This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Full Disclosure Here.
Editor’s Note: This resource has been combined and updated!
With winter comes the wind, the snow, the ice and the extreme cold. And, more likely than not, winter will also bring the occasional power outage.
Have you asked yourself what you would do if the power went out for a day or two or for even a week? What would you do? Could you fend for yourself? Could you keep yourself warm in the winter and cool in the summer? What about food? Would your refrigerated and frozen items spoil? And yikes! What would you do about money if credit cards and ATMs no longer worked? Did I mention that in all likelihood you would not have internet access either?
Today I would like to provide 15 tips for getting through short-term power outages. These are the power outages that occur during winter storms or when a vehicle hits a power pole. (Longer term, apocalypse type outages are a subject for another time.) Now if you have a good memory, you will recall we discussed this subject back in July. That was summer. And now, with the cold months ahead of us, it would not hurt to have a refresher course.
We count on electricity for heat, food, medical, communication and financial needs. Our appliances and work-saving devices rely upon a source of electricity for operation and even many gas-powered appliances such as furnaces and hot water heaters need electricity to run. The worst thing about it is that when the power goes out, it is likely to be the result of some other emergency such as a hurricane, tornado, or winter storm. This means that the folks that are supposed to fix the problem may be spread wide and spread thin and it may be days before the lights are back on.
A power outage is not something that just might happen. I can pretty much guarantee that it will happen. The more you can do to prepare, the greater the likelihood that you will be comfortable and that will only suffer an inconvenience when the lights go out.
15 Tips to Start Prepping
1. Have flashlights ready in multiple, easily accessible locations around your home. Be sure to also have plenty of fresh, spare batteries. You need one really great flashlight but it is also nice to have a bunch of small, handheld LED handheld flashlights.
2. Have emergency candles plus matches available as well a candle lantern, oil lamp, or propane lantern. Be sure to include some longer, fireplace type matches or a butane wand for lighting fires in your fireplace or outdoors in a fire pit,
3. Have either a battery-operated radio, solar radio or hand crank radio so that you can stay in touch with the world. Make sure your radio is in working condition by testing it at least once a year.
4. Learn how to cook over an open fire, using charcoal or wood or even biomass.
5 Make sure you have a manual can opener for opening cans of food. If you are a coffee drinker, also have a French press available as well as pre-ground coffee,
6. Fill the empty space in your freezer with containers of water. Frozen water will displace air and keep food cold longer if the power goes out. Remember to leave space in containers for ice to expand. Empty milk cartons can be repurposed in this manner.
7. If you use a landline, have at least one phone with a handset cord in your home. Many cordless phones will not work in a power outage. Cell phone users should keep their cell phones charged and at the very least, pick up a cell phone car charger so you can charge the cell in your car if it runs down.
8. If you have an automatic garage door opener, learn how to use the manual release to open your garage door manually. Keep the instructions handy – perhaps taped to the inside of a closet door – so you don’t have to search for them when the time comes.
9. Keep your automobile’s fuel tank at least half full. Many gas stations will not be in operation during a power outage. And please – fill up your tank if a major storm is predicted.
10. Once the power goes out, unplug sensitive electrical equipment such as computers, printers, televisions, and audio equipment. When the power comes back on, there may be power spikes that can damage delicate electronics. I know, it has happened to me. Keeping these items plugged in to surge protector helps but it is still best to unplug these items from the wall completely.
11. Do not open refrigerators or freezers any more than necessary. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for approximately 4 hours, an unopened freezer will keep food frozen for approximately 24 hours and even longer if it is located in a cold garage. You will need to throw away any food items that become warmer than 41 degrees. No testing, no tasting. To the garbage it goes. Sorry, that is just the way it is.
12. Keep a supply of books, board games, playing cards and other items available to keep you entertained and amused during a power outage. A bit of chocolate and a bottle or two of wine or whiskey would also help in the amusement area.
13. Be wary of the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is caused from exposure to odorless fumes created by charcoal grills, camping stoves or generators that are operated inside a home or garage. Never, ever burn charcoal or use gasoline or propane-powered equipment inside your home. Don’t even do it in your garage or on your porch. Use such equipment only when you’re completely outdoors.
14. Notify your power company in advance if you use special healthcare equipment like oxygen generators or dialysis equipment that require power. Most power companies have the ability to note this in their records and will prioritize the response to your home.
15. If your budget allows, acquire a portable generator. Learn to safely use your generator and test it monthly. And don’t forget to store enough fuel to run the generator for up to a week. Alternately, you can look into solar generator options which are becoming increasingly reliable. Remember, your portable generator does not have to run full time. Your refrigerator will be just fine without power over night when it is not being opened and closed repeatedly.
Other Recommended Preps for Power Outages
We have covered basic power needs but what are some of the other essentials that you will want to have on hand during a power outage?
The following items will help you to sail through a power outage:
- Solar battery charger Very handy for charging batteries to power flashlights and other battery powered devices.
- Stock supplies for bundling up. Blankets are good, but a nice toasty sleeping bag or down comforter is better. A heavy jacket and socks are good, too. Plan to add layers for staying warm in a grid down scenario. Long johns, covered by clothing and topped with a jacket will serve you well. Don’t forget hats, scarves, and fingerless gloves, so that you can stay warm and still function.
- Store foods that require very little in terms of warming or cooking. These foods should be items that your family normally eats. Suggestions? Canned meats, peanut butter, crackers, canned fruits and veggies granola bars, and cold cereals. If you are a coffee drinker, include some instant coffee as well.
- Chemical light sticks. They are more versatile than you might expect. (Here are 10 reasons you need them in your emergency kit.)
- Amusements. Books, games, and playing cards. My favorite? A couple of decks of Canasta cards.
- The Spirit of Adventure. Okay, I had to throw that in. Let’s face it, a positive attitude plus your emergency preps will help you soldier through an extended power outage.
How to Survive a Long-Term Power Outage Grid Failure
Okay, so the short-term power outage is now a long-term – grid down – failure. What now?
Day One: Cities are Hit the Hardest
- Thousands are trapped in elevators
- All electrical appliances are shut down and inoperative, including refrigerators, freezers, heating units, air conditioners
- Water faucets run dry
- Because there is no water, toilets no longer flush
- ATM machines are inoperative
- Banks and other businesses are shuttered
- Emergency generators provide pockets of power and light but, for the most part, there is profound darkness everywhere
- Battery-powered radios and cell phones still operate but there is no word as to the cause or scale of the power outage
- Gas stations without generators cannot pump fuel
Day Two: Confusion Reigns
- Drugstores and supermarkets have been stripped clean of all goods
- Law enforcement personnel are overwhelmed by medical emergencies and scattered outbreaks of looting
- Batteries on laptops and cell phones are dying
- Radio updates offer conflicting descriptions of the outage and there is no credible news relative to the expected duration
- Officials disagree as to whether residents should find shelter or evacuate (but to where?)
- Bridges and tunnels are backed up for hours
Day Three: No Gas, No Water, and No Food
- All gas stations have run out of fuel
- Water is at a premium
- FEMA has provided emergency generators to pump water and keep sewage systems operational, but supplies are limited
- Millions of “Meals Ready to Eat” have been distributed.
- Backup food and water supplies do not exist
End of Week One: You are On Your Own
- Emergency rations have been depleted
- Hundreds of the elderly and infirm have died
- Hundreds of thousands of refugees have migrated to areas where there still is power
- Unequipped to house or feed them, some states have instituted plans to keep the refugees out
- Only the military can maintain a semblance of order and there are not enough troops to go around
- Millions of people are, essentially, on their own
Week Two and Beyond: Board Up the Windows and Protect Yourself from Looters and Thugs
- With no end in sight, hiding and defending your goods is a full time job and a number one priority
- Law enforcement personnel are abandoning their post in order to secure their own families
- Like-minded neighbors band together to do inventory of resources and exchange goods via barter
- Neighbors canvass each other for skills that can be put to good use for the collective good
- Stockpiled food is rationed to the minimum amount needed to maintain necessary caloric levels
- Hunting, fishing and foraging for food begins and stored goods begin to dwindle
- FEMA is nowhere to be found
Electronic Armageddon?
A while back NatGeo put out a documentary that deals with both a natural and a nuclear EMP.
THE FINAL WORD
A word about generators: Using a properly connected whole house generator of adequate size during a power outage will reduce or almost eliminate the impact a power outage has on your life. Before you buy such a generator, talk to an electrician about the size and type you need as well as the installation costs.
Think about what you want your generator to run. For the basics, a generator can be used to keep food cool, provide lights and electricity for stovetops, computers, telephon, s and television, and to power furnace blowers and pumps. Less important is power for washing machines, dishwashers, and ovens.
The best way to use a generator is to connect it to your home using a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. This will keep the power from overloading the wiring in your home. It will also keep the power from your generator from traveling back into the power lines, which could seriously injure or kill people working on power lines. Alternately, you can connect equipment directly to the outlets on the generator. If that is your method of choice, be sure that any extension cords are of the proper length and gauge to handle the power requirements of the connected equipment.
Just remember, Mark Twain said, “Climate is what we expect; weather is what we get.” A power outage is inevitable. There is really no excuse not be prepared.
Bargain Bin: Here are some useful items to have on hand when the power is out.
Ambient Weather Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radio: This is becoming a popular choice with Backdoor Survival readers. This unit is a Digital AM/FM NOAA Weather Alert Radio and a powerful 3 LED flashlight, with smart charger, all in one portable package.
Coleman Candle Lantern: When the lights go out, there is nothing like a Coleman. They last forever because spare parts are always available. A candle lantern will not give out the bright light of say, a propane or kerosene lantern. On the other hand, candles are likely to be available when other fuels are not.
Coleman Rugged Battery Powered Lantern: This sturdy Coleman has a runtime of up to 28 hours on the low setting and 18 hours on the high setting but does require D cell batteries. Personally, I have both a battery operated and propane lantern. Of course, by now you know that I like redundancy with my preps.
Dorcy LED Wireless Motion Sensor Flood Lite: I have two of these (so far) and feel that these lights are worth double the price.
AA and AAA Solar Battery Charger: Another popular item. This unit will charge up to 2 pairs of AA or 1 pair of AAA batteries via USB or solar power.
Chemical Lighting aka Light Sticks: These are inexpensive, portable and easy to use. These come in a number of colors so take your pick.
EcoZoom Versa Rocket Stove: Burning twigs and pinecones, this stove will cook a big pot of rice in under 20 minutes. The stove is solidly built and will burn charcoal as well. There is also a version that only burns biomass for slightly less money’.
Bicycle Canasta Games Playing Cards: Heck, you need something to keep yourself entertained!
100 Hour Plus Emergency Candle Clear Mist: My number one choice for emergency candles. This liquid paraffin candle will burn for over 100 hours. t is also odorless and smokeless, making it a great emergency light source that can be extinguished and re-lit as often as needed. Very safe to use.
~~~~~
205 Responses to “How to Prepare for and Stay Comfortable During a Power Outage [Short term and Long Term]”
Sandra thanks for sharing your experience. We too were affected by the storm.
One thing to look into for lighting are “What a Light” I got a set of 2 from HSN. They are rechargeable LED lights we found them invaluable. They’ll last for several hours and will light up a room, as said they are rechargeable. We have a generator so we used them during the evening then plugged them in overnight to recharge.
Heres an easy emergency lamp that i made. you can extend the wick a little and it will heat a small pot of water fairly quick.
//www.instructables.com/id/Easy-emergency-lamp/
I live without electric. Your eyes can get used to low intensity lighting ( oil lamps, candles, etc. ), mine did. I can read, crochet, sew, and do whatever by oil lamp or candle light. Lower intensity lighting is also better for your natural night vision. Our ancestors had no electric, they survived just fine. You need to have a water source close by that is naturally renewable, like a well ( with a hand pump ), lake, year round creek, pond, river, spring, such like. Stored water will run out. Make sure you have a good filter system like a Berkey. If local regulations allow, instal a wood burner. SHTF, the furniture in abandoned homes can become your fuel. Always have a stock of good warm blankets! Generators are a great short term answer, but a long term expensive piece of junk. How much gas did you store for it? is it treated with Stabil? Have you practiced using your generator and ran it occasionally to make sure it works? In the event of an EMP, your generator could be fried along with everything else, especially if it is wired into your home. Do you have the knowledge and equipment to make your own alternate form of refrigeration such as a zeer? If you have a well and the only pump you have is an electric one, how will you draw out water when the grid is down and the generator breaks? Can you make your own water filter? Can you fix the generator? My cell phone is the least of my worries. I can live without the little digital parasite for a few days ( forever when SHTF strikes ). We need to stop thinking about life through grid powered thoughts and look to our ancestors. How did they live? Even if you don’t live as they did (and I somewhat do), at least have the knowledge and equipment to do so. It can save your life someday.
amen
Are you sure you must have the motor running to charge your cell phone? During a five-day aftermath of a tornado when I had no power for 5 days, I could plug my charger in and charged my phone in the car. If you cannot, could it be something with the charger?
A friend gave us an inverter/charger for our vehicle which claimed that it would shut off when the vehicle battery got low. It didn’t shut off. Fortunately we had another vehicle with us and jumper cables.
Now we were charging multiple electronics, not just one cell phone, and that certainly made a difference drawing down the battery, but I don’t think it had anything to do with the inverter not shutting off before killing the battery.
Another reason to try out gear before a crisis…
Thanks for this. While we had our own mid-winter power outage not too long ago, and were able to ‘test’ our preps, it’s nice to get feedback on someone else’s experience.
The Thermos tip is brilliant. I never thought of that, but just took a note to remind myself to look for where I hid mine.
I also never considered extra wicks for the kerosene heater.
For a really good backup light, I would suggest the Rayovac Sportsman LED 240 lumen lantern. This one sells for about $27 on Amazon, and is bright enough to read by, cook by, or to use around the house, yard, or for camping. It uses 3 D cells, and will operate for 40 hours on the high setting, 90 hours on low. Rated 4.6 stars out of 5 on Amazon with over 1700 reviews. There are some others listed, the Supernova 300 lumen at about $30, and the Lighting Ever 300 lumen for $19, all of which are rated very good, with free shipping with Amazon Prime. Buy a package of alkaline D cells at Costco or Sam’s club which will store for 6 to 8 years, and you will have a great light capable of getting you through some weeks of power outages. Purchase some rechargeable D cells and a good 12 volt/ 120 volt charger or a 12 volt marine battery, and you can recharge for a number of times. A solar panel kit such as Harbor Freight’s 45 watt kit is also nice to have. If you go with the rechargeable D cells, be sure to get those with at least 8000 milliamp hours, not the Eveready variety of D cells which are useless.
I have been using the Rayovac 240 lumen lantern for about 3 years, and love it enough that I purchased one for each of my adult children. Remove the batteries if you are not using it for an extended time period.
Also, I would suggest that you convert your generator to operate on 3 fuels, gasoline, natural gas, and propane. Natural gas will usually not fail, unless there is a large disaster such as a major earthquake or severe flood, etc.
Hank
Hi Hank, we have a couple of the Rayovac Sportsman LED 240 lumen lanterns too, and are very happy with them. Good little lanterns.
After reading through the comments, I’d like to make one post – trying to cover as much as possible, in no particular order.
I did not mention we are senior citizens and both have either health or mobility issues. Maneuvering on ice or not staying warm is a little more difficult for us.
Yes, we were concerned about the kerosene heater, especially when we were sleeping. We do not have a carbon monoxide detector (which is now on the list) and that’s not exactly the way I intend to meet my Maker.
Lighting was a bigger problem than expected. As I mentioned above, we are senior citizens, so our eyesight isn’t the greatest. I had thought about mirrors behind the oil lamps in the future, but flashing would have less chance of being broken – therefore, I will experiment with flashing.
We have headlamps, which I could’ve used for reading or crocheting, but I thought it better to save all the batteries we could (although we have a good stockpile). We had no idea how long the power would be out.
The outdoor solar lights were brought in each evening and set back out on the porch the next morning. You can put your re-chargeable AA batteries in solar lights and re-charge those for other gadgets.
Bathing: I have taken many a bath in a wash tub or wash basin – even used an outhouse many a time. My grandparents’ well didn’t have a pump. As a child I would drop the bucket into the well and crank it up then take the water bucket in the house. We also had a metal tub of drinking water with a dipper that anybody and everybody drank from.
Con Men: I have no use for anyone who would gouge people in time of need. Bartering in really bad times is another story, but pure thievery – no way. If you want to buy a ‘pig in a poke’ from a truck on the side of the road, go ahead. How do you know if it works, has a motor or some thug basically stole your money and sold you a heavy box?
The person who mentioned having a C-PAP and solar panels: I hope you have safe means to clear ice from your solar panels. Some locals had their battery system run down because the ice kept the panels from working properly.
The dimensions of the camp stove oven are just a little bigger (front to back) than our 2 burner stove. We plan to prop the front with bricks to balance the oven.
Camping: Maybe in our younger days but we aren’t physically capable of outdoor camping now.
The wipes and body wash Gaye linked to have been added to my list.
And to the person who mentioned The Survival Podcast, I don’t listen to the podcasts anymore but am active on the TSP forum when you can get a word in edgewise with Cedar. lol
I honestly believe the lighting issue bothered me so much because I’ve been crocheting chemo hats for kids in the hospital and felt like I was wasting time.
Another thing I failed to mention. I listened to the radio quite a bit. People were calling in telling where power was back on (such as groceries, restaurants, gas stations). Several people called in and talked about the madness and bickering at grocery stores. I’m so thankful we didn’t have to make a grocery run at all.
Thank You to all who commented and we will be looking into the items you referenced.
Sandra – thank you for the story. I too am a senior, but live by myself (other than my 3 dogs) so I can put up with a lot that I would be upset about if my wife were still alive. As for the solar cells, they are on the south side of the house and partially protected from the ice. Snow would probably be a problem. I do have three oil lamps as well as numerous candles, plus around a half dozen flashlights (two being solar powered). So I didn’t depend on the solar array for light, but could have. When I rebuilt this house thirty years ago I made sure there was a wood burning stove in it. There are plenty of trees around if I have to cut them for heat I will, or like I keep telling my younger sis, I can burn the furniture if it comes down to staying alive! And isn’t that what prepping is about? Staying alive and keeping loved ones alive and comfortable?
Sandra,
We’re a bit further north, so we were buried in a foot of snow, but were also without power for five days. I found an LED lantern which was serviceable, and we could read, but it wasn’t great. Since the storm, I ordered this $50 double-wick kerosene lamp from Lehman’s:
//www.lehmans.com/p-4856-the-grand-double-wick-lamp.aspx
I tested it after it arrived by turning off all the lights in the living room and reading only by the light of that one lamp. It is brighter than you’d think, and my eyes were fine after several hours of reading.
The Aladdin ‘mantle’ lamps are brighter and more efficent but I didn’t want to spend that much.
On yea,… You know one major new insight that I gleaned from the experience?
You have the most supplies and other resources that you may ever have, at the very outset of the event. At that moment you are the strongest you may ever be. At that moment you have the most options you may every have. The more you wait and use down your resources, the less your options become, till you eventually are forced into making decisions when you are at your weakest.
Better to make big decisions right at the outset.
Hi, Possible distant Cuz!
I lost power for a day and a half in the same storm. Could have been a couple more days, but we got news coverage, and an hour later the linemen showed up to replace the damaged pole.
I did the same evaluation of my preps afterward that you do in this article.
Rather than a kerosene heater, I have a propane heater rated for indoor use. I burned through 2 pounds of Propane using it sparingly.
As an indoor minimum cooking option I suggest Sterno. Small Sterno stoves can be had cheep on ebay. Yes it takes about 15 minutes to boil a couple cups of water, but it does work, and usually is safe for indoor use. In fact I found an old fondue pot and stand for a buck at the local good will store. I can put a small pot or pan on it to fry an egg, or to warm a can of soup, if outdoor cooking seems unpleasant.
I have a wood burning fireplace that I haven’t used in ten years. After the lights came on, I went out and bought a few bundles of wood against future need. Some simple way to do some minimal cooking in the fireplace may be worth looking into for me.
As for recharging my cell phone, I used a portable jump starter. After all, it’s just a portable DC battery. It should be good on a single charge just for recharging my cell phone for months.
I figured out that an old rubber dusch bag with the spray type nozel can be filled with warm water, hung off of the shower head, and used as a makeshift shower. It ain’t much, but it kind of works.
Another thing I did was to put a couple of long nails up at the corners above my front door, which is mettle, and is the chief source of cold air getting in. I used two tarp clamps to hang a quilt over the door. I made a big difference. If things hand gone on for more days, I would have done the same with the windows as well. I also was preparing to create a tent over my bed, by tying a pole to the headboard, and to the footboard, and running a rope between. Then, two comforters can he clamped together, and hung over the rope, creating a tent over the bed to keep warmth from escaping. Cloths pins can be used to close the ends somewhat.
I sure hope that many read your article. I also noticed that most of my neighbors were unprepared for the outage. When the power went out, they scattered like roaches to local motels and relative’s houses. If the outage had been regional, or hemispheric they would have been in real trouble.
Also, I don’t have a generator. I’ve had numerous opportunities to buy one for under $200. The problem is fuel. They eat you out of house and home, unless you have a diesel, or one that runs on natural gas.
The one thing that I really need to work on, is that I did a lot of going back and forth gathering equipment, and supplies. I need to organize things so that they are more readily to hand if needed. This alone should lessen the stress of the situation.
This was a marvelous article Sandra. I’m really glad you shared your experience. Made me stop and think about things. A few more prepping ideas came to mind in addition to what I mentioned above:
(1) You seem very concerned about carbon monoxide. A carbon monoxide detector (BATTERY powered) would likely give you some peace of mind. They cost about $50. Things that smolder (cigarettes, charcoal, incense) give off tons of carbon monoxide. Things that burn with a flame (candles, kerosene lamps, Coleman lanterns) give off very little.
(2) Oxygen depletion is a greater concern. A flame needs oxygen to burn. You need oxygen to breathe. The tighter you seal up the house to keep out cold drafts, the more you seal out the oxygen you need. No black-and-white solution here; you must find a balance.
(3) When my wife and I remodeled the kitchen, we replaced the electric range with a gas range. We now have a tank of propane out back. In a blackout, the stove’s electronic sparker doesn’t work to light the burner but a match works just fine. No reason you can’t cook in your own kitchen on your regular stove.
(4) As a child, when Mama tucked me in at night, she put a glass of water on the nightstand. In the morning it would be frozen. Our situation was not unique. The survival techniques of the day were to put the children in bed together for body heat. Use flannel sheets. Down-filled comforters. Long-johns. Wool socks. “And Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.” Cold as our house was, we never slept with hats on. But, if need be, it can be done, just as it was in The Night Before Christmas. As kids, in the morning we would “get dressed under the covers.” Reach out an arm, gather up our clothes, and get dressed in bed, literally and totally under the covers. When we got out of bed we were fully dressed except for shoes.
(5) You mention a woodstove. A Ker-O-Sun type space heater (catalytic converter) might be a better bet. No outside venting (chimney) needed. For the BTU’s produced, the fuel takes up a lot less storage space than firewood.
(6) For 20 years after college I lived just southeast of Lake Ontario (Great Lakes). Lake-effect snow. Storms and blizzards you wouldn’t believe. To this day, in the car, in the winter, I carry a box in the trunk. It contains a tow chain, jumper cables, tire pump (that plugs into the cigarette lighter), windshield washer fluid, paper towels, dry gas, starting ether, and a bag of rock salt. The snow shovel with the collapsible handle and the ice scraper/snow brush are too big for the box and are carried separately. I cannot imagine leaving home in the winter without those things in the car (either to help myself or to help someone else). But I had a friend this winter drive down from Toronto. And this has been a brutal winter. He didn’t even have a pair of gloves with him. Say what?