Knowing a few winter survival secrets never hurt anyone. That's why, we've outlined 13 in this article to help you when a winter storm brings in snowstorms, freezing rain, snow pellets, graupel, and rime.
They can also minimize your winter problems like having to keep the heat in check at home, blackouts, and frozen water pipes.
Winter Survival Methods: Keeping The Heat In Check
1. Preparing for the Cold Months
It is vital that people prepare for the different seasons of the year, most especially for winter. 
This article will show you what you need to prepare for your winter survival kit.
2. Winter Storm Guide
Preparing for the ordinary winter months is good. Preparing for a winter storm is even better.
This guide will help you get through freezing rain, snow or sleet. Learn more about the ultimate guide to winter storms.
3. 5 Steps To Prepare Your Car For The Winter
We can’t stress enough that preparation is always the key to surviving extreme weather conditions.
These winter weather tips will show you how to get ready for a major blizzard:
- Put a winter supply box in your car.
- Check your engine coolant and antifreeze level.
- Check your tire pressure and tread depth.
- Use winter windshield wiper fluid.
- Switch to winter-grade oil at your next oil change.
4. Learn How to Roll West Virginia Style
Are you tired of shoveling snow at home just to clear a path for you and your family? Well, this guy down south will show you how to do it in a jiffy.
If the snow falling in your area is wet and sticky, you can say goodbye to those backbreaking lifting and scooping chores for good.
5. Cover The Gaps
There are several life hacks to help you make it through the cold without having to go through little winter inconveniences.
- You can warm up your home faster by putting a frozen bag of vegetables on top of your thermostat.
- Place an electric blanket on top of the clothes you want to use for the day before taking a shower.
- Keep your house humid and retain the heat by not draining the hot water in your bathtub after a bath.
- Economize on your electric and heating expenses by covering the gaps under your doors with pipe insulation. This keeps cold drafts from entering the room.
- Give your wheels more traction during the winter by placing kitty litter.
6. Tips on Survival for your Homestead
This article will show you how to protect your livestock, chickens, and outdoor pets from freezing to death.
There are other methods to protect or at least minimize the damage to your gardens, farm equipment, and other parts of your property. These are winter survival tips for the homestead.
7. Staying Warm During a Power Outage
There are a lot of ways to keep warm off the grid. The most basic way is to put on additional clothing.
But did you know there are specific types of clothing that can keep you warm much more effectively based on its CLO value and level of thermal insulation? The most significant factor in generating body heat is increased physical activity. Here's how to trap body heat to survive.
8. One Simple Technique To Keep Warm
People who lived in colder areas during the old days used this effective trick just to keep warm.
It’s called a kidney wrap.
9. Keeping Warm When The Heater Goes Out
Readiness is a must to prevent the heater from going out during the winter. However, even with all the preparation, there may be a time it might still bonk out on you.
There are several methods on how to keep warm after the heater goes out:
- Staying as close to the kitchen as you can when using the oven
- Turning on as many incandescent lights around the house as possible
- Using candles
- Closing all your windows
- Keeping the curtains closed
- Closing off any rooms to prevent losing heat
Read more about how to protect your house and family from the freezing temperatures.
10. Warm Up a Room with Terra Cotta Pots and a Candle
You’ll be amazed at how much warmer it can be in a room with this ingenious idea. You can learn to create your own terra cotta pots with candles with just a few bucks. You can also learn to make your own color block crayon candles.
11. Avoid Common Winter Injuries
If you enjoy the outdoors during the winter there are a number of injuries you need to look out for.
These common injuries are:
- Falling on snow or ice
- Muscle strain because of scraping ice off your car or from shoveling snow
- Motor vehicle collisions
- Accidents while doing activities or playing winter sports
12. Tips On Driving Safely During the Winter
Winter driving can be quite a challenge for a lot of people. As accidents do happen, it is important you follow these tips to get from point A to point B safely.
- Check the battery and charging system.
- Inspect your tires.
- Know your car.
- Plan ahead.
- Keep your vehicle well stocked.
- Know what to do in a winter emergency.
Read more to know the details on how to drive safely when driving during the winter.
13. Learn It All in One Read
The web can provide you with a ton of information on how to get through the ordeal of a major winter storm. For your convenience, we have gathered all the information so you can go through them all in just one sitting on how to survive a winter storm.
Watch this video by AdamEater where he shows the warmest winter survival shelter they built deep in bear country:
If you've taken the time to read and learn all the aforementioned winter survival methods, spending the cold months with your family and friends will never be quite the same after you have learned all the winter survival skills. Preparation is everything and knowledge is an essential part of survival.
Have more winter survival skills in mind? Share them in the comments section below!
Up Next: How To Stay Warm In Winter | How to Heat Your Home
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on March 6, 2017, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.
I really like this! I was wondering how you would heat such a shelter without a carbon monoxide or fire hazard or a draft. This is awesome! I might add, though, not to use wet stones such as you’d find in a stream. Some absorb water and will also explode when heated as the water within the rock turns to steam. Thanks so much for sharing this!