The recently extended power outages in the Greater Toronto Area over the holidays had us all scrambling to make sure we know how to stay warm when your power goes out next. Bathing, preparing meals and finding ways to pass the time was also difficult (if not impossible) to do.

The 2012 outage report from power management company Eaton Canada showed that over 600,000 people were affected by the loss of power that year, with the majority of them living in Ontario.

While the ice storm of 2013 caught many of us by surprise with its severity and scope, you can be prepared for the next one by gathering a few supplies now.

How to stay warm when your power goes out

Let There Be Light

One of the first things you will want in the event of a power outage, particularly in the winter when the sun sets around 4:30 pm, is a light source.

Purchase a flashlight for each person in your household to keep with them. Lanterns, like the ones you used to take camping as a child, are also effective and can be placed in an area where you will be spending your most time during the power outage.

Many LED lanterns have a life of 10+ hours when used on the lowest setting, so use them sparingly if the power outage is a prolonged one. Remember, however, not to use propane lanterns – only lanterns with an LED light bulb are acceptable for use as they do not produce carbon monoxide.

Candles can be a light source (as well as a heat source) but they must be used with caution, especially if small children or pets live in your home. Keep the candles on a solid, flat surface out of reach of little hands or paws. Never leave a burning candle unattended, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Larger candles with a wide base are ideal, as they will not tip over as easily as a classic candlestick style.

Get Cozy

Trying to stay warm in subzero temperatures can be a challenge when your power is out. Layering your clothing is one of the first steps to creating some warmth, usually with a synthetic layer closer to your skin (polyester, silk or nylon). On top of your base layer, you will want to load up on cotton – and lots of it! Even wearing your winter coat inside can help to keep you toasty.

You can try to create a warm room in your apartment by putting up thick blankets on the walls. To do this, you’ll want to choose the smallest room that you would be most comfortable in; A smaller room is much easier to “heat” than a large living room. Keep your window shades drawn to prevent any cold air from leaking in and pouring into your home. Better yet, build a pillow and blanket fort! Not only will you be cozy and warm, but it will be a fun activity if you have children.

Safety First

The quest for warmth can sway us into making decisions that we would not normally make, such as using a barbecue indoors to help heat our apartments. Remember that these solutions that seem too good to be true generally are – using a barbecue indoors is an immense fire hazard as well as a potential source of carbon monoxide poisoning.

To keep food fresh for as long as possible, avoid opening your refrigerator or freezer doors. Each time they are opened, the cool air escapes and your food will spoil faster. If you are able (and if the power seems like it will be out for a long time), you may wish to transfer your most perishable and expensive items to a cooler with ice packs that you purchased. There is nothing worse than a freezer full of spoiled meat!

Finally, unplug as many things as you can around your home. When the power does come back on, all of these electronics coming online at the same time can create a power surge which may result in damage. Instead, plug each item back in one by one, allowing each one sufficient time to power back up before moving on to the next one.

The Government of Canada Get Prepared website offers more helpful tips for handling a power outage with aplomb:

– First, check whether the power outage is limited to your home. If your neighbours’ power is still on, check your own circuit breaker panel or fuse box. If the problem is not a breaker or a fuse, check the service wires leading to the house. If they are obviously damaged or on the ground, stay at least 10 meters back and notify your electric supply authority. Keep the number along with other emergency numbers near your telephone.

– If your neighbours’ power is also out, notify your electric supply authority.

– Turn off all tools, appliances and electronic equipment, and turn the thermostat(s) for the home heating system down to a minimum to prevent damage from a power surge when power is restored. Also, power can be restored more easily when there is not a heavy load on the electrical system.

– Turn off all lights, except one inside and one outside, so that both you and hydro crews outside know that power has been restored.

– Don’t open your freezer or fridge unless it is absolutely necessary. A full freezer will keep food frozen for 24 to 36 hours if the door remains closed.

– Never use charcoal or gas barbecues, camping heating equipment, or home generators indoors. They give off carbon monoxide. Because you can’t smell or see it, carbon monoxide can cause health problems and is life-threatening.

– Listen to your battery-powered or crank radio for information on the outage and advice from authorities.

– Make sure your home has a working carbon monoxide detector. If it is hard-wired to the house’s electrical supply, ensure it has a battery-powered back-up.

– Protect sensitive electrical appliances such as TVs, computers, and DVD players with a surge-protecting power bar.

Stay safe & warm this Winter!

-The RentSeeker.ca Team

Don’t let a smaller space stop you from getting into the holiday spirit!

No Tree? No Problem!

Due to the fire hazard of a dried out Christmas tree, many apartment buildings will not allow their tenants to use real Christmas trees.

While this may seem disappointing at first, real Christmas trees are far more difficult to care for (monitoring water levels, cleaning up the inevitable messes).

Going with the more economical option – a fake tree – allows you to follow your apartment’s rules and find a tree that fits your home perfectly.

If you don’t have the room for a tree at all, why not get a small tabletop version? You can purchase one from a store like Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart for under $40 and they make your home feel festive without the clutter.

Safety First: While it may be tempting to unleash hordes of tinsel and garland all over your home, keep in mind that these items pose a hazard to children and animals.

Keep them out of reach by placing them on the upper-tier of your tree or on top of mantles. The shiny tinsel is enticing to small children and our animal friends and it poses a significant choking hazard to both.

Twinkle, Twinkle

Lights are the one item that will make your home feel holiday-ready immediately.

Before making your purchase, read the box thoroughly.

Are the lights you are buying indoor or outdoor? Are they waterproof? What is the wattage?

Lights on a tree can get very hot, so use the most appropriate light and wattage for your tree.

As with tinsel and garlands, ensure your lights are high enough to be out of reach. You don’t want a National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation-style cat mishap!

Candles are another wonderful item for the holidays that can fill your home with light and scents of baking.

Ensure your candles are in sight at all times when they are burning and give them plenty of space.

Put Away Other Seasons’ Decorating Leftovers

Are any Easter eggs still hanging about? Some spooky decorations a few weeks after Halloween? What about Canada Day banners?

Put away any decorative items that are out of season.

It can be extra helpful to put away other decorative items that are brightly coloured.

Fall and holiday decorating are all about reds, greens, oranges, silver and gold.

Embrace this by putting aside any bright pink vases you enjoyed during the summertime.

Coffee Table Decoration

Clear off the usual coffee table books and add a snow globe or cluster of holiday-coloured candles.

Even holiday-coloured candy placed in a nice bowl will add festivity to your coffee table.

Christmas Stockings, but No Mantle?

Ideally, stockings will be hung from the fireplace mantle, but many of us don’t have this living room focal point to use for decorating.

In this case, stockings can be hung from a blank wall with 3M removable Command Hooks, or from the doorknob of the bedroom door.

Hanging the stocking from the bedroom door is a great way to decorate the hallway as well, as the hallway often gets left out of the holiday decoration.

Use Ornaments Everywhere

Hang ornaments from every place in the house where they will not be in the way.

Hang them from the chandelier in the dining room. Hang them from houseplants or coat racks. String them on ribbons and hang them around the bathroom mirror.

When hanging them from a Christmas tree, use ribbon to string them instead of metal hooks to add a higher level of elegance to Christmas tree decorating.

Don’t Forget the Front Door

Hang a wreath or a dried bouquet of holiday-themed plants from the front door.

Adding bells to the wreath or bouquet will add a musical jingling greeting. Adding a poinsettia just outside the front door will add a holiday welcome to you and your guests as they come to your front door.

Finally, check with your landlord or apartment management team to see what their plans are for decorating the common areas of the building.

If you are unable to have a large tree in your own apartment, your landlord may be planning to put one up in the lobby.

Organize a building-wide decorating day and go all out – tree decorations, paper snowflakes and even icicle lights will make your building a winter wonderland.

However you celebrate, have a happy and safe holiday season!

The RentSeeker.ca Team

If you are like many people, you may not consider your personal apartment security to be very important. After all, you are only one apartment in a building full of units. So why would you need to worry about burglary? However, recent statistics reported by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation show that burglary accounts for 22% of all property crime. So how do you prevent yourself from becoming just another statistic and increase the security for your apartment?

Doors

Before moving in, ask if the door to your apartment will be re-keyed.
Sometimes a previous tenant will still have a copy of the apartment key, and you do not want them to be able to access your home. You may need to make copies of your keys, but most apartment owners don’t allow key copies for anyone who doesn’t live in the apartment, including friends, partners and family.

If the lock on your door is not a deadbolt, ask for one to be installed. You’ll also want to have a peephole in the door so you can see who is outside, especially if someone knocks and you are not expecting company! Remember: it is your right as a tenant to feel secure and safe in your own home.

Balconies and Sliding Doors

Ah, sliding doors that open out onto a beautiful balcony – who wouldn’t want to leave the door open to get let in the fresh air?
Well, criminals are counting on you to leave those doors open.
Especially if your rental unit on a floor close to the ground If you are not going to be home, or it is night, close and lock your sliding doors.

Even if you are on a higher floor, a determined criminal really doesn’t mind as long as they have easy access to your home. Further to that, do not leave any valuable items on your balcony and keep a broom handle or any long stick in the track of sliding doors as a further security precaution.

Entranceway

Many rental apartment buildings will have a sign posted in the entranceway to remind you of this very crucial fact: If you do not know who the person is, do not let them in the building.

It may be tempting to be a Good Samaritan and let someone in if they give you a sob story, but you just cannot do so under any circumstances. This is so important that we will repeat it again – if you do not know who the person is, do not let them into the apartment building.

Get to Know Your Neighbours

The more you know your neighbours, the more inclined you will be to look out for each other. Introduce yourself to people in your building and ask if there is a crime watch group (and if there isn’t, why not start one?).

Let your neighbours across the hall from you know if you will be away for an extended period of time, and perhaps they can pick up your mail so it won’t look like the apartment is empty. Better yet, add a “No Junk Mail” sign, which will prevent a build-up of flyers while you’re gone.

IndependentTraveler.com offers these tips for travelling tenants:
1. Ask a Friend to Help
2. Don’t Tip Off Criminals on the Web
3. Hide Valuables or Store Off-Site
4. Leave Your Curtains as you Usually Keep Them 5. Purchase Light Timers 6. Stop Your Mail 8. Unplug Appliances 9. Remove Your Spare Key

Also, when it comes to your name, never use your full name anywhere (mailbox, entry board, etc.); only use initials.

Finally, many advise having an unlisted phone number for safety reasons. This tactic will also cut down on solicitation calls.

See Something? Say Something!

The golden rule – if something doesn’t feel right, let your landlord know. If you witness a crime or suspicious taking place, call the police immediately and don’t try to stop it yourself.

Your safety and the safety of your fellow residents is the most important thing!

Related: Is Renting a Furnished Apartment Worth It?

The RentSeeker.ca Team