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Heating failure in winter: how to prepare your home before the frost

Home ready for frost: a practical guide

⏱ 3 min read

Warm room, layers, safe heating. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone.app and works without internet.

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A heating failure in winter is especially dangerous for babies, older people and anyone who is ill. A house without heating cools gradually, but in a hard frost the temperature inside can fall to a dangerous level within a day or two.

Most of the preparation is best done in autumn, before the cold arrives.

A check before the season

  1. Have your boiler and chimney serviced. It is the best protection against a breakdown in midwinter and against carbon monoxide. Make sure you know where the water stopcock is and how to drain the system if pipes might freeze.

One warm room

  1. Choose a room where the family can wait out a failure: ideally small, with small windows and no north-facing outside walls. Have thick curtains or blankets to hang over the windows and something to block the gap under the door.
  2. Most heat is lost through windows, doors and the floor. A rug, a camping mat or a blanket underfoot makes a big difference.

Clothes and sleeping

  1. Thermal or wool base layers for everyone.
  2. Warm hats, socks and gloves: we lose a lot of heat through the head and feet.
  3. A sleeping bag or two blankets per person.
  4. A hot-water bottle, if you can heat water.

Safe heat sources

  1. An electric heater only helps while there is power. Never use a gas cooker, barbecue, camping heater or generator indoors to keep warm. They produce carbon monoxide, which has no smell and kills.
  2. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, keep a stock of dry wood and a carbon monoxide alarm in the house.

Think of others

  1. Agree with neighbours who will check on an older person living alone. Find out where your council may open warm spaces and how you will hear about them without internet.

Checklist

  1. Boiler and chimney serviced before winter
  2. One warm room chosen
  3. Blankets or curtains for the windows
  4. A sleeping bag or two blankets per person
  5. Thermal layers, hats, socks
  6. Carbon monoxide alarm
  7. Water and food for 3 days
  8. A neighbour who will check on an older person

See also

Frequently asked questions

How fast does a house cool down without heating?

It depends on insulation and the frost. A well-insulated house loses heat slowly; an older building in a hard frost can get cold within a day. That is why one warm room helps.

Can I heat my home with a gas cooker?

No. A cooker, barbecue or camping heater in a closed room produces carbon monoxide. It is a common cause of poisoning in winter.

How do I stop pipes from freezing?

Know where the main stopcock is. In a long failure during frost, turn the water off and drain the system, especially in an empty house.

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Sources

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-11-04.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.