The short answer

In a cold outage the CDC says to close off unneeded rooms, cover windows at night and use blankets, sleeping bags and coats as backup heat. The U.S. Fire Administration: plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet and keep anything that can burn 3 feet away. The CDC: combustion heaters only if “properly vented to the outside,” and “Never use a gas range or oven to heat a home.” In heat, the CDC says that above 90°F a fan can increase body temperature, and points to air-conditioned places and cooling centers. The CDC: if you cannot keep your home warm, stay somewhere else.

Key numbers

• 3 feetkeep anything that can burn at least this far from a space heater, fireplace or other heat sourceSource: U.S. Fire Administration
• 90°Fabove this temperature, a fan can increase body temperatureSource: CDC
• 2-1-1number to call to find air-conditioned places or cooling centers near youSource: CDC
• 10 feetkeep cooled fireplace ashes, in a lidded metal container, at least this far from the homeSource: U.S. Fire Administration

How do I keep warm at home when the heat goes out?

The CDC and National Weather Service both say to close off rooms you do not need, block drafts, and cover windows, and to eat and drink.

• Hold the heat in. Close off unneeded rooms and stuff towels or rags under doors (CDC). Close drapes or cover windows with blankets at night (CDC). Close blinds or curtains (NWS).
• Dress for it indoors. Wear several loose layers; the NWS recommends loose, lightweight, warm clothing in layers. Use extra blankets, sleeping bags and warm coats as your backup heat (CDC).
• Fuel the body. Eat well-balanced meals and drink fluids; the CDC adds that warm, sweet drinks or broth help, and to avoid alcohol and caffeine.
• Babies need extra care. The CDC says never let infants under one year old sleep in a cold room. If you cannot keep the home warm, stay somewhere else.
• Blankets are for adults, not for a baby’s sleep space. NIH’s Safe to Sleep guidance: a sleep surface that is “firm (returns to original shape quickly if pressed on)” and “flat (like a table, not a hammock)”; “Keep things out of baby’s sleep area”; “Use a wearable blanket to keep baby warm without blankets in the sleep area”; and “Avoid letting baby get too hot, and keep baby’s head and face uncovered during sleep” (NIH Safe to Sleep: Safe Sleep for Your Baby, April 2023).
• Check on others. The CDC says to check often on older friends and neighbors to make sure their homes are heated.

Which backup heaters are safe to use inside?

The CDC says combustion heaters should be used only if “properly vented to the outside,” and says to use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off and without extension cords. The fire rules below are the U.S. Fire Administration’s.

Heat source	The rules	Official source
Electric space heater	Choose one with automatic shut-off if it tips over, listed by a recognized testing laboratory. Plug it directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip. Set it on a solid, flat surface. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away. Turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed.	U.S. Fire Administration; CDC
Kerosene or other fuel-burning space heater	Use only if properly vented to the outside (CDC). It needs automatic tip-over shut-off; refuel only when it is cool, and outdoors (USFA). Have battery-operated or battery-backup CO alarms (CDC); where to put them is on the Carbon Monoxide Safety page. Check with your local fire department whether kerosene heaters are allowed where you live (CDC).	CDC; U.S. Fire Administration
Fireplace or wood stove	Use a glass or metal screen. Have the chimney inspected and cleaned every year by a professional. Put the fire out before sleeping or leaving. Put cooled ashes in a metal container with a lid, outside, at least 10 feet from the home.	U.S. Fire Administration
Gas oven or stove, grill, camp stove, generator	Never for heating indoors.	CDC

Sources for the table: U.S. Fire Administration: Heating Fire Safety, USFA: Heating fire safety handout (PDF), USFA: Portable heater fire safety flyer (PDF), USFA: Fireplace and wood stove safety card (PDF), CDC: Safety Guidelines During and After a Winter Storm, CDC: Protect Yourself During a Power Outage.

• Space heaters and generators. The fire rule is to plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet (USFA); CPSC: “When using electric portable heaters, ALWAYS use a wall outlet; NEVER a power strip,” and “NEVER run the heater’s cord under rugs or carpeting.” Connecting a generator to house wiring through a transfer switch (Virginia Cooperative Extension, OSHA and CPSC quoted there) is covered in Backup Power for Vital Loads. The generator itself stays outside: CPSC, “outside only, at least 20 feet away from the house,” exhaust directed away; CDC, more than 20 feet from any windows, doors and vents. The full wording and CO alarm guidance are on Carbon Monoxide Safety.

How do I stay cool when the power goes out in a heat wave?

The CDC says that above 90°F a fan can increase body temperature, and Ready.gov says not to rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.

• Find air conditioning. Spend the hottest hours in an air-conditioned place such as a mall or library (NWS; CDC). The CDC says to dial 2-1-1, check your state’s cooling center list, or contact your local health department or emergency management agency to find one.
• Cool the body. Take a cool bath or shower (NWS), and wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing (NWS).
• Drink water. The CDC says to carry a water bottle and to consider limiting drinks high in sugar, caffeine and alcohol. How much water a household needs is covered in Water Needs.
• Keep the heat out. Cover windows with drapes or shades (Ready.gov).
• Never leave anyone in a car. NWS: “It is NEVER safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car, even in the winter.”
• Check on others. The CDC says to check on family, friends and neighbors.

Who is most at risk from cold or heat at home?

Infants and older adults appear on the CDC’s higher-risk lists for both cold and heat, and people with chronic conditions on its heat list. For cold, the CDC names older adults without enough food, clothing or heating and babies sleeping in cold bedrooms, along with people who drink alcohol or use drugs. For heat, the CDC lists adults 65 and older, infants and young children, people with chronic conditions, people without air conditioning, pregnant people, outdoor workers and athletes.

When should we leave home instead of staying?

The CDC says that if you cannot keep your home warm, stay somewhere else, and that when it is too hot or too cold you can go to friends or a community shelter, or spend a few hours somewhere air-conditioned such as a mall or public library. Ready.gov: “If air conditioning is not available in your home go to a cooling center.”

• Where to go. The CDC points to 2-1-1, your state’s cooling center list, or your local health department or emergency management agency for cooling centers.
• Leaving. The Red Cross’s planning guidance: “Decide where you would go and what route you would take to get there,” “Plot alternate routes on your map in case roads are impassable,” and “Practice evacuating your home twice a year” (Red Cross: Make a Plan). GoldBlock’s Tools & Mobility page does not yet cover evacuation; it is on the rebuild list.

What does it mean if someone is getting sick from cold or heat?

Cold and heat illness can turn into medical emergencies; the CDC calls hypothermia a medical emergency. If you see the warning signs the CDC lists, call 911. GoldBlock’s Medical & First Aid page covers medical readiness in general; the CDC’s own pages, linked here, list the warning signs and first steps.

• Cold: CDC: Preventing Hypothermia calls hypothermia a medical emergency and lists its warning signs.
• Heat: CDC/NIOSH: Heat-related Illnesses lists the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion and what to do.

What staying home can and cannot do

The CDC’s limits: if you cannot keep your home warm, stay somewhere else; infants under one year never sleep in a cold room; above 90°F a fan can increase body temperature; and never use a gas range or oven to heat a home, or a charcoal grill, camp stove or generator inside it.

Common misunderstandings about heat and cold at home

Each belief below is answered from the CDC, NWS or the U.S. Fire Administration.

• “The oven will warm the kitchen.” The CDC says never use a gas range or oven to heat a home.
• “An extension cord is fine for a space heater.” The U.S. Fire Administration says plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip.
• “A fan is enough.” Above 90°F a fan can increase body temperature (CDC); Ready.gov: do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.
• “A few minutes in the car won’t hurt.” NWS: it is never safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car.
• “Alcohol will warm me up.” The CDC advises avoiding alcohol and caffeine to stay warm during a winter storm.

Common questions

Is it safe to sleep with a space heater on?

No. The U.S. Fire Administration says to turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Can I plug a space heater into a power strip?

No. Plug it directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip (U.S. Fire Administration).

How far should a space heater be from furniture or curtains?

At least 3 feet from anything that can burn (U.S. Fire Administration).

Do fans help in a heat wave?

Above 90°F a fan can increase body temperature (CDC). Ready.gov: “If air conditioning is not available in your home go to a cooling center.”

What do I do with fireplace ashes?

Let them cool, put them in a metal container with a lid, and keep it outside at least 10 feet from the home (U.S. Fire Administration).

How do I find a cooling center?

The CDC says to dial 2-1-1, check your state’s cooling center list, or contact your local health department or emergency management agency.

Where to go next

• Shelter, Heat & PowerKeeping a home safe and livable when the power or weather fails.
• Carbon Monoxide SafetyGenerators, heaters, CO alarms and what to do when one sounds.
• Backup Power for Vital LoadsSizing and running backup power for the things that matter most.
• Medical & First AidMedical readiness at home and when to call 911.
• Water NeedsHow much water your household needs, including in heat.

Sources

• CDC: Safety Guidelines During and After a Winter Storm (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last reviewed August 25, 2026). Backup heat (blankets, sleeping bags, coats); close off rooms and block gaps under doors; cover windows at night; meals, warm drinks, avoid alcohol and caffeine; check on older neighbors; infants under one never sleep in a cold room; stay elsewhere if you cannot keep warm; electric heaters with automatic shut-off, no extension cords; combustion heaters only if properly vented; battery-operated CO detector.
• CDC: What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage (last reviewed August 26, 2026). Never use a gas range or oven to heat a home; no grills, hibachis, lanterns or camp stoves indoors; generators outside at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents; go to friends, a shelter or an air-conditioned public place when too hot or too cold; do not rely only on fans; battery-powered or battery-backup CO detectors; check with the local fire department about kerosene heaters.
• CDC: About Heat and Your Health (last reviewed July 20, 2026). Air conditioning; above 90°F a fan can increase body temperature; carry water, consider limiting drinks high in sugar, caffeine and alcohol; check on others; dial 2-1-1 or contact local health or emergency management to find air conditioning.
• CDC: People at Increased Risk for Heat-Related Illness (last reviewed June 25, 2024). Groups at higher risk from heat.
• CDC: Preventing Hypothermia (last reviewed August 25, 2026). Groups at higher risk from cold; hypothermia is a medical emergency; warning signs.
• CDC/NIOSH: Heat-related Illnesses. Signs of and first steps for heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
• National Weather Service: What To Do If You’re Caught in a Winter Storm. Close off unneeded rooms, block drafts, close blinds or curtains, eat and drink, dress in layers.
• National Weather Service: During a Heat Wave. Air-conditioned places such as malls and libraries; do not point a fan at yourself above 90°F; cool bath or shower; light, loose, light-colored clothing; check on others.
• National Weather Service: Heat Safety Tips and Resources. Never safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car.
• Ready.gov: Prepare for Extreme Heat. Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device; cover windows with drapes or shades; go to a cooling center if you have no air conditioning; never leave people or pets in a closed car.
• NIH Safe to Sleep: Safe Sleep for Your Baby (NIH Pub. No. 23-HD-7462B, April 2023) (read 2026-10-18). Firm, flat sleep surface; nothing in the sleep area; wearable blanket instead of blankets; avoid overheating, head and face uncovered.
• American Red Cross: Make a Plan (read 2026-10-18). Decide where you would go and the route; plot alternate routes; practice evacuating twice a year.
• CPSC: Winter Weather Safety Tips to Prevent Fires and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (news release, March 16, 2026) (read 2026-10-19). Space heater cords never on a power strip or under rugs; generators outside only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust directed away.
• U.S. Fire Administration: Heating Fire Safety (last reviewed May 4, 2023). At least 3 feet from all heat sources; turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed; never use an oven to heat your home.
• U.S. Fire Administration: Heating fire safety handout (PDF). Tip-over shut-off; plug directly into a wall outlet; buy only listed heaters; kerosene heaters refueled cool and outdoors.
• U.S. Fire Administration: Portable heater fire safety flyer (PDF). Plug directly into wall outlets; solid, flat surface; check cords.
• U.S. Fire Administration: Fireplace and wood stove safety card (PDF). Screen; yearly chimney inspection and cleaning; ashes in a lidded metal container at least 10 feet from the home; put the fire out before sleeping or leaving.