To stay warm without power, do four things: gather everyone in one small room and close it off, layer up in wool with a hat and gloves, use a sleeping bag per person, and only use a heat source you can run safely. The single most important rule is carbon monoxide: never run a generator, petrol heater or barbecue indoors. Sweden's Agency for Civil Defence (MCF, formerly MSB) recommends every household manage at least one week on its own. Here is how to keep warm through it.
Reviewed by Oskar Bjork, defence engineer (Swedish Armed Forces) and adviser to Kapsel. Last updated 2026-06-22.
Gather in one room
Heat the people, not the home. Pick one small room, ideally with few windows, and close the door. Bodies, candles and held warmth raise the temperature of a small space surprisingly fast. Hang blankets over windows to keep heat in.
Layer up and sleep warm
- Wool layers, a hat, gloves and warm socks. Most heat is lost from the head and hands.
- A sleeping bag per person beats a thin blanket. Add a sleeping mat to insulate from a cold floor.
- Eat and drink something warm if you can, the body makes heat from food.
Safe heat sources, and the carbon monoxide rule
The danger in a cold home is not the cold, it is what people burn to fight it. Carbon monoxide has no smell and kills.
- Never run a petrol or diesel generator, a barbecue, or a patio heater indoors or in a closed garage.
- Candles and tea lights give a little heat and light, use them on a stable surface, never unattended, never near fabric.
- A gas or paraffin heater rated for indoor use still needs ventilation and a working carbon monoxide alarm. If in doubt, do not use it indoors.
Have the warmth ready before you need it
Warmth is a part of every home preparedness plan, alongside water, light, communication and food. The Kapsel Core covers it in its Personal and Shelter capsule, with a heat-reflective sleeping bag and the basics, built to the MCF one-week recommendation and assembled in Boras. See the Kapsel Core.
Frequently asked questions
How do you stay warm in a house without electricity?
Gather in one small room, close it off, layer up in wool, and use a sleeping bag per person. Hang blankets over windows. Only use a heat source you can run safely.
Is it safe to use a gas heater or generator indoors?
Never run a petrol or diesel generator, a barbecue or a patio heater indoors, the carbon monoxide can kill. An indoor-rated gas heater still needs ventilation and a working carbon monoxide alarm.
What is the warmest thing to have in a power cut?
A good sleeping bag per person, wool layers, and a small closed room. Together they keep a household warm without any flame at all.
Related: a week without power and water and preparedness in a flat. Sources: MCF (mcf.se), krisinformation.se.