Staying warm without power: how to keep warm when the electricity goes

11 hours ago

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If the power goes out in winter, you need a plan for heat. DSB recommends warm clothes, duvets or sleeping bags, a heat source that doesn't need electricity – and an agreement on where you can stay if it gets too cold at home.

“In many homes, electricity is the only source of heat,” writes DSB. According to Statistics Norway (SSB), about 80 per cent of households heat their homes mainly with electricity – electric heaters or a heat pump. Here's how quickly it gets cold, which heat sources are safe – and which are dangerous.

Last updated 30 September 2026 · Hurtig Beredskap

In short

A new house can drop below 15 °C after two days without power in January, according to a model from SINTEF and NTNU.
Dress in layers, gather in one room, close doors and hang blankets over the windows.
Only use heaters made for indoor use – never a barbecue, generator or outdoor gas appliance inside.
Carbon monoxide has no smell. Get a CO alarm if you use gas, paraffin or wood.
A camping stove and tealights are for food and light – not for heating the house.

How quickly does the house get cold?

Researchers at SINTEF and NTNU modelled a new house built to the TEK17 building standard in Oslo, where the power goes out one January night with 21 degrees in the living room. After a few hours it's below 18 degrees. After two days it's colder than 15 degrees. After four days the temperature is down to 11 degrees. A passive house holds up a little better, but also falls below 15 degrees after four days.

Older houses aren't included in the calculation. If your house is less well insulated, expect it to happen faster.

How long do power cuts last in Norway?

Most power cuts are short. But in 2025 each electricity customer was without power for an average of 3 hours and 33 minutes – the highest level in fourteen years, largely because of Storm Amy, according to the Norwegian Energy Regulatory Authority. In Trøndelag the average was 11 hours and 23 minutes. During Amy, just under 50,000 of Tensio's customers lost power, and the grid company asked people to be prepared to be without electricity for several days.

If a power cut lasts 12 hours or more, you're entitled to compensation from your grid company. Read more at NVE (in Norwegian).

What does DSB recommend?

In the brochure “Advice on emergency preparedness” (in Norwegian), DSB asks everyone to have a plan for keeping warm. This is what you should have at home:

Warm clothes and throws, duvets or sleeping bags.
A supply of candles and matches or a lighter.
Firewood, if you have a wood stove or fireplace – and a fireplace and chimney that are approved and in good condition.
Possibly a gas or paraffin heater designed for indoor use.
Possibly backup power, such as a generator or a battery with a 230-volt outlet.

If you have no other heat source and the power cut drags on, the advice is to agree with neighbours, family or friends that you can stay with them.

Safe and dangerous heat sources

Heat source	Indoors?	What to watch out for
Wood stove or fireplace	Yes	Approved fireplace and chimney. Dry wood gives better heat and less risk of a chimney fire.
Gas or paraffin heater made for indoor use	Yes, with care	Keep an eye on it, ventilate well, and never use it in a room where someone is sleeping.
230-volt battery or generator	Battery yes, generator no	A generator must always be outside. A 1,000-watt heater drains a 1 kWh battery in about an hour.
Camping stove	For cooking, not for heating	Short use, good ventilation, a stable and non-flammable surface. Never in a bedroom.
Tealights and candles	For light, not heat	At least 10 cm between tealights, and never leave lit candles in an empty room.
Barbecues, disposable barbecues and outdoor gas appliances	No, never	Produce deadly carbon monoxide. Outdoor use only.

DSB reminds us that more use of open flames increases the risk of fire. About one in four fires starts with an open flame, and December and January are the months with the most serious fires.

Carbon monoxide: the invisible danger

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas with no smell or taste. It forms when something burns with too little oxygen – for example a gas heater, a barbecue or a camping stove in a poorly ventilated room. DSB says gas appliances made for outdoor use must never be used indoors, and that free-standing gas heaters without a flue shouldn't be used for long periods.

Typical signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, nausea and fatigue. If anyone feels this, everyone should get out into fresh air immediately. For serious symptoms, call 113. The Norwegian Poison Information Centre answers around the clock on +47 22 59 13 00.

DSB recommends installing a CO alarm when you use gas appliances indoors. Note that a CO alarm is not the same as a gas alarm.

How to keep warm – step by step

Dress in layers. Wool next to the skin, a hat and thick socks. That keeps you warmer than one thick jumper.
Gather in one room. Choose a small room, ideally with a heat source. Close the doors and hang blankets between rooms.
Insulate the windows. Hang blankets or curtains over the windows at night.
Sleep warm. Duvets, sleeping bags and throws. Put a sleeping mat or blanket underneath so you don't lose heat to the floor.
Eat and drink something hot. Hot food and drinks warm you from the inside. Use the camping stove briefly and with good ventilation.
Keep the freezer closed. According to Elvia, it takes between 10 and 30 hours for a full freezer to go from minus 18 to minus 12 degrees.
Decide in advance when to leave. Agree on who you can stay with, and go before it gets too cold – especially with small children, elderly or sick people in the house.

Wood stoves: who has one?

According to SSB, 51 per cent of households have a closed wood stove or fireplace insert – 75 per cent in detached houses, but only 13 per cent in blocks of flats. Only 9 per cent use wood as their main heating. If you live in a flat, an agreement with someone who has heat is extra important.

If you have a wood stove, keep dry firewood in stock. Follo fire service says the moisture content should be down to 15–20 per cent. A simple trick: knock two logs together. Dry wood rings.

Heat in our kits – honestly

No emergency kit fully covers heating, ours included. It depends on your home. This is what's included:

Mini: emergency sleeping bag and tealights.
Standard and Large: two emergency sleeping bags, tealights and a camping stove for hot food and drinks. Fuel not included.

You need to arrange warm clothes, duvets and a heat source yourself. Each product page shows what's included and what you need to add. See also how much water you need for one week.

Frequently asked questions about heat without power

Can I use a camping stove indoors?

For cooking, briefly and with good ventilation, on a stable, non-flammable surface and under supervision. Never in a bedroom, and not as a heat source. Never refill spirit while the burner is hot – methylated spirits burn with an almost invisible flame.

Can I use a gas heater indoors?

Only a gas heater made for indoor use. Keep an eye on it and never place it in a room where someone is sleeping. Gas appliances for outdoor use must never be used inside.

Do tealights give off heat?

A little, but not enough to heat a room. Many tealights close together can get so hot that they catch fire. Use them for light, and keep at least 10 cm between them.

What do I do if I don't have a wood stove?

DSB mentions a gas or paraffin heater for indoor use, or backup power. If you have neither, agree with neighbours, family or friends that you can stay with them.

When am I entitled to compensation for a power cut?

When the power cut lasts 12 hours or more. Your grid company must then pay you a fixed amount that increases with the duration. See NVE's rules.