How to stay warm without heating: clothing and home tips
How to dress and stay warm without heating. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone app and works without internet.
What to have
- Blankets and sleeping bags for everyone at home.
- Warm clothes: thermal underwear, a fleece or wool jumper, hat, gloves and warm socks.
- A waterproof jacket and comfortable waterproof shoes.
- An emergency foil blanket in every go bag.
Dress in layers
- Base layer wicks sweat away: thermal or wool, not cotton.
- Mid layer keeps you warm: fleece or wool.
- Outer layer protects from wind and rain.
- If you start sweating, take a layer off before you get damp. Wet clothes chill you.
A home without heating
- Gather in one, smallest room and close the door.
- Hang blankets over windows and seal gaps under doors with towels.
- Have warm drinks and eat regularly. Your body needs energy to stay warm.
- Sleep in hats and sleeping bags, close together.
Watch out
- Never heat your home with a gas oven, barbecue or camping stove. It risks carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.
- Shivering, confusion and drowsiness in someone who is cold are signs of hypothermia. Warm them up and call for help.
See also
Frequently asked questions
How should I dress when there is no heating?
In layers: thermal or wool base layer, a fleece or jumper, and a windproof outer layer. A hat and warm socks help a lot.
How can I keep my home warm without power?
Gather in one small room, cover the windows with blankets and seal the door. Never use a gas oven or barbecue indoors.
How do I recognise hypothermia?
Intense shivering, confusion, slurred speech and drowsiness. Warm the person, give a warm drink if they are conscious and call for help.
Keep it on your phone
SurvivalZone is a free app for every emergency, with no account and no app store. It works without internet and shows the nearest shelters and help points, local radio, a 72-hour plan and a mountain trip planner.
Thank you for reading. If this could help someone, send it to the people you care about. Getting ready takes a moment, and in a crisis every minute counts.
Coming soon: the app’s permanent address will be survivalzone.app.
Other guides
- 💧 How to make water safe
- 🍲 Food without power
- ⛺ Shelter at home and outdoors
- 👨👩👧 Protecting your family and yourself
- 💊 Run out of medicine
- 🎒 Go bag checklist
- 🩹 Home first aid kit
- 🔦 Prepare your home for a blackout
- ✈️ Air travel: a safe trip
- 🏜️ Desert trip
- 🪢 Knots worth knowing
- 🔥 Campfire and outdoor cooking
- 🧭 Survival kit for your backpack
- 📞 Family communication plan
- 🥫 Emergency food and medicine supplies
- 🧼 Hygiene in a crisis
- 📁 Documents and money in a crisis
- 🧰 Tools and equipment for a crisis
- 📻 Communication and navigation in a crisis
Sources
- Safety Handbook 2025, Polish Government (PDF, English)
- Polish government Safety Handbook 2025 (PDF, Polish): home supplies, pp. 20–22
- BBK guide "Vorsorgen für Krisen und Katastrophen" (Germany)
Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-10-23.
General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.