Dress warmly, in layers. If you lose your heat, close the doors of unused rooms and place towels under the doors. At night, cover windows with shades, extra blankets or sheets. Unplug sensitive electronics to protect them from surges when power is restored.
Early Humans Wore Animal Fur to Keep Warm
With furs, surviving in the northern hemisphere was easier. Animal hides and fur were a source of warmth and were used as wind and waterproof clothing. Researchers found evidence of this in bone tools dating back between 120,000 years and 90,000 years ago.
Have emergency heating source and fuel—such as a gas fireplace, wood burning stove or fireplace—so you can keep at least one room livable. Be sure the room is well ventilated. Make sure your home is properly insulated. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows to keep cold air out.
You can also mist yourself with a spray bottle, wear wet clothes, keep your hair wet, put your hands or feet in cool water, and wear wet cloths on your head or neck. Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing. Organic fabrics such as cotton or linen are good options because they breathe better than synthetic materials.
Water fountains
Some fountains in big cities were built as large troughs so people could do more than just take a drink of water. On a hot summer day, they were an oasis where people could submerge their heads to stay cool.
Buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.
Place a shallow pan of ice in front of a battery-operated fan to create a rudimentary air-conditioning system that cools without electricity. Hang wet towels or sheets in front of an open window can also create a DIY evaporative cooling system.
A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed). Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F (4°C) or below, however, its quality may suffer. Never taste food to determine its safety.
Stock Water: Fill the bathtub so you have water to flush the toilet. Then fill large containers for drinking water.
Moisture in the air helps prevent the buildup of static electricity. Additionally, regularly moisturizing the skin, using anti-static sprays on fabrics, and grounding oneself by touching a metal object before touching electronic devices can further minimize static shock occurrences.
Before electricity became a cornerstone of modern life, people relied on natural resources and manual ingenuity to survive and thrive. Fireplaces provided heat and light; candles and oil lamps illuminated homes; food preservation was achieved through salting, drying, or storing in cool cellars.
Vests, which were often made of wool, provided an extra layer of clothing that helped keep the cowboy warm in cold weather. Bandanna A square piece of cloth, also called a neckerchief or face mop, that was folded in half into a triangle and tied to hang loosely around the neck.
Amish communities use gas-powered and solar-powered refrigerators in their homes, embracing tradition and modern needs. They also have other food cooling and preservation methods like ice houses, spring houses, root cellars, canning, drying/dehydrating, smoking/salting, and fermentation.
Gather blankets, sleeping bags, and flashlights. Put on additional clothing layers, gloves, and a hat. If you have a tent and enough space, consider placing it temporarily inside to capture and share body heat.
Groundfridge is a brand new, super-old idea that keeps fresh produce deliciously fresh without any electricity.
Keeping Cool Indoors
They open the windows on the top floors to help the heat escape while the family retreats to the lower grounds within their homes for comfort. In some Amish homes, the basement is used as a family gathering place for dining or playing games.
Heavy Curtains and High Ceilings
Heavy curtains would be drawn during the day in rooms facing the sun. Since hot air rises and cooler air sinks, high ceilings allowed the hottest air to rise into the uppermost space in a room so that people were essentially living in the coolest air.
Living Without Electricity
Wood to heat the house and fuel the kitchen stove had to be cut and split by hand. Water was pumped from a well and had to be hauled, bucket by bucket, to the house or barn. Cows were milked by hand. The “toilet” was an outhouse in the yard.