What is hypothermia ?

Answer :

Hypothermia is a serious condition which results when the body loses heat faster than it generates heat.

There is a risk of hypothermia if the indoor temperature drops below 15.5 °C (60 °F)..

Most vulnerable are children, pregnant women, the elderly, people who are sick, injured or have a medical condition, or those who take drugs or medication.

What are the signs of hypothermia ?

Answer :

Hypothermia causes a variety of physiological, biochemical and hormonal changes, evidenced by the following signs :

• Lack of coordination ;
  
• Confusion, irrational thinking ;
  
• Irritability ;
  
• Hallucinations ;
  
• Sleepiness ;
  
• Slowed breathing ;
  
• Slowed pulse ;
  
• Cardiac arrest (eventually).
  

What can I do to prevent hypothermia ?

Answer :

Dress in layers, wear thick wool socks and keep your shoes on. Keep your clothes dry. Do not wear anything wet or damp.

The best fabrics :

• wool (one of the best insulators, even when wet) ;
  
• thick cotton (unless it's wet or damp)
  

Avoid contact with cold surfaces (ground, floor or furniture).

Sleeping on a foam rubber mat can considerably reduce conduction heat loss.

If you have to sleep in a cold bed, warm yourself up first by eating and doing some exercise. The heat this generates will warm your clothes and bedding.

Blankets and sleeping bags can diminish your body's heat loss, but can't warm you up if you're already cold.

When the air is cold and dry, you lose heat when you breathe, as humidity evaporates from your respiratory tract. You also lose heat through evaporation from the surface of your skin, so make sure perspiration does not dampen your clothes. Dress in layers and remove outer ones during exertion (before you start to sweat) and put them back on afterwards (before you start to get cold).

What can I do to treat hypothermia ?

Answer :

Act immediately before the person's condition deteriorates.

Keep vulnerable parts of the body well covered :

• The head and neck (account for 30% of a body's heat loss) ;
  
• Legs and feet
  

Is it dangerous to use a naphtha-burning stove indoors ?

Answer :

Yes. Burning naphtha indoors can cause asphyxiation. This type of stove consumes three times more oxygen than a person. As for coal-burning stoves, they are much more dangerous because they also release carbon monoxide.

How long will the food in my refrigerator or freezer keep during a power failure ?

Answer :

Your food will keep 24 to 48 hours, provided that you open the refrigerator and freezer door as little as possible. However, once the food in your freezer has thawed you should eat it as soon as possible, and avoid refreezing it.

How can I protect electronic equipment when power is restored, or in the event of voltage fluctuations ?

Answer :

Plug your equipment into a power bar with a surge protector, available in any good hardware store. Also, avoid plugging electronic equipment into the same circuit as powerful motor-driven appliances, such as a dishwasher, air conditioner or refrigerator.

Can electronic equipment be damaged if it gets really cold in the house after several days without power ?

Answer :

Not really, but it's still a good idea to wait until the ambient temperature and relative humidity have returned to normal before turning such equipment on.

Why drain the water heater after a week without power ?

Answer :

Two reasons: to prevent the water from freezing and bursting the tank and pipes, and because bacteria can form in unheated water that is left standing.

How do I drain the water heater ?

Answer :

You should drain your water heater if you have to leave your home for several days or weeks, particularly during a cold snap. This prevents bacteria from proliferating in the stagnant water, and prevents water from freezing and damaging the tank.

To drain the tank :

• Flip the switch on the water heater to OFF.
  
• Close the cold-water inlet valve.
  
• Open a hot-water tap to let air enter the tank.
  
• Attach a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank, and put the other end in the basement drain, in the bathtub or outside
  
• Open the drain valve and drain the tank.
  

To rinse and fill the tank :

• Make sure the garden hose is still attached to the drain valve.
  
• Make sure one of your hot-water taps is still open.
  
• Open the cold-water inlet valve and let water flow out through the garden hose until it runs clear. This will flush out any deposits from the bottom of the tank.
  
• Close the drain valve and let the tank fill up. It's full when water runs normally from the hot-water tap you opened previously.
  
• Close the hot-water tap when all the air is removed from the tank.
  
• Flip the water heater switch to ON.
  

I'm planning to buy a generator. What advice can you give me ? What features should I look for ?

Answer :

The rated power of home generators varies from 1800 to 6300 watts (1.8 to 6.3 kW). First, calculate the total in watts of all the appliances you want to connect to the generator. This is the minimum number of watts your generator should be able to supply. Allow for an additional 25% to cover the extra power required by certain appliances, such as the refrigerator.

In addition to rated power in watts, you should consider operating time, weight, motor noise, and whether the generator is equipped with a voltage regulator.