I live far enough south that we never need to worry about snow.
The winter season here is quite brief and very mild.
However, we sometimes see temperatures in the low forties or even the upper thirties. My little house is equipped with a packaged unit that provides both heating and cooling. The unit is installed outdoors and exposed to the elements. During the summer, it has no problem keeping the house perfectly cool. As an air conditioner, it’s extremely powerful and even on the hottest days, can quickly bring the temperature down to a comfortable level. The system struggles during the worst of the winter. I try to set the indoor temperature for as low as I can tolerate to reduce the workload of the heater. I’ve also invested into an electric space heater that resembles a wood burning stove. The fake logs and fire provide a nice ambience. Despite the unit’s compact size, it puts out quite a bit of heat. I like that it is very quiet, extremely clean and totally safe. None of the surfaces get hot to the touch. I turn it on and off and adjust the fan speed with a cordless remote. Although the electric space heater wasn’t overly expensive, it’s been a lifesaver. When the weather is severe, the whole-house heater sometimes ices over. I’ve already needed to stand outside in the freezing cold with a hair dryer plugged into an extension cord and blow warm air at the unit to thaw it out. Eventually, the packaged unit will need to be replaced with a more powerful and energy efficient alternative.