First of all, in order not to freeze in winter, you need to take care of your home. Whether it’s a private house or an apartment, it’s worth doing everything to ensure that heat is not lost in winter.

Check the tightness of windows and doors, if you live in an apartment - do not forget about the windows in the entrance. If necessary, close the cracks (put sealant in the frames), replace the broken glass.

If cold enters the apartment through the windows, the easiest way to avoid this is to install double-glazed windows. When choosing double-glazed windows, you should give preference to low-emissivity ones, since they transmit less heat.

There is also a more economical option - sealing the cracks with silicone sealant. It is applied to the joints (outside the window) around the entire perimeter. In this case, the sealant should be applied only to a dry surface.

Polyurethane foam will also help to insulate windows. It must be applied between the frame and the wall. You can also use a rubberized seal, but it will have to be changed annually with the onset of cold weather. A heat-saving film will help preserve heat; it can easily be glued to the glass using a regular hairdryer.

If you have modern double-glazed windows, check that the windows close tightly. If not, contact the company that installed the windows and they will adjust the window.

In addition, prepare the radiators, take furniture and curtains away from them, and stick heat-reflecting screens or homemade reflectors made of aluminum foil and cardboard behind the radiators. Check the condition of the roof and basement, insulate the walls if possible.

For additional heating, you can use electric blankets, heaters, air conditioners, etc. But remember about safety - use only high-quality and certified devices.

Let us remind you that in Ukraine there is an energy saving regime. Consumers are asked not to turn on energy-intensive appliances during peak hours from 6 to 9 am and from 5 to 11 pm, and to limit their use during the day. Restrictions apply to heaters, boilers, electric stoves, washing machines, ovens, air conditioners, microwave ovens, and electric kettles.

Remember! The more you saved electricity today, the fewer outages there were.

Stock up on lighting supplies. These can be candles, lanterns, battery-powered garlands, etc.

It is better to choose wax candles for lighting - they burn longer and are more environmentally friendly. Also a good option are wax candles, also called stearic candles. The worst, but also the cheapest option is paraffin candles. Paraffin may have an unpleasant odor and form soot when burned.

There are also oil lamps. These are lamps that operate on the basis of oil combustion. In ancient times, such a device was called a “kagan” and was used for burning loy (melted fat of cattle). It is not difficult to make such a candle; to do this, you need to pour oil into a container and lower the wick, a rope made of artificial or plant fibers, soaked in oil.

But please note that any candle is an open fire. Firstly, it is a fire hazard, and secondly, candles burn oxygen in the room when burning.

A safer lighting option is lanterns, lamps (light emitting diodes, LED) and garlands powered by batteries or accumulators. You can find many such devices in any price category. It is better to choose devices that have built-in batteries, or purchase rechargeable batteries in sufficient quantity and a charger for them.

Tourist lanterns with solar panels will also come in handy.
If you have an electric stove at home, then in the event of a lack of power supply, you will need products that can be consumed without cooking - snacks, nuts and dried fruits, canned food. Also pay attention to fast food, freeze-dried foods and tourist rations.

Also, in the absence of electricity, you can cook ordinary cereals; some of them need to be filled with boiling water, and for some, cold water is enough.

Thank you for your attention, Olesya.