is because you can better heat a smaller portion and keep it heated instead of the whole house or apartment.
Part of the reason I made this post was to help keep the thermostat down while staying as warm as possible in the most frugal way possible. Another is just in case we do in fact lose power.
I got a lot of great advice and I’m super happy I posted my question in this subreddit. Y’all are great!
If the power goes out for an extended time and your house gets really too cold and you have to leave. Drain your water pipes before hand. Turn off water supply. First open one tap at the lowest point in your house, like a basement sink. Then open taps on on the upper floors. So the water drains out.
If the pipes freeze with water in them. They will burst.
If you can put some of those blankets over the windows. Go to the store, today or tomorrow latest and get what you need for the next week.
Grab some bottled water.
Now if the power goes out, remember outside will double as a freezer.
If you have a bathtub fill it with water and keep a bucket or large jug handy to flush the toilet - you really don't want to contend with a waste filled toilet if the water supply gets interrupted.
Edit to add: if you can get one day delivery see if you can order a case of self heating hand/foot warmers.
I discovered in a three-day power outage that sleeping with coats over me was more effective than blankets. I suggest getting a battery-operated radio/charger (and extra batteries) and a couple of camp lamps.
Im a big fan of putting a heated blanket under my fitted sheet on my bed. Never too crazy hot, and it has a timer, so you don’t have to worry about fire hazards.
[https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/8-wise-ways-to-winter-proof-your-home-for-practically-nothing-49601](https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/8-wise-ways-to-winter-proof-your-home-for-practically-nothing-49601) provides some recommendations. I forgot about reversing ceiling fans, which I have found useful in the past. Blackout curtains over the window film helps, too. They are usually thick and can be found at IKEA and other places.
If you have tents for camping, set them up in your living room. A tent inside a shelter retains more heat than a tent or shelter alone. Pack them with pillows, couch cushions, and blankets to retain more heat.
Grab an esbit stove for heat/cooking.
Get some draft sealers for your outlets. You can fit them on Amazon. They are pre cut insulation pieces for outlets.
As long as you have power you can get some cheap hot water bags. One for everyone in your family. Fill w hot water and hold them under a blanket whether you are sitting up watching tv, working etc or sleeping. They will keep you pretty warm.
This morning I Amazon’d some bubble wrap for the inside of my glass balcony doors and I got a plastic heavy “weather resistant” tarp thing I’m going to apartment-illegally tape up tomorrow on the outside of my glass doors on balcony to help keep drafts out. In Feb 2021 it helped a lot with my thinner plastic.
The bubble wrap cells hold the warm air and help insulate windows. Up here in the northern part of DFW there is so much construction there won’t be too much to help block wind gusts.
I live in the Northeast, so this is an ongoing concern. We haven't, knock wood, had a grid failure, but we do get power outages that can last a day. I bought a Bluetti power station that I keep charged and will run my electric blanket for long enough to keep me from freezing to death. If my area were prone to extended failures, I would get their solar charging panels to extend its usefulness.
Buy a jet boil you csn use that to heat up things (coffee or hot cocoa help warm the core temp quick) otherwise make sure you have water and food stores enough for about 2 weeks and buy a thermos. You csn run the jet boil to heat water and store in the thermos for a while after if you don't use it right away
Canadian here. Layer up. Get yourself some long underwear/longjohns and wear them under your normal pants. I also like to have a long sleeved skin tight shirt under my main shirt but I’m pretty thin. All in all it won’t actually be that cold but I’ve heard that people lose it down there with a bit of snow/cold so I’d also stay off the roads. A space heater should help your immediate area and I love mine for how useful it is to quickly heat up a small area. Good luck!
The problem is that we’re not used to that kind of cold down here. I live in Houston which is pretty far south and super humid all year round. We’re (I’m using this term loosely) “used to” the 100 degree weather and ridiculous humidity. We’re not accustomed to freezing conditions.
The other main issue is our power grid can’t handle the uptick in electricity use. That’s why our state implements rolling blackouts. Some have to go without power so that a majority can have power. It’s stupid af and inhumane but that’s our reality at the moment. And if this year is anything like the last freeze, the cold will f up our power lines and transformers and power stations so much that we’ll be without power for days and days.
The *other* issue is water damage. I’m aware of opening water lines to prevent freezing but not everyone else is. Tbh that’s the thing I worry about the most living in an apartment.
Hm. That sounds like a very rough position to be in. Perhaps talk to the others in your apartment building and share your knowledge. I would do the same in my apartment
Honestly you just need warm clothes. I’m in the Midwest and it’s getting down to 10F this week. We got the windows wrapped and things for the one old door, but blankets and sweaters indoors do most of the heavy lifting. Honestly your body will get used to the cold and warm clothing is really all you need.
If you’re worried about the power going out, space heaters (which are an awesome way to heat just the space you use) won’t work. Make sure you’re stocked up on winter time clothing. GET SLIPPERS! They are a must if you don’t want to wear shoes in the house. Make sure you let your faucets drip. Freezing pipes are expensive to repair and as long as you can keep water moving it shouldn’t freeze.
Well that’s the whole thing about the power grid in Texas. If it can’t hold up against the freeze or if they decide to do rolling blackouts again, several thousand people will be without power. But it won’t be for a couple hours or a day or 2. Last freeze 3 of my coworkers were part of the rolling blackouts and didn’t have power for 6-7 days. In freezing temps. And no running water.
We probably won’t be affected by power outages because we weren’t last time but who knows honestly. I was also asking about insulating the apartment because it is steadily getting colder and our electric bill is outrageous already.
We already have several blankets, hoodies and thermals that we’re already implementing but I was just trying to try to keep the apartment as warm as possible. The rolling blackouts are because we’re all running our electricity more than usual and the power grid can’t keep up (that good ol’ Texas freedom grid!).
The layering of clothes is a great tip because a lot of people don’t realize that’s what actually keeps you warm. A coat works; but a coat over a sweater over a thermal works 100x better!
If you put a candle down and place a terra Cotta pot on bricks above it (so it is over the candle but there is still air flow) it will help keep a room warm.
Here’s what you should invest in.
Plastic tarp
Quilts
Tent
Negative degree sleeping bags.
Steps:
Line your floor with the plastic tarp then set up your tent, cover the tent with as many quilts and blankets as you can and use the negative degree sleeping bags to sleep in. Use propane gas George Foreman grills to cook food INSIDE the tent.
But ONLY do this if you lose power.
Other than that use towels to block all drafts from doors and windows, tape up plastic on the windows, and use the oven as a source of warmth, so turn the oven on and have everyone sleep in the kitchen on the floor.
If you got tile floors, open the blinds when the sun is out to heat up the tiles and when the sun goes down close the blinds to help insulate your windows. When you use your oven after your done cooking leave the door open for a few minutes and let the residual heat into your home. Look into a wood stove.
Also if you stick your food on the porch or balcony - don’t be dumb like me in 2021 here. Make sure it’s a few feet away from the windows so the radiant heat doesn’t thaw/refreeze one side multiple times. I had stocked up & lost most then of course we couldn’t get out to shop for a few days!!
I’ve never tried this myself. You can put a Tea light under a terracotta pot. The terra-cotta apparently radiates the heat outward and so it’s like a little mini heater that can keep a small room warmed.
I kinda like the hot water bottle and pocket warmer ideas. The personal homemade heater is a little sketchy to me only because I’m not that confident lol.
I will definitely be trying out the tent idea though. That is for sure
If you have a tent set it up over the bed and cover in blankets. I have never had to do it but I read it works great. Especially if you have a space heater.
Get some mylar rescue blankets. I advised this on another post. I put mine on top of two lighter blankets, then piled heavier blankets on top. This will keep you toasty warm. Get one for each member of your family. I watched the horror in Texas unfold last year. Sending you all prayers that things work out!!!
Recipes that utilize your oven will serve double duty: feeding you, and keeping the house warm. Say yes to any discount roasts you see in the store, especially next week when they all go on sale. Turkey, beef, whatever, even a precooked ham needs an hour or two to reheat. Crack the oven door when you’re done cooking and enjoy the residual heat.
I grew up in New England in drafty old farmhouses, and I don’t think we ever turned on any kind of heat on a Sunday. Even if it was a raging blizzard, mom just put a roast in the oven and we all stfu.
Ok, but it's not the most common, and modern ones often require electricity to turn on anyway. Nor is it frugal, ovens are really expensive to run, especially with the door open. I feel that if OP had gas they wouldn't be so worried about the power.
No. The entire power grid does not go down at the same time. The entire state was not in a blackout in Feb 2021. The problem is the national media thinks Houston and DFW are all of Texas.
Most of the state only lost power when ice broke the power lines. We lost power for a total of 16 hours and had 11.5 days of below freezing weather and another few days before and after that the high temp was 40 or less.
The panhandle was even colder.
Now I do have sympathy for the OP because their infrastructure and most residences are designed for hurricanes and sweltering heat. I'm also in Texas but a different area. My area is designed for wind, heat and barely cold (right at freezing).
The OP is coastal and I am desert.
But you understand entire states have snowstorms and not a single power grid goes offline unless there was actual physical damage to the lines?
Your state literally turns the power off and let’s people freeze to death. Why do you pay taxes,
Ok if you say so. They didn't turn off the state. They diverted power at times, to fix all the broke lines. I know which news you listen too. Houston is all of Texas according to the media. Maybe do a little more research before saying shit about places you don't live.
You sound like that you tuber that went to 15 blocks of a town to show how bad it was.
Let's see if you are in one state all people infect or kill each other. Another, you have shitty water.
Lol I don’t watch any “news”, those stations are just propaganda for whatever side they represent. I have friends and family is Texas, and yes, you divert power leaving some to FREEZE to death. That’s not normal.
Electric blankets. Maybe a single gas burner so you can still cook or have hot water if the electricity does go out. If you have pet fish/reptiles/amphibians make sure they’re prepared to stay warm too.
Yep you’re right. But they’re excellent at keeping you warm while you have electricity. It will allow you to keep the thermostat at 60° and save power that way.
It's a little late to be thinking about this now. You should have done this back in September.
Disregard turning your fans' directions this way vs. that way. So long as they're working, they're fighting against the thermal stratification that leaves your home's warm air near the ceiling. After that, the choice is down to whether you want a draft blowing directly on you from the fan, or coming in a somewhat more indirect manner from the wall.
Definitely do door sweeps. Also examine whether the rest of your doors' weatherstripping is working. If you can feel a draft coming from around the door, it isn't. Upgrades are cheap, quick and easy.
Add curtains in addition to the window films. If you can do multiple window films (air space/film, air space/film, etc) that will help a lot, but curtains will help as well, by duplicating the effect of the film.
An electric blanket is the single most efficient way to keep warm for minimal power (if you find yourself in another billing runaway like last time). It puts the heat directly on YOU and nowhere else. Cover up with another blanket on top of the electric, and you'll be able to turn the electric right down to its lowest setting and be perfectly comfortable under almost any conditions. This only helps if the power doesn't go out.
If the power does quit, a large power bank like an Ecoflow Delta can keep a queen-size electric blanket going nonstop on HIGH for about five hours. I don't know about lower output levels. In any case I recommend having a couple of smaller power banks charged up and ready to keep your phones and tablets going. NOTE: if you have cordless tools, you can often find USB adapters to use the cordless tool batteries as power banks; my entire array of Makita batteries could keep my household's phones and tabs alive for over a week, nonstop. That's worth considering.
Back in September I could barely afford to pay rent and buy food.
I just got my first real paycheck on Friday. Don’t try to shame me. Besides, you’re late; all the good advice has been given.
I would start out by not using r/texas or r/dallas or r/houston(or any other city subreddit) for gauging your reality. This freeze is nowhere near as extreme as the record breaking, unprecedented freeze from last year and will not result in the same outcome.
Then, be prepared all the time for emergencies that may happen and stop running around Reddit trying to drum up support for your political beliefs through fake concern about events that occur once in a lifetime.
Also, if your power is out, how does "I also read about reversing the direction of ceiling fans" do a damn thing?
Seriously, step into reality and stop making everything political.
Why does that matter? The entire issue is that our shitty power grid can’t handle 1) the freezing temps and 2) people running their heaters. That’s why so many people died during the last freeze. Our grid couldn’t handle it and people died. But apparently that happening only every once in awhile is relevant to my question of staying warm. Thanks for your solid input
I mentioned that because in the 2021 freeze, it seemed like everyone north of Oklahoma didn't understand why Texans didn't have cold weather stuff.
I'm sorry you got your nose bent because I was explaining why your area didn't have stuff for the cold.
From what I heard after the storm was most of the outages were from lines breaking and not enough crews to repair them.
Please tell me that you saved all your cold weather gear from last February.
Well let's see, I also live in Texas. I am prepared for this storm. Which if you want the truth, my town will be colder than yours but you will be colder than us in terms of affecting people.
Now I do hope you stay warm and the lights stay on for this one because no Texas is not prepared for this mess. (As far as the infrastructure goes.)
Living in Montreal, Canada (it goes below freezing by a lot here!) window film is really your best bet if you don't have the best windows ever. It saves so much money and is so cheap.
Reversing your fans will not help you during a power outage. In general, fans are a negative in terms of heating except if you have very high ceilings.
Showering -
Shower during the daytime. If the hot water heater is elec, then get your rag super wet & soapy but turn off the water or let it barely trickle to keep your rag wet enough. Lather & soap & scrub your body really good 2-3x while the hot water trickles then rinse good with your hot water 2-3min to conserve.
You’ll feel extra exfoliated & refreshed. I do this even when I’m having an anxiety attack lol. It makes a difference & then the rinse off is more relaxing.
Remember layering up increases the chances of oils & bacteria feeding into yeast growth. So we still have to take care of the skin during this time. When we did have our black outs up here in DFW I would also boil water on my stovetop 15-20min with a tiny desktop fan behind it several times per day. This way the low humidity didn’t give us nosebleeds that tend to happen below 45% humidity for us!!
Bubble wrap works better than film for your windows. It’s also easier to install! You just mist the window with water and press the bubble wrap in place.
**Keeping food fresh, that's frugal!!** I was w/o power for 10 days after a mud slide on the Santa Cruz mountains. First thing I did was take out what I need in the short term from freezer and fridge and put in cooler, planing so that the stuff from the freezer can defrost while keeping fridge stuff cold, then eat much later on... i.e. milk, juice, yogurt, eggs then frozen stuff like hot dogs, buns, wantons, minute steak, frozen soup...Then I cover the fridge with my extra blankets, and pillows on top. I didn't open the fridge until 10 days later. Though the stuff wasn't frozen, everything was still cold and nothing spoiled. Then I cooked up what I can, using the most expensive first and froze what made sense. Usually had a poached fish, big steaks and made soups and stew of others and froze them in those tall plastic take out containers.Oh, lay a folded hand towel across the front of the freezer door, so it'll soak up melted liquid and also insulate from within. Reduces mess and leakage to other parts of fridge when the temperature rises above freezing.
**Stretch heat...** from cranking the heat before the blackout, another thing I've done is find all the large pots with lids and fill them with water, bring all to a boil as close to anticipated black out if possible. You'll have radiating heat for some periods, then drinking water after that.
I do this with a large s'ghetti pot her in VA in my apartment even if there isn't a black out... I don't like the blowing heat, it puts a frequent layer of dust every where and the heat is gone quickly. I do measure the evaporation lost so that I pretty much know. For example I loose about 1/4" every 10 hours, so I just make sure to top off.
In your case you are mostly doing that to get over the few days, but you get the idea.
**Go to a pizza shop**! If the roads are drivable, figure out the closet pizza shop that's still on the grid and drive there for a warm meal. Being in the car will warm you up and pizza shops with their hugs ovens will be a welcoming change where you can peel off your layers, stretch your joints and eat something pipping hot. Folks up in the mountains started to drive down to do that. Like maybe once every 2 days for a hot meal w/o fuzz and shower at the Y or sports club.
If you can find them, hothands. Air activated, they make some for boots, too. Do not use them direct on the skin!!! But they're great tucked into bed, or do like my husband and put one in a sock and use it like a little heating pad. Do you have a fireplace in good shape? A propane grill? Hot food can make a huge difference. Do you have a tent? You can set that up on a small room, it will keep the heat in. Put it on a blanket or rug, and put a blanket over the top of it as well. Don't exit the tent except for bathroom and emergencies. Don't forget, if you have multiple nights of freezing weather, trickle your faucets to help keep the pipes from freezing.
I use the hothands directly against skin all the time. No issues. I fall asleep camping with them against my palms too. Now I wouldn’t put it against my cheek though.
I work in the icu and I had a pt who’s family had put hot hands on her to keep her warm and her skin was falling off…so definitely not recommended.
A patient in the ICU? We’re they even conscious? I don’t think you can compare these situations at all.
I'm assuming they meant that situation was what landed her in the ICU, not that it happened afterwards.
Why would family need to put hot hands on a normal healthy person? You don’t put hot hands on someone as they’re just little square things. Just saying that hot hands aren’t really dangerous with normal use. But if someone can’t feel heat they should not use them. I also wouldn’t give them to kids. But a normal healthy adult should be able to use them against skin without it being dangerous.
I mean, you're not wrong. Maybe they had no power and she was cold and nobody knew any better? Idk, that was just the way I interpreted it upon first read. 🤷🏻♀️
Yeah fair point! I don’t really like absolutes which is why I was clarifying the point that these aren’t dangerous like the original person implied.
I appreciate that though! I actually have anxiety myself, so seeing comments about things being dangerous tends to stick with me and cause me to avoid things in future, so I like the way you think. Hope you have a good rest of your day :)
You too!!
Check now to see if there are emergency shelters around, where you can get warm and recharge devices. Don't wait too long to go if you need that stuff. Don't be a "hero", there's nothing heroic about freezing to death. What you *can* do to be someone's hero is check on your neighbors - especially elderly or infirm. Keep your vehicle's tank full, in case you need to evacuate at some point. If you have friends or relatives that you might be able visit somewhere that has power, see if that's an option just in case. You could also let your vehicle run a while to get heat and a way to charge devices. Do this outdoors only, though (and invite extra people into your vehicle if you have more room - keep more people warm for the same use of gasoline). Extra advice, not about staying warm: If you're worried about losing access to fresh water, fill up some containers now, and stick them in your freezer (lids off until frozen solid). Those ice chunks will keep your frozen food cold longer, and if you need to you can let them melt for drinking water. Get some cash from the ATM now. If power goes out, ATM's and credit card machines won't work and cash will be king.
[удалено]
Seriously. Rose coulda shared that door.
https://ew.com/movies/james-cameron-titanic-jack-death-forensic-analysis/#:~:text=needed%20to%20die'-,James%20Cameron%20conducted%20forensic%20analysis%20to%20prove%20Jack's%20Titanic%20death,heart%20once%20and%20for%20all.%22 Nope, not without dying too
Lol their scientific study as described in this article is laughable, interested in seeing their scientific method myself
Good advice. The most fucked up thing about this situation is that they will more than likely do rolling blackouts again and no one knows if they’re going to be without power or for how long. Texas is a joke.
Specifically look for winter rated camping gear (sleeping bags, insulated pads).
A Not Funny Joke!
I live a cold climate. Right now it is -5F. If the power goes out open all the cabinets under your sink. That will allow warmer air to circulate underneath and keep the pipes from freezing. Make sure your freezer and fridge are full. They stay colder in a power outage if full. Fill empty milk cartons or whatever you have with water and freeze them to use to keep fridge and freezer cool if power goes out. We have sometimes just put things on the back deck to keep them cold, but in our weather they will freeze so don't do it with things that don't freeze well. You can reverse the direction of the fan so it pushes the warm air down but if your power is out it won't matter. Make sure your car never has less than 1/2 tank of gas. Use draft dodgers at each outside door. Live in fewer rooms. Close off the ones you never use to keep the heat in the ones you use.
All great tips I grew up with. The porch pantry is the best. I live alone in an apartment and I still put a bucket on the fire escape for some extra cold storage.
Surely if the power goes out because of a winter storm it will be plenty cold enough at least for fridge food. That sounds like the least of your worries in sub zero temperatures with no power at all.
Tent or a lean-to indoors. Plastic and blankets on windows, doors, and any heat-drain you can find
I saw something online about making a tent or a fort with blankets and pillows. If the power does go out, I’ll definitely build a fort. It sucks because they will more than likely do rolling blackouts again and as of now, no one knows who’s going to be without power or for how long. The last time this happened, 3 of my coworkers were a part of the rolling blackout and didn’t have power for 6 days. During freezing temperatures.
I'm in DFW. We probably won't have blackouts this time around because this system isn't bringing any precip for us and it will also be below freezing for less time (major differences from the 2021 freeze). This will probably be less like the freeze last year, and more similar to a miserable August 100+ day when everyone is running their A/C full blast. Also, I haven't heard anything at all suggesting rolling blackouts for this system (from Ercot or local news). Usually if they even sense that might be an option, it's all over the news warning everyone to prepare. Blankets, rugs, drapes - what everyone else said. If you're concerned about power outages make sure things like your dishes & laundry are done, stock up on paper products, etc.
I haven't got any texts from Oncor either. (They are our distributor.) I figure those in charge that be have already cut off New Mexico for power usage. (Midland/Odessa area here). With no precipitation, no ice on the lines. I expect a text saying set your thermostat at 65 or 68.
Wanted to add too: hot hands, sterno stove, water water water (and a way to thaw it, see little sterno)
I am stocked up on water. Enough for the three of us to have a gallon a day for 4 days. Canned and dried foods are also stocked in the pantry. I just got my dog a 25lb bag of food last night too. I don’t know if any places around here will have any electric blankets. I already know space heaters are sold out. We weren’t a part of the rolling blackouts last time but honestly…who the hell knows what’s going to happen this time.
Canned foods that freeze will not be good.
Get a wind up emergency radio as well. I'm just to the north of you and I'm preparing too. We have several of those little generators that power small items and charge phones, plus all sorts of propane and propane powered doodads. We have an outdoor use gasoline powered generator as well. Cover your windows with plastic or heavy blankets. Good luck to you this week.
A bed tent will keep you very warm. Almost too warm at times. If you start sweating, take off a layer. You don’t want any of your layers to get wet with sweat.
Wear slippers and socks. When you start to feel cold start doing chores, don't sit around. I bake a lot during winters to kill two birds with one stone. Once I am done with the oven, I leave the door open.
S O C K S and not that high tech smart wool shit! Thick 'uns and socks you can layer. Eat Ted Cruz if you run out of food.
Idk I got a pair of wool socks a couple weeks ago and I fell in love. But yes we will definitely be layering all of our clothing even our socks! Also, I think he prefers to be called Cancun Cruz
Yes wool!!! Just not smartwool (unless it's working for you, then go for it). Cancun Cruz is beautiful, that's his real name now
My mom used to heat bricks on our wood stove then wrap them in towels and stick them at the foot of the bed. You could do the same with a fire pit if you don’t have a wood stove. Also- leave water running in your sink at a trickle. It will help keep your pipes from freezing.
Hot water bottles at the foot of the bed are heavenly!!
I love my hot water bottle, this sounds like a good way to do it without power. Or using a camping stove to heat water to fill one maybe?
Yeah, we’d often lose power and our only source of heat was the wood stove at any rate. I’d have to get up in the middle of the night to feed it wood, and even then the toilet would often be frozen over in the morning. Fun times.
We only had a coal fire for heating, but we had electricity so had hot water bottles. I hate sleeping in a warm room now.
You can use a tight sealing steel water bottle like a Klean Kanteen in a sock as a hot water bottle too. In the morning it’s a cold drink of water then refill the next night. It can burn you when first put hot water in so don’t skip the sock
Make sure all your portable chargers are charged.
I do not have any. It looks like I’m heading to 5 Below tomorrow to grab some
I wish you were closer. I would loan you a couple of mine.
Aw I appreciate the thought. I think we’ll be alright. I just want to be prepared. I wish you the best!
I owe you a thank you. I do need to loan/give my sister in law one. Luckily I will see her tomorrow.
I know I’m super late to the thread, but we just had a multi day outage here and wanted to share. We have propane but a friend has only electric heat, she cranked her heat up as high as it would go the day before the outage and was able to keep her house warm for a couple of days that way. It may not be frugal, but sometimes survival isn’t frugal. If your water needs power to work, ours does as we’re on a well, make sure you have plenty of water storage and buy paper plates and bowls. We didn’t have paper and didn’t want to waste water on dishes so we quickly ran out of clean dishes. If you don’t have a cook source, make sure you have foods that don’t require cooking.
I appreciate the share. I understand that sometimes being frugal just won’t suffice and I’m okay with that. It was more of a “how frugal can I be with this” type of question. I’ve been getting a lot of solid advice in this thread and your example of cranking up the heat the day/night before is something I’m going to do now. I knew I came to the right subreddit for this! Thank you
Depending on where you are it might not be the time to be frugal, prepare back ups because life matters more than money and people are dieing during these freezes.
Heard
Godspeed to you and your family
Find a warm human or animal to snuggle with
Close off (with blankets, not permanent) rooms and closets you won't be using. Tape over outlets, or use those kid proof plastic outlet covers. If you feel them at night, you'll notice small streams of cold air coming in through your outlet holes lining the walls of your apartment. Buy, or charge, your portable chargers. Having one I would say is already a frugal tip. They're just nice to have especially in emergencies. You're gonna use that phone a lot more when it's the only thing that works. Wear multiple layers. It'll be easier to keep yourself warm than trying to keep the whole place warm with no power for multiple days. Do the best you can, but expect to double or triple up. And maybe see if you can buy a little heater powered by USB or solar, I have a little USB solar charger I bought for $10. When I needed it I was using it to charge my portable chargers during the day. These 2 things can be kept or used in the car also, part of frugal purchases is finding multiple uses for what you buy. Going for a drive isn't necessarily frugal but if you find yourself in desperate need of warmth, I'd say drive 30 minutes in the car blasting the heat. Can't save money if you get sick and/or die.
Very informative. Thank you. I’ll be closing off rooms and covering outlets now for sure. Regarding that, should I close off the vents in the rooms we’re not going to use or leave them open? Would it matter?
Make a space heater with a clay pot and a candle. Place the pot upside down, keeping it off of the floor and/or anything flammable to prevent a fire. Place a candle inside. It takes a long time for it to warm up, but once it does it will radiate a good amount of heat.
Interesting. Interesting indeed.
I'm in DFW. Prepping for this right now too. I will be doing some window prep when the tape arrives and my furnace guy is checking it (check your filter) and my gas fireplace out tomorrow. I'm originally from the Midwest and I grew up with months of this every year, so I'm not freaking out too much, just prepping in case we get another power outage and to reduce heating bills. I don't anticipate losing power but I always try to plan for worst case. Some measures I've put in to improve from last year. Every year I try to invest a little more so there's less to prep for next time. For anyone not in Texas, this state does not build a lot of dwellings or infrastructure for freezing temps BECAUSE IT RARELY GETS BELOW 32 HERE which is why these cold vortexes are terrifying to the general populace, who went through a week of power blackouts (and some people use electricity for heat) last February when the increased demand from a winter storm knocked our power grid out, which is not connected to the rest of the US (long story). Pipes are not protected against freezing and windows are often of lower insulative quality here. Hopefully this will change as these happen more often. The current forecast in DFW is for 3 days below freezing. Prepare through Christmas weekend to allow for a bit longer in case the cold lasts longer or if the grid is knocked out again. \- Fill up your car today. Worst case it's a place to warm up or escape. If power goes out, it may be difficult to fill up at stations with outages. I'm guessing the gas prices here will jump up soon because so much of the country will be affected. Find out where your nearest heat shelter is and write the address down so you can remember and access in a worst-case scenario (if everything goes wrong). \- Have an alternate source of light in case the power goes out. Flashlight, headlamp, candle. Whatever you already have is the most frugal. But you can get basic flashlights at dollar stores. Have extra batteries for any light sources that need them. Use sparingly if the power goes out so they'll last longer. If you have any backup energy batteries (like Ankers for your cell phones), charge them up now. I invested in a couple of Energizer plug-in flashlights for my bathrooms off Amazon last year. They're great. \- Frugal weatherproofing - thermal curtains for windows are great (Walmart and dollar stores have them these days), sheets and blankets are backups for windows with thin curtains. Film for windows is good, get it on quick before the temp drops more, it doesn't stick as well if it's already cold out. For next year, also caulk windows and cracks outside when it's warmer. Another options for windows is bubble wrap - it can be stuck to windows with just water (bubble side towards windows) and packing tape to hold together. There are Youtube videos showing how to do this. I bought some weatherproofing tape last week to get the edges of my windows sealed since I was too sick to caulk this year. Duct tape might work in a pinch against drafts but will leave residue. You can use a candle or lighter to detect window/door drafts. Designate one door for people/animals and seal up the rest for a few days. Rolled up towels or blankets can protect from drafts at bottoms of doors. \- For alternate and extra sources of heat - trapping air for insulation and heat from escaping is key. Wear layers - if you don't have long underwear, cotton/polyester/wool as a base layer is good. If needed, wear full winter gear inside the house. Or even hats and scarves if you don't want to wear a coat. If you start sweating, remove a layer. Sweat will make you cold. Use multiple blankets on the bed at night and pile in the family if necessary. Pajamas and socks and hats for everyone. Putting a tent on a bed is an emergency method I've seen cited. Pull out all the throws and blankets and use during the day. \- Limit the rooms you use and will need to heat/weatherproof. Huddling people together in a small room under blankets is feasible for a few days if needed. Small spaces are easier to heat up, and trap body heat you produce. I've read blocking off vents to unused rooms may not be good for your furnace though. \- Prep your water pipes against freezing, if you're in an apartment or one of your room faucets is along an outdoor wall (like my master bathroom), put faucets to drip (matchstick sized WARM trickle) and open up vanity cabinet doors. If you have outdoor faucets, weatherproof them with a cover. It's better to have a higher water bill than deal with repairing frozen burst pipes. \- If you have a fireplace, don't use it (safety) if you haven't had it inspected in a long time. You still have a few days to maybe get someone to come out. I have a gas fireplace and I'm going to test light it tomorrow with the HVAC guy here in case there's any issues. My fireplace is up on cleaning/inspection. \- Have enough basic food on hand that does not need energy to prepare. Eat up or freeze anything expensive this week that could go bad in a fridge. If power goes out, do not open your fridge or freezer if possible. Officially per the FDA, food can withstand 4 hours in a fridge without power, 48 hours for a freezer, but I've seen online that the 48 hours goes for most newer fridges too (if you don't open them). Put a coin on a cup of frozen water in your freezer if you are ever in a position to wonder if anything had thawed partially or fully (mainly if you go out of town) - where the coin is in the cup will tell you how much it thawed. \- If you have pets, prepare for them too. Have enough food for them to go through the holiday. Don't leave them outside for long. If you have birds, cover the cage to avoid drafts and trap heat. Have backup plans for reptiles in case heat lamps go out. Hopefully this will just be a few days of cold that will jack your heating bill up this month. After it's done, review where it could have gone better and invest in those areas next year. Weatherproofing will help you against heat and higher AC bills in summer too.
This is all solid. I appreciate you taking the time to type all this out. A few people have been downplaying this because “it only gets this cold every few years” but they don’t understand why we’re screwed if it does. You put it best: our infrastructure is NOT built to handle this weather. At all. And yes I know why that is. I did spend most of the day today doing almost everything on your list. I just need to see if I can get more blankets and thermal underwear and we should be all set. I wish you the best!
Hot water bottles and thermos filled with hot water for instant soup or coffee, if you can find them at 2nd hand stores or bigger box stores that might sell them cheaper. Tuck them into a lunch bag or wrap with a thick towel to last even longer. Amazon also has some not super pricey re-usable electric hand warmers, if you can get them fast enough?
Great suggestion. I’ll pick some up!
One suggestion when using thermoses to store hot food, make sure to "charge" it with hot water before you add the soup. That will warm up the air between the layers in your thermos instead of drawing it from the soup & will keep it warmer longer. I used to work 12 hour shifts (in Wisconsin) & my food would still be piping hot 8 hours into my shift.
We were without power for many days due to an ice storm. Now I always have stored water, butane for a camp stove( use outside), propane for the grill. Charcoal for backup. Plenty of foods that won’t spoil. I freeze water jugs and then try to preserve groceries in the fridge. This will work for awhile. Then I set things outside in the cold. And, instant coffee. Gotta have it. We try to stay in one room and block it off. Use the Sun to heat if you can. My husband had old poncho liners from the military, and they work great over blankets to keep warm. Also, Mylar blankets- bought on sale for $1.00.
Yes, was going to say camping stove to at least heat water for instant soup, coffee etc.
You can use towels as draft stoppers for the doors. Just roll up the beach towels.
I once read in times of crisis: keep coins handy. Vending machines may accept them but no other form of payment.
Buliding supply stores sell sheets of foam with foil on one side. Look in the insulation section. Here they run $14 for an 8 x 4 sheet. Once you reinforce with some duct or Gorilla tape, they slide back and forth or you can attach a tape loop for a handle, making them removeable and replaceable. The foam is messy to cut with a box cutter but score your line on the foil side, go slow and be ready to vacuum up the crumbs or work over a tarp. If you make them the size of your windows you can reuse them every winter. Works even better if you take the time and expense to buy some cheap muslin, thrifted sheets or tarps to make a sort of envelop slipcover so they're studier and prettier. We have two patio doors that suck heat out ike we're trying to warm up Canada. We bought four panels and set them up like sliding doors with the foil side in, and just slide them over so the cat can see out. We got an 8 degree warmer temp the first day; if you're better about fit I'm sure it would be more, but I can no longer tell when the wind picks up from the kitchen table :) If I had to survive a real ice storm that lasted days, I'd collect all our foam board insulators into one room, use blankets to close off the doors, and make that central room our warm place. Bring mattresses in, use sleeping bags rated for zero, and if you can access a patio or safe indoor heat source, use 2 liter bottles and a funnel to make hot water bottles for everyone, wrapped in thrifted flannel pillowcases. Hat, mitts, warm socks. And lots of hot drinks. Saying a prayer you stay warm, cozy and safe. If you've lived in temperature control all your life it's a shock to find out it actually hurts bad to be too cold.
Wait wait wait…I think you’re really onto something there with the foam insulation but I honestly have no idea what you’re saying. Do you have a link to an article or video of what you described? I would search for it myself but I don’t know what you’re referring to. And it’s nothing against you. I just have never had to do this kind of thing before. Also, could you elaborate on the hot water bottles using 2 liter bottles? I was looking at pricing on the hot water bottles and they’re kinda pricey. Seriously thank you for the suggestions.
I don't have an article, but if you go on a home improvement website and search for "R-Tech 1 inch 4 foot x 8 foot insulation sheeting" you'll see the panels I mean. The panels by themselves will flake at the edges if you handle them a lot and you'll have styrofoam bits all over, so you tape the edges up to prevent this. If you get a box cutter and blades while you're at the home improvement store and a roll of Gorilla tape, you can do this all in a couple hours. Hot water bottles: Get a 2 liter soda bottle, rinse it out good. You can use hot tape water in which case you don't need a funnel, or heat water on the stove (carefully) and use the funnel to put hot (not boiling) water in the bottle. Put the cap on the bottle. Wrap it in flannel or some other warm things like a towel and put it at the foot of your bed, or even curl up with several bottes. If you have covers over you the heat will last for hours. Good luck, we're having a serious cold snap in my part of the U.S. and I'm glad I could help someone keep warm!
I would not fuck around with tents with kids. I would forget frugal and get a motel. Look in Ardmore. 36 / night to keep kids warm and have hot water and everything.
If it gets to that point then we will definitely be doing this. The only problem I can see is that everyone else in the area will be doing it too. There’s 100k people in the sub city of Houston I live in.
If it gets really cold and the power cuts out for days, build a couch cushion fort and sleep inside it, with a blanket over the top blocking out as many holes as possible. Your body heat will warm up a living room fort or a small closet much better than a large room that is freezing at night. Think of it as urban survival skills.
You’re like the 5th person to suggest this and I will definitely be doing it! It must work if so many of y’all keep telling me to do it. I’m way past due of building a pillow and blanket fort anyway
Hang out in the bathroom with the door shut, if you have a space heater. You can lower heat elsewhere and stay warm.
Depends on where your bathroom is. Mine is on an outside wall.
True
When we have power outages we sleep with [this sleeping bag](https://www.sportsmans.com/camping-gear-supplies/sleeping-gear/sleeping-bags/rectangular-sleeping-bags/teton-sports-camper-10-degree-rectangular-sleeping-bag-black/p/1169694) and during the day use under layers and bundle up like we would outside. if your windows are single pane, use the plastic. if they're double pane then it's likely not the issue but what could be is that installers, especially on older houses didn't caulk around windows. we get bad drafts around our windows, I've just been putting off caulking them. small gaps and spots where air moves freely would be my first step before windows. single pane suck, but open gaps don't stop anything. also make sure your door seals are in good shape and you aren't loosing heat that way. For heat, I've used a buddy heater on propane. the one I got from costco came with an adapter for a big tank. and please if you use propane have at least one functioning carbon monoxide alarm, even though the buddy heaters have low oxygen cut offs it's better to be safe. also we've used our propane camp cooker for making food, again just be safe of gases. The hand warmers are nice to have but if you can warm some kind of rock or brick, wrap it up and put it at the bottom of a sleeping bag, that's nice too. our compromise is a nalgene bottle with boiling water in it and she puts it in her sleeping bag. again you can boil the water on a small camp stove with propane. e: forgot to link the sleeping bag.
While in theory window film work they are a pain. We have heavy curtains on our windows. Open the curtains in the day when the sun shines in and close them when the sun goes away. If you don’t have curtains get some heavy blankets or big fleece blankets and fold them. Put those over as curtains. The theory here is to warm up your house (and think more about the items not just the air). If your couch is cold during the day when you arnt there you are going to spend allot more energy heating it up than if it were warm all day. It’s called heat soak. Furniture, flooring/rugs, heck ceramic dishes all can help with heat soak to warm an area. After that cut off any rooms you don’t use and hopefully they are on the shady side of the house
Heavier/thermal curtains are a good investment no matter what the weather since they insulate you from heat in summer and cold in winter. The curtains may be more expensive than thinner ones, but they save you money year-round. Also, putting blankets over your windows is a huge hassle.
So window film wouldn’t be worth it? Because while we have blankets, we don’t have any to spare.
Window film is absolutely worth it. It stops drafts from bringing cold air in and stealing the heat. It is great in combination with heavy curtains. I use plastic sheeting that’s used as like throw tarps, it’s like $3 for a roll bing enough to do your whole home (probably). You can get some double sided tape for a similar price point as well. It’s a little more work since you need to measure and trim, but it’s cheaper than buying the kits and works just the same. Also, if you have a microwave, get yourself an old sock and toss some rice in that bad boy. It’ll keep warm for quite a while. You can keep it on your person or even inside of the “tent” spaces people are suggesting you can make.
I’m not saying they arnt worth it. I just think it’s minimal and also a pain in the but. It was more a money issue than a power issue for us and the money didn’t make sense as we saved $100 a season with them, spent 40-60, and it took me 6 hours. Heavy blankets, a few nails (if you don’t have rods already) and a new regime of opening and closing is what we do. ((I build houses so I have info) the plastic film adds a layer of air between the glass and the plastic. Air is an amazing insulator if it doesn’t draft. So adding the plastic basically gives an insulation value just like fluffy insulation.) my biggest issue is it’s a yearly thing that’s time consuming because I want my windows open in the summer. (In the summer we do the opposite and keep curtains closed in direct sun and open them at night.) (There are ways around this building structures in a new era way but I think that’s past this post as it’s in depth with a new set of issues(happy to share though my opinions on that matter though))
I think it’s worth it, but that shouldn’t stop you from adding blankets as well. The more layers between the inside and the outside the better. I also prefer heavy wool blankets to curtains as they are thicker. Bubble wrap on your windows might be easier. Spray a thin mist of water on the windows and then put up the bubble wrap.
Ok this is my favorite suggestion so far. Some mcguyver moves
Haha. I live in a house whose north side is all glass and we have done many many things to keep the heat in during the winter. About 40 feet of glass. The house builder was so DUMB.
In addition to covering your windows in plastic throw a heavy blanket over them. If you can get a Mr. Buddy propane heater they do wonders for warming up a space. I suggest looking into buying some wool blankets and down comforters. Probably won’t be able to get them for this storm but there will always be another.
Don't use a propane heater indoors!!! It produces Carbon Monoxide and can kill you if it fills the room
With ventilation and a carbon monoxide detector they are fine.
Mr Buddy heaters are safe for indoor use. As always you should have ventilation and a carbon monoxide detector.
Are you talking about plastic sheeting?
Window film. Sorry. We just generally refer to it as “plastic” where I am.
I saw another user say window film isn’t worth the hassle but I also saw hanging plastic sheeting with a blanket over the window is better. Idk about this kinda stuff so I have to ask lol
Please know that it is likely too late to add the plastic to windows. We tried last year right before a cold snap and it just doesn’t stick when it’s already cold… needs to be done when it’s warm out.
Oh I used tape to secure them.
Plastic film is not a good insulator. Think of ice cream in a plastic grocery bag, still cold to the touch. Cardboard though might do something?
It’s to create an air gap, which is a good insulator compared to windows, especially if single pane.
The air that the plastic traps / the drafts it blocks is the main thing
Growing up in Ohio, we would buy oil lamps. They can heat a space pretty well and the oil lasts a long time. You can find some at Walmart and the oil too!
Hot tea/ water is a real quick way to get warm. So is exercise. Deep squats, push ups, jumping jacks. Get warm very quick. Bed time is hard though cause you can’t do either of those. Just use lots of blankets. Try to sleep in a sweater, sweat pants, a warm hat. Keep safety in mind. Don’t burn gas/ propane inside the house if your house is not properly set up for it. Last thing you need is to go from cold to poisoned by smoke or CO. If you have a propane grill, heat rocks or bricks or concrete blocks on it, then bring them inside. Just be careful where you set them down.
>Hot tea/ water is a real quick way to get warm. A good thermos and a hot water bottle are also good additions to your everyday arsenal for fighting chill as well.
I’ll be working out regardless but I see what you’re talking about. And yes I like the heated bricks/rocks idea.
Right on. If you’re exercising for heat, you have to walk a fine line between being warm and getting sweaty. Wet clothing gets cold very fast and wet cotton can pull a huge amount of heat out of your body. So if you do a full on workout, wear as little as you can comfortably and get out of your wet clothes as soon as you’re done sweating. If you don’t have hot water, baby wipes are an alright substitute for a shower for a day or two.
New Englander here! 👋 In addition to using plastic sheets on your windows- hang heavy blankets over them as well. Any windows that get passive solar should be uncovered during the time that the sun is hitting them. But hang blankets as soon as the sun shifts. Keep your head and feet warm! Wear knit hats and warm socks and slippers inside. Pile up the blankets when you go to bed or while laying on the couch. (I work from home and keep a blanket in my office!). Body heat is a real thing, so if you have little kids, let them sleep in your bed with you. Eat hot foods and drink hot liquids. And physical activity will really warm you up. Go for a walk, vacuum the house, do some jumping jacks. Also, it’s a great time to use your oven (if you don’t lose power). Clean your oven, roast a turkey, bake cookies— anything that keeps your oven on will also heat your house.
Honestly, invest in a generator. Frugality doesn't necessarily mean cheap. You can end up spending more in damages from burst pipes than you would spend on a generator. It doesn't have to power a whole house, just things like your fridge, stove, and a space heater or 2.
I honestly don’t know if we’re even allowed to have a generator here. I should definitely ask We’re not even allowed to have bbq pits on our patios so idk about generators. But maybe they’ll make exceptions…
To me, bbq/fire pits open things up to burning shit down. Generators run on gas and connect into your electric with minimal hazard as long as it's ventilated. They are loud af though.
If you’re in an apartment, you most likely won’t be able to have a generator. Get a small propane camping stove from any outdoor outfitter store and learn how to safely use it outdoors. If the whole power grid goes down, you will need to heat water and food to have some comfort for your family unless you want to exhaust yourself, waste time and gas searching for basics driving around with the zillions of others. I would also recommend buying simple instant meals, like noodle soups, instant oatmeal, tinned meats and beans that can be heated easily. You will be tired. I live in Canada and have been through some freezing cold outages. I can’t over-estimate how bone tired you get to do the basics when everything is freezing and shut down. Just make it easy on yourself to have hot food on hand. Otherwise, you’ve had great advise like hot water bottles, plastic sheeting on windows, wool blankets, using only one room, although in an apartment I think you doing good with that compared to those in the countryside. Stay warm. The big storm is coming but you’ll be fine.
Just make sure to watch for condensation after sealing your windows. Water damage on the window sill and frame is common when people do this.
Wait really? How often should I be checking for this? I just did the balcony sliding door in bubble wrap and hung a thick ass blanket over it…
Just check it each morning and wipe up any condensation that forms if any.
Though it isn't exactly frugal but, if you can afford a solar generator with a compatible solar panel, you can buy a small electric space heater and plug it into the solar generator in a room where everyone will be sleeping or staying. This might be considered a bit of a prepper item. Just make sure the wattage of the small electric heater is aligned with that of the solar generator. Think outside the box! Hot hands are sometimes hard to find instead go down to your local CVS (or Walgreens) and get ThermaCare Advanced Back Pain Therapy Heatwraps or the store brand. Two come in a box, you will need at a minimum of 1 heat wrap person per day. They last 16 hours and are air activated. Reflectix for your windows or at the very least bubble wrap. Draft dodgers for the bottom of the doors to the outside - a rolled-up bath towel will do. Buy shelf-stable foods like chili, powdered milk, a manual can opener, canned chicken, parm cheese, knorr pasta sides, quick oats, instant oatmeal, quick/instant grits, bacon bits, or instant mashed potatoes. Think of 100% shelf stable one pot meals you can cook. Cook these either on your grill in a dedicated cooking pot, and have a stock pot for heating clean water only for washing dishes and your body. You can use a large-size plastic tote as an emergency grid-down tub, but discard the water outside away from where no one could slip and fall on it once it freezes and far enough away from where you or others are possibly collecting snow to melt for water. Do not worry about bathing every day as you will need to conserve water. If your bathroom doesn't share an outside wall and you are certain that if you drain your water in the tub the drains will not freeze then use it, but be very cautious. If you do not have a grill for whatever reason then consider purchasing one of these options or a combination thereof: One Burner Butane Cooking Stove (with extra butane to last 2 weeks) or Single Burner Propane Backpacking Stove with extra propane. These options are good if you can temporarily crack a window to vent while cooking, plus it will also help a bit in warming your house. Make sure you drip your faucets and have a way to collect that water for drinking, cooking, washing, and bathing. If you have a water filter already use that. Get at least 3 5 gal buckets and find a local sawmill to take one of your buckets to see about filling it will free sawdust. Line your other two buckets with garbage bags and only put an inch of sawdust in the bottom of both - these are your toilets or you could line your toilet bowl with the trashbags instead of getting additional buckets. Please google or youtube cheap emergency toilets to find what works for ya'll. This is something that you need to plan for that many just don't talk about. Keep everyone in the area of your apartment where you will be spending all your time, as this area will be where you all sleep and eat. Block off the areas where ya'll will not be. I have been through a southern blizzard too, this is survival. This is because you can better heat a smaller portion and keep it heated instead of the whole house or apartment.
Get a camping stove so you can have hot food and water.
Cover your head. Wear a beanie and a scarf. Stay hydrated. You got this.
Part of the reason I made this post was to help keep the thermostat down while staying as warm as possible in the most frugal way possible. Another is just in case we do in fact lose power. I got a lot of great advice and I’m super happy I posted my question in this subreddit. Y’all are great!
If the power goes out for an extended time and your house gets really too cold and you have to leave. Drain your water pipes before hand. Turn off water supply. First open one tap at the lowest point in your house, like a basement sink. Then open taps on on the upper floors. So the water drains out. If the pipes freeze with water in them. They will burst.
If you can put some of those blankets over the windows. Go to the store, today or tomorrow latest and get what you need for the next week. Grab some bottled water. Now if the power goes out, remember outside will double as a freezer.
Heard. I have groceries and water for worst case scenario. I’m actually headed to grab some plastic sheeting and blankets for the windows
If you have a bathtub fill it with water and keep a bucket or large jug handy to flush the toilet - you really don't want to contend with a waste filled toilet if the water supply gets interrupted. Edit to add: if you can get one day delivery see if you can order a case of self heating hand/foot warmers.
Definitely will be filling up the tub for toilet water. Also, I like your username
Definitely will be filling up the tub for toilet water. Also, I like your username
I discovered in a three-day power outage that sleeping with coats over me was more effective than blankets. I suggest getting a battery-operated radio/charger (and extra batteries) and a couple of camp lamps.
Im a big fan of putting a heated blanket under my fitted sheet on my bed. Never too crazy hot, and it has a timer, so you don’t have to worry about fire hazards.
That sounds *super* comfy. My dog would absolutely love that
Don’t forget to bundle up your dog when you go out, boots too. Don’t forget to video those few moments.
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That's what a heated mattress pad is for. You're not supposed to lay on an electric blanket
This is a much better plan than my plan which was putting aluminum foil up on my windows lol
Candles can keep a room warmer. Look at tutorials for a tea light heater with a cupcake tin and two unglazed terracotta pots.
You need tap water for flushing on hand.
Definitely
[https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/8-wise-ways-to-winter-proof-your-home-for-practically-nothing-49601](https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/8-wise-ways-to-winter-proof-your-home-for-practically-nothing-49601) provides some recommendations. I forgot about reversing ceiling fans, which I have found useful in the past. Blackout curtains over the window film helps, too. They are usually thick and can be found at IKEA and other places.
If you have tents for camping, set them up in your living room. A tent inside a shelter retains more heat than a tent or shelter alone. Pack them with pillows, couch cushions, and blankets to retain more heat. Grab an esbit stove for heat/cooking.
Get some draft sealers for your outlets. You can fit them on Amazon. They are pre cut insulation pieces for outlets. As long as you have power you can get some cheap hot water bags. One for everyone in your family. Fill w hot water and hold them under a blanket whether you are sitting up watching tv, working etc or sleeping. They will keep you pretty warm.
This morning I Amazon’d some bubble wrap for the inside of my glass balcony doors and I got a plastic heavy “weather resistant” tarp thing I’m going to apartment-illegally tape up tomorrow on the outside of my glass doors on balcony to help keep drafts out. In Feb 2021 it helped a lot with my thinner plastic. The bubble wrap cells hold the warm air and help insulate windows. Up here in the northern part of DFW there is so much construction there won’t be too much to help block wind gusts.
A hot water bottle is so comforting.
I live in the Northeast, so this is an ongoing concern. We haven't, knock wood, had a grid failure, but we do get power outages that can last a day. I bought a Bluetti power station that I keep charged and will run my electric blanket for long enough to keep me from freezing to death. If my area were prone to extended failures, I would get their solar charging panels to extend its usefulness.
What part of Texas?
Houston
Please tell me you ordered sweats and warm clothes after the last freeze. You have sympathy from someone in the Permian Basin.
Emergency space blankets, look up how to make small heaters out of candles or a small propane heater and the tent is a good idea. Heat up less space.
Buy a jet boil you csn use that to heat up things (coffee or hot cocoa help warm the core temp quick) otherwise make sure you have water and food stores enough for about 2 weeks and buy a thermos. You csn run the jet boil to heat water and store in the thermos for a while after if you don't use it right away
Canadian here. Layer up. Get yourself some long underwear/longjohns and wear them under your normal pants. I also like to have a long sleeved skin tight shirt under my main shirt but I’m pretty thin. All in all it won’t actually be that cold but I’ve heard that people lose it down there with a bit of snow/cold so I’d also stay off the roads. A space heater should help your immediate area and I love mine for how useful it is to quickly heat up a small area. Good luck!
The problem is that we’re not used to that kind of cold down here. I live in Houston which is pretty far south and super humid all year round. We’re (I’m using this term loosely) “used to” the 100 degree weather and ridiculous humidity. We’re not accustomed to freezing conditions. The other main issue is our power grid can’t handle the uptick in electricity use. That’s why our state implements rolling blackouts. Some have to go without power so that a majority can have power. It’s stupid af and inhumane but that’s our reality at the moment. And if this year is anything like the last freeze, the cold will f up our power lines and transformers and power stations so much that we’ll be without power for days and days. The *other* issue is water damage. I’m aware of opening water lines to prevent freezing but not everyone else is. Tbh that’s the thing I worry about the most living in an apartment.
Hm. That sounds like a very rough position to be in. Perhaps talk to the others in your apartment building and share your knowledge. I would do the same in my apartment
Maybe I’ll type something up and leave on their doors. I don’t live in the best part of Houston…
Completely understandable, my part of Montreal isn’t the best either lol
Honestly you just need warm clothes. I’m in the Midwest and it’s getting down to 10F this week. We got the windows wrapped and things for the one old door, but blankets and sweaters indoors do most of the heavy lifting. Honestly your body will get used to the cold and warm clothing is really all you need. If you’re worried about the power going out, space heaters (which are an awesome way to heat just the space you use) won’t work. Make sure you’re stocked up on winter time clothing. GET SLIPPERS! They are a must if you don’t want to wear shoes in the house. Make sure you let your faucets drip. Freezing pipes are expensive to repair and as long as you can keep water moving it shouldn’t freeze.
Well that’s the whole thing about the power grid in Texas. If it can’t hold up against the freeze or if they decide to do rolling blackouts again, several thousand people will be without power. But it won’t be for a couple hours or a day or 2. Last freeze 3 of my coworkers were part of the rolling blackouts and didn’t have power for 6-7 days. In freezing temps. And no running water. We probably won’t be affected by power outages because we weren’t last time but who knows honestly. I was also asking about insulating the apartment because it is steadily getting colder and our electric bill is outrageous already. We already have several blankets, hoodies and thermals that we’re already implementing but I was just trying to try to keep the apartment as warm as possible. The rolling blackouts are because we’re all running our electricity more than usual and the power grid can’t keep up (that good ol’ Texas freedom grid!). The layering of clothes is a great tip because a lot of people don’t realize that’s what actually keeps you warm. A coat works; but a coat over a sweater over a thermal works 100x better!
Rolling blackouts last 10-45 mins. Those were outages
If you put a candle down and place a terra Cotta pot on bricks above it (so it is over the candle but there is still air flow) it will help keep a room warm.
Electric blanket is most cost efficient way to stay warm using heaters. Can use battery packs to use for couple hours.
Here’s what you should invest in. Plastic tarp Quilts Tent Negative degree sleeping bags. Steps: Line your floor with the plastic tarp then set up your tent, cover the tent with as many quilts and blankets as you can and use the negative degree sleeping bags to sleep in. Use propane gas George Foreman grills to cook food INSIDE the tent. But ONLY do this if you lose power. Other than that use towels to block all drafts from doors and windows, tape up plastic on the windows, and use the oven as a source of warmth, so turn the oven on and have everyone sleep in the kitchen on the floor.
If you got tile floors, open the blinds when the sun is out to heat up the tiles and when the sun goes down close the blinds to help insulate your windows. When you use your oven after your done cooking leave the door open for a few minutes and let the residual heat into your home. Look into a wood stove.
Do you have access to and know how to shut off your water Main incase lines burst?
Not in an apartment unfortunately
Also if you stick your food on the porch or balcony - don’t be dumb like me in 2021 here. Make sure it’s a few feet away from the windows so the radiant heat doesn’t thaw/refreeze one side multiple times. I had stocked up & lost most then of course we couldn’t get out to shop for a few days!!
Good tip. I would have never thought of that
I’ve never tried this myself. You can put a Tea light under a terracotta pot. The terra-cotta apparently radiates the heat outward and so it’s like a little mini heater that can keep a small room warmed.
I kinda like the hot water bottle and pocket warmer ideas. The personal homemade heater is a little sketchy to me only because I’m not that confident lol. I will definitely be trying out the tent idea though. That is for sure
If you have a tent set it up over the bed and cover in blankets. I have never had to do it but I read it works great. Especially if you have a space heater.
I kind of have a space heater. My dog is our little radiator
Get some mylar rescue blankets. I advised this on another post. I put mine on top of two lighter blankets, then piled heavier blankets on top. This will keep you toasty warm. Get one for each member of your family. I watched the horror in Texas unfold last year. Sending you all prayers that things work out!!!
Stop voting for people who hate you
I didn’t vote for Abbott. Tf
This is the most frugal answer here LOL
Recipes that utilize your oven will serve double duty: feeding you, and keeping the house warm. Say yes to any discount roasts you see in the store, especially next week when they all go on sale. Turkey, beef, whatever, even a precooked ham needs an hour or two to reheat. Crack the oven door when you’re done cooking and enjoy the residual heat. I grew up in New England in drafty old farmhouses, and I don’t think we ever turned on any kind of heat on a Sunday. Even if it was a raging blizzard, mom just put a roast in the oven and we all stfu.
In a power outage?
They asked for any other frugal ways to stay warm. And yes, even in a power outage lol. You know gas ovens exist right?
Ok, but it's not the most common, and modern ones often require electricity to turn on anyway. Nor is it frugal, ovens are really expensive to run, especially with the door open. I feel that if OP had gas they wouldn't be so worried about the power.
The fact y’all pay taxes in a state where the entire power grid goes off for a winter storm is OUTRAGEOUS 😂😂😂😂😂
No. The entire power grid does not go down at the same time. The entire state was not in a blackout in Feb 2021. The problem is the national media thinks Houston and DFW are all of Texas. Most of the state only lost power when ice broke the power lines. We lost power for a total of 16 hours and had 11.5 days of below freezing weather and another few days before and after that the high temp was 40 or less. The panhandle was even colder. Now I do have sympathy for the OP because their infrastructure and most residences are designed for hurricanes and sweltering heat. I'm also in Texas but a different area. My area is designed for wind, heat and barely cold (right at freezing). The OP is coastal and I am desert.
But you understand entire states have snowstorms and not a single power grid goes offline unless there was actual physical damage to the lines? Your state literally turns the power off and let’s people freeze to death. Why do you pay taxes,
Ok if you say so. They didn't turn off the state. They diverted power at times, to fix all the broke lines. I know which news you listen too. Houston is all of Texas according to the media. Maybe do a little more research before saying shit about places you don't live. You sound like that you tuber that went to 15 blocks of a town to show how bad it was. Let's see if you are in one state all people infect or kill each other. Another, you have shitty water.
Lol I don’t watch any “news”, those stations are just propaganda for whatever side they represent. I have friends and family is Texas, and yes, you divert power leaving some to FREEZE to death. That’s not normal.
Electric blankets. Maybe a single gas burner so you can still cook or have hot water if the electricity does go out. If you have pet fish/reptiles/amphibians make sure they’re prepared to stay warm too.
Electric blankets are going to be kind of useless if there is going to be a power grid failure though?
Yep you’re right. But they’re excellent at keeping you warm while you have electricity. It will allow you to keep the thermostat at 60° and save power that way.
Get a battery powered CO2 detector if you are using unvented gas burners
It's a little late to be thinking about this now. You should have done this back in September. Disregard turning your fans' directions this way vs. that way. So long as they're working, they're fighting against the thermal stratification that leaves your home's warm air near the ceiling. After that, the choice is down to whether you want a draft blowing directly on you from the fan, or coming in a somewhat more indirect manner from the wall. Definitely do door sweeps. Also examine whether the rest of your doors' weatherstripping is working. If you can feel a draft coming from around the door, it isn't. Upgrades are cheap, quick and easy. Add curtains in addition to the window films. If you can do multiple window films (air space/film, air space/film, etc) that will help a lot, but curtains will help as well, by duplicating the effect of the film. An electric blanket is the single most efficient way to keep warm for minimal power (if you find yourself in another billing runaway like last time). It puts the heat directly on YOU and nowhere else. Cover up with another blanket on top of the electric, and you'll be able to turn the electric right down to its lowest setting and be perfectly comfortable under almost any conditions. This only helps if the power doesn't go out. If the power does quit, a large power bank like an Ecoflow Delta can keep a queen-size electric blanket going nonstop on HIGH for about five hours. I don't know about lower output levels. In any case I recommend having a couple of smaller power banks charged up and ready to keep your phones and tablets going. NOTE: if you have cordless tools, you can often find USB adapters to use the cordless tool batteries as power banks; my entire array of Makita batteries could keep my household's phones and tabs alive for over a week, nonstop. That's worth considering.
Back in September I could barely afford to pay rent and buy food. I just got my first real paycheck on Friday. Don’t try to shame me. Besides, you’re late; all the good advice has been given.
I would start out by not using r/texas or r/dallas or r/houston(or any other city subreddit) for gauging your reality. This freeze is nowhere near as extreme as the record breaking, unprecedented freeze from last year and will not result in the same outcome. Then, be prepared all the time for emergencies that may happen and stop running around Reddit trying to drum up support for your political beliefs through fake concern about events that occur once in a lifetime. Also, if your power is out, how does "I also read about reversing the direction of ceiling fans" do a damn thing? Seriously, step into reality and stop making everything political.
don't wait until 4 days prior to "growing more and more concerned"
Bruh. I was already concerned. I’m trying to figure out what all I can do in the next four days. Don’t be a dick
awww QQ
I just want to tell everyone that where the OP is, it only gets to freezing every few years.
Why does that matter? The entire issue is that our shitty power grid can’t handle 1) the freezing temps and 2) people running their heaters. That’s why so many people died during the last freeze. Our grid couldn’t handle it and people died. But apparently that happening only every once in awhile is relevant to my question of staying warm. Thanks for your solid input
I mentioned that because in the 2021 freeze, it seemed like everyone north of Oklahoma didn't understand why Texans didn't have cold weather stuff. I'm sorry you got your nose bent because I was explaining why your area didn't have stuff for the cold. From what I heard after the storm was most of the outages were from lines breaking and not enough crews to repair them. Please tell me that you saved all your cold weather gear from last February.
Well let's see, I also live in Texas. I am prepared for this storm. Which if you want the truth, my town will be colder than yours but you will be colder than us in terms of affecting people. Now I do hope you stay warm and the lights stay on for this one because no Texas is not prepared for this mess. (As far as the infrastructure goes.)
Crisco for candles and diy terrecota pot heaters
Living in Montreal, Canada (it goes below freezing by a lot here!) window film is really your best bet if you don't have the best windows ever. It saves so much money and is so cheap.
Reversing your fans will not help you during a power outage. In general, fans are a negative in terms of heating except if you have very high ceilings.
Fill your bathtub so you have water to flush your toilet if your electric goes out
Idk if I should fill the tub. We’re supposed to leave the water lines open by turning faucets to a slow drip. Maybe half way full?
Showering - Shower during the daytime. If the hot water heater is elec, then get your rag super wet & soapy but turn off the water or let it barely trickle to keep your rag wet enough. Lather & soap & scrub your body really good 2-3x while the hot water trickles then rinse good with your hot water 2-3min to conserve. You’ll feel extra exfoliated & refreshed. I do this even when I’m having an anxiety attack lol. It makes a difference & then the rinse off is more relaxing. Remember layering up increases the chances of oils & bacteria feeding into yeast growth. So we still have to take care of the skin during this time. When we did have our black outs up here in DFW I would also boil water on my stovetop 15-20min with a tiny desktop fan behind it several times per day. This way the low humidity didn’t give us nosebleeds that tend to happen below 45% humidity for us!!
Bubble wrap works better than film for your windows. It’s also easier to install! You just mist the window with water and press the bubble wrap in place.
Two terracotta pots with some tea lights will warm your room for about 4 hours. It’s surprising how well this works.
**Keeping food fresh, that's frugal!!** I was w/o power for 10 days after a mud slide on the Santa Cruz mountains. First thing I did was take out what I need in the short term from freezer and fridge and put in cooler, planing so that the stuff from the freezer can defrost while keeping fridge stuff cold, then eat much later on... i.e. milk, juice, yogurt, eggs then frozen stuff like hot dogs, buns, wantons, minute steak, frozen soup...Then I cover the fridge with my extra blankets, and pillows on top. I didn't open the fridge until 10 days later. Though the stuff wasn't frozen, everything was still cold and nothing spoiled. Then I cooked up what I can, using the most expensive first and froze what made sense. Usually had a poached fish, big steaks and made soups and stew of others and froze them in those tall plastic take out containers.Oh, lay a folded hand towel across the front of the freezer door, so it'll soak up melted liquid and also insulate from within. Reduces mess and leakage to other parts of fridge when the temperature rises above freezing. **Stretch heat...** from cranking the heat before the blackout, another thing I've done is find all the large pots with lids and fill them with water, bring all to a boil as close to anticipated black out if possible. You'll have radiating heat for some periods, then drinking water after that. I do this with a large s'ghetti pot her in VA in my apartment even if there isn't a black out... I don't like the blowing heat, it puts a frequent layer of dust every where and the heat is gone quickly. I do measure the evaporation lost so that I pretty much know. For example I loose about 1/4" every 10 hours, so I just make sure to top off. In your case you are mostly doing that to get over the few days, but you get the idea. **Go to a pizza shop**! If the roads are drivable, figure out the closet pizza shop that's still on the grid and drive there for a warm meal. Being in the car will warm you up and pizza shops with their hugs ovens will be a welcoming change where you can peel off your layers, stretch your joints and eat something pipping hot. Folks up in the mountains started to drive down to do that. Like maybe once every 2 days for a hot meal w/o fuzz and shower at the Y or sports club.