[schiffern]

When they said "those with gas appliances can still heat their homes," I assume they meant using the gas stove as a contigency heat source.

Recommended? Of course not. But a lot of (especially rural propane) users do it to avoid freezing pipes and people.

SF maybe not so much, but in climates where you can literally die without heat (often because you're simultaneously "snowed in"), you really really want dissimilar redundancy.

(obviously NEVER heat with a stove, because as we all know you'll burn down your house and/or asphyxiate from carbon monoxide)

[mercyandgrace]

This is it. I run oil mostly, but have a propane fire place insert in the event of a power outage. While it is insuficient to heat my entire home, and every pipe in my house may burst from the cold, at least my family will be able to stay warm.

[yamtaddle]

My experience is that those duffel-bag-sized portable kerosene heaters are almost as common as pickup trucks, out in the sticks. At least in places that have real winters.