How to Stay Warm in a House Without Heat Overnight

Last updated: 15 October 2026.

A boiler that dies on a Friday night, a power cut in a storm, a gas supply problem. Getting through one cold night without heating is mostly about doing a few simple things early, and absolutely not doing a couple of dangerous ones.

First: what never to do

• Never use a gas oven, gas hob, barbecue, camping stove, patio heater or generator to heat a room. They produce carbon monoxide, which has no smell and kills people every winter. Generators belong outside, well away from doors and windows.
• Never leave candles burning unattended or near fabric, and never sleep with them lit.
• Do not use an electric blanket that is old, damaged or wet.

If you have a carbon monoxide alarm, check it works. If you do not have one, it is worth buying one this week.

Pick one room

Choose the smallest room you can all sleep in, ideally with few external walls and no large windows. Close the door, put a rolled towel along the bottom, and close the curtains as soon as it gets dark. Body heat from several people in one small room makes a real difference.

Layer properly

• Several thin layers beat one thick one. Each traps a layer of air.
• Cover your head and neck with a hat or hood, especially when sleeping.
• Dry socks, and change them if your feet sweat; damp socks go cold fast.
• Cover your legs. A long wearable blanket or a dressing gown over your clothes keeps the legs and feet in a warm envelope while you are still up. Enfold is the kind of thing that helps here: hooded and ankle-length.

Make the bed warm

• Put blankets under you as well as over you; the mattress draws heat away.
• Use a sleeping bag inside the bed if you have one.
• Fill hot water bottles from a kettle if you have power, and only ever with hot, not boiling, water. Replace any bottle that is cracked or old.
• Get into bed warm: move around for a few minutes first.

Eat and drink

Have a warm drink and something to eat before bed. Digestion produces heat, and being dehydrated or hungry makes you feel the cold more. Avoid alcohol; it makes you feel warm while it increases heat loss.

Check on others

Babies, older people and anyone unwell lose heat faster and may not notice it. Check on them during the night and on elderly neighbours in the morning.

When to get help

Signs of hypothermia include shivering that becomes severe and then stops, confusion, slurred speech, drowsiness and pale, cold skin. That is an emergency: call your local emergency number. For a gas leak, leave the property and call your gas emergency line. If the power cut is wider than your house, your network operator (in the UK, call 105) can tell you when it will be back.

Common questions

How do you stay warm in a house with no heat?

Move everyone into one small room with the door closed and curtains drawn, wear several thin layers with a hat, put blankets under and over you in bed, use hot water bottles if you can safely boil water, and eat and drink something warm before bed.

Is it safe to use a gas oven to heat a room?

No. Gas ovens and hobs are not designed to heat rooms and can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Never use them, or barbecues, camping stoves or generators, for heating indoors.

How cold is too cold to sleep in a house?

UK health guidance suggests at least 18°C for older people and people with health conditions, and 16 to 20°C for a room where a baby sleeps. Healthy adults can sleep safely in colder rooms with enough insulation around them, but watch for signs of hypothermia.