Last winter we lost power for 24 hrs, and I was really cold. How can I prepare for such an event?
The wind was blowing and when I arrived home from work, I realized we had no power. I live rural, so chances of getting it back on quick is pretty grim. I had about 2 dozen tea candles and a kitchen gas stove, and some matches, so I fired up the stove, lit about 5 candles and waited it out in the freezing cold. I have a utility room which has a gas wall heater, but there is no where to sit down except my computer which has a bar stool in front of it. How can I prepare myself for another power outage. Whats the proper size generator for a 3 bedroom 1 person occupied house. I would basically like to have enough power to listen to the radio and maybe watch some TV to keep up with how its going. Can you give me some idea’s to prepare for a power outage if we get another one in the cold?
Tagged with: bar stool • gas stove • power outage • radio • size generator • tea candles
Filed under: Your Community Center
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The first thing I think about is the safety of my family. So we have a disaster bag ready to go in two rooms in the opposite end of the house. In a dog house size bunker we have a 8,000 watt generator ready to go with the turn of a key We also have back up fuel in a covered shed for the generator and the truck. The generator will run 12 to 15 hours on one tank full at 5,000 watts.
Inside the disaster bags we have enough MRE’s to last week (7 to 10 days) for 4 people. Each MRE has food and water that will make you happy and it has it’s own heat pack for cooking. We also have extra water for drinking and cleaning.
We have a first aid kits, one smaller one in each bag and one large one in the closet a long with one pair of crutches.
We have a wind up radio and flash lights, one flashlight per person. We also have several 6 volt battery flashlights, and three battery lanterns with extra batteries. Being in Hawaii we do not need to worry about cold but we do have several vacuum sealed bags of clothes. I think you could have an electric heater hooked up to your generator.
We also have extra canned goods for extra food if the lock down last more then seven days. At the end of hurricane season we eat the food and drink the water so next year it will be fresh.
We also have a tool box with a an aggressive tooth handsaw, hammer,nails plastic bags, screw drivers, pliers, small crow bar and a tarp. We also have a chain saw in the shed.
Before the threat of a storm we recover funds in case we need to buy anything and we also freeze water in our chest freezer to keep what perishable we have good until we eat it. In your case I assume you will not need to worry about keeping your food cold, but from freezing.
Thus far we have not needed to use our plan and the MRE’s last for 5 years. MRE’s also carry water petrification tablets in the event our water supply is compromised. Our plan can be with or without the generator. we also have a tent to stay in until the house is safe to inhabit again. We plan to weather the storm in a shelter and then return to our own home when it is safe. In your case you will not have to worry about your house blowing away.
install a woodstove and buy some candles
First, I would suggest having a fall-back position. Decide just how cold you are NOT willing to be, then figure out another place for you to be in that event. For example, "if the inside of the house gets to X degrees, I am going to stay with my sister until the power comes back!"
Don’t forget to check with your sister, or whoever, to make sure it’s okay to use their house as your fall-back position! And if you don’t have somewhere to stay, find out if your insurance policy will cover a hotel stay when your house is unlivable. If not, or if there’s a big deductible, put aside enough money, if necessary in a separate savings account, to pay for it. You hope you’ll never need it, but you’ll feel better knowing that you are prepared.
You can push "X degrees" down pretty far, if you are prepared. Act as if you were doing winter camping: Keep dressed in layers of warm, dry clothes. Get a sleeping bag like you’d use for winter camping, one rated down to at least 30 degrees, lower if you can. You don’t have to sleep on the floor; just spread it on top of your bed. A mylar "survival blanket" will help hold your body heat in so you can sleep.
Do you have a fireplace or woodstove? Even if you don’t often use it, make sure at the start of every winter that it is in working condition, with the chimney clean, so that you can use it if you need emergency heat. Look for opportunities to obtain cheap firewood. It pays to think ahead! Freshly cut wood is sometimes cheaper if you buy it in the spring, then stack it in a crisscross pattern to let air circulate so that it will be dry enough to burn by winter. If your neighbor gets a tree removed, ask if you can cut it up. I’m planning to cruise my block for discarded Christmas trees; this year’s trash is next year’s fuel! (But don’t use too much pine in an indoor fireplace or stove; the oils can be bad for the chimney.)
Even an outdoor firepit can help you to warm up for a couple of hours when your house is cold. So can a ride in a warm car.
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water. People often don’t notice their thirst as much when they are cold, but it’s actually easy to get dehydrated.
Good luck! Here’s hoping for a good winter!
The main idea is to have everything you need ready ahead of time. When the blizzard hits, supplies run short- especially portable generators. Per your question about the generator, you’ll need to know the wattage requirements of the appliances that you want to power in order to guesstimate the correct size. If you are looking at getting a generator for your whole house, it is strongly recommended that you get some professional advice (from an electrician or a generator supplier- you would have to consult them anyway). But just to power your radio and a TV for a while, a portable generator may do. I’ve included a link to wattage calculator and a generator buyer’s guide.