The time to prepare is now
As sure as winter follows autumn, winter is sure to bring at least one power outage to someone this year. There can hardly be a worse time to be without heat or light than during the winter. Prepare now for those winter outages by storing non-electric heat and light.
Here are some steps you can take before a winter storm, to minimize the impact of an outage.
Before an outage:
- Check your flashlights and battery-powered portable radios to ensure that they are working, and that you have extra batteries.
- Make sure cell phones are fully charged.
- Keep pipes from freezing by wrapping them in insulation: foam insulators that you can buy at the hardware store, or wrap blankets or towels around the pipes or layers of newspapers.
- Keep pipes from freezing by wrapping them in insulation: foam insulators that you can buy at the hardware store, or wrap blankets or towels around the pipes or layers of newspapers.
- Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing and know where water valves are and how to shut them off.
- If an outage means you will lose your water, fill your bathtub and spare containers with water. Water in the bathtub should only be used for sanitation, not for drinking.
- Set your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings but remember to reset them back to normal once the storm has passed or power is restored. During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door. Food can stay cold in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours. A well-packed freezer can keep food for up to 48 hours.
- Have alternate heat sources ready: wood for wood burning stove or portable kerosene heaters. Use only kerosene heaters that are approved for indoor heating, such as Mr. Heater. Also, you may need to syphon gas from your car to run the generator.
- If you haven’t already, teach children safety rules when using candles, kerosene lamps and heaters.
- If you have a generator, get it ready. Make sure that you have enough gas and oil.
- Fill your car’s gas tank. Most gas station pumps require electricity to run, so you will not be able to get gas during an outage.
- Cook perishable foods so they don’t spoil. Have non-perishable and shelf-stable foods on hand that do not require cooking.
- Make sure that your smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors are working correctly and have fresh batteries.
- Check your outside fuel exhaust vents, making sure that they are not obstructed by snow or ice.
Here is a review of the top 10 hand-crank radio/flashlight/charger tools.
During an Outage:
- Dress in several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, rather than one layer of heavy clothing.
- Seal off all unneeded rooms. Close the doors or cover doorways with a blanket. Heat only the rooms most needed for the family.
- When the power is first restored, very often there will be a surge that could permanently damage electronics. Protect your sensitive electronics(TVs, stereo, VCR, microwave oven, computer, etc.) by unplugging them when the power first goes off.
- Leave one light on so that you know when power is restored.
- Check on your neighbors, especially those who are vulnerable—the elderly, sick, single mothers, families with young children.
After an Outage:
- Always assume a downed line is a live line. Call your utility company to report any outage-related problem.
- When you go outside to inspect for damage after a storm, never attempt to touch or move downed lines. Be aware that downed or hanging electrical wires can be hidden by snowdrifts, trees or debris, and could be live. Keep children and pets away from any electric wires.
- Check food for spoilage. Any food that has been at 40° or warmer for two or more hours should be discarded. Any food that smells bad should be discarded. If in doubt, throw it out.
- There are some really great emergency lights that you can have on hand. There are these super bright glow-in-the-dark lights. They come in sticks and pads and can light up a whole room. I love the Luci Solar Lights–they fold up small but create a nice bright light for the whole room. It will hold a charge for 3 months and will light 15 square feet for 6-12 hours.
- Be sure to have lights that come on automatically when the power goes off. (There’s also this whole house set with lights and flashlights for the whole house.)
Do you need a generator?
A generator can be a lifesaver during a prolonged outage, especially during the winter months. But is it worth the cost and hassle of maintaining? This post will help you decide.
