Preparing for power outage?

[Deleted]

So I know many of you are experts on this after Sandy and other recent storms.

What do you generally do to prepare for a power outage?

We lost power for about 4 hours this afternoon and I realized we're woefully unprepared for such a thing. We had absolutely no way to cook anything, no real food that didn't need heating, no flashlights, no way to charge our phones/computers once they died. Thankfully it's back on and we're all good, but we should probably be better prepared next time! This is the first outage we've had since we moved her in 2008.

Our power is all underground so hopefully we'll never experience the huge outages so many areas face, but still!

[gardengal]

do you have a gas stove? you could still use it. otherwise, grill? i've heated soup up in a fondue pot with sterno fuel before (it took a long time).

We bought a crank light that can provide enough charge to a phone to make a quick phone call (from LL Bean). Might be a good investment? It also uses solar & batteries so lots of back up options.

[Deleted]

This lantern was our best friend during Sandy. We left it in the window all day and it got us through dinner and drinks before we went to bed.

www.amazon.com/SolaDyne-Solar-Panel-Camping-Lantern/dp/B00A6KG8D2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356055776&sr=8-1&keywords=soladyne+lantern

It also has a USB charger that can charge older model phones (not smartphones) so my other rec is to make sure you have an old phone you can move your SIM card to in an emergency.

We monitored the temp in our freezer with a probe thermometer and it never went above 40 in the 4 days we were powerless, so we kept all our food. But if we didn't know the temp we would have thrown it all out for no reason.

Also, lots of candles make it nice and cozy. And a book light is good for when it gets dark but you don't want to sleep.

[pierogigirl]

We got a generator after we lost power for 6 days during an ice storm a few winters ago. It was a miserable experience. We have kids now and without it we'd have to leave the house if we lost power like that again (in the winter).

[Deleted]

All of our appliances are electric. The only gas thing we have is our fireplace! And our dryer, I guess, but that requires electricity to operate.

Pretzels for dinner! Yay!

Amelia that looks like a great purchase! We may need something like that. We have tons of candles and thankfully I charged my Kindle earlier today and it has a light so I was set there

Amazing how dependent we are on electricity. Even getting a glass of water was frustrating since our tap water sucks and we usually use the filter on the fridge! I don't know how you guys made it through several days. I kept thinking about that while waiting for it to come back on!

[Deleted]

My parents' power is underground, and at least once a year they lose power for a solid week

If your power goes out, will you have water? If not, definitely fill up your tubs so you can flush the toilet when you need to.

I wish we had had more (and better) candles, more (and better) lanterns, and more (and better) food during the storm. We had no way to cook because our gas was unhooked. Boo.

Also, charge up all of your electronics ahead of time. When the power goes out, turn off wireless on those devices so they don't waste battery power looking for signals that aren't there.

If your alarm clock has battery backup, change the batteries. I made sure we had lots of batteries for my white noise machine :/

After the power goes out, unplug all of your plugs so you don't get a power surge when it comes back on. But we did leave one light in our bedroom plugged in (and turned to the on position) so we'd know when the power came back. I have never been so happy to be woken from a sound sleep at 4:45 am!!!

[raangoli]

Dec 20, 2012 21:18:12 GMT -5 v said:

My parents' power is underground, and at least once a year they lose power for a solid week

If your power goes out, will you have water? If not, definitely fill up your tubs so you can flush the toilet when you need to.

I wish we had had more (and better) candles, more (and better) lanterns, and more (and better) food during the storm. We had no way to cook because our gas was unhooked. Boo.

Also, charge up all of your electronics ahead of time. When the power goes out, turn off wireless on those devices so they don't waste battery power looking for signals that aren't there.

If your alarm clock has battery backup, change the batteries. I made sure we had lots of batteries for my white noise machine :/

After the power goes out, unplug all of your plugs so you don't get a power surge when it comes back on. But we did leave one light in our bedroom plugged in (and turned to the on position) so we'd know when the power came back. I have never been so happy to be woken from a sound sleep at 4:45 am!!!

All of this. And try to keep some cash on hand since if the power goes out, there is no way for you get it from the ATM.

ETA: And if you have a car, remember to fill the tank if you know there is a storm coming that has the potential to knock the power out. Waiting in line for gas for 2+ hours was not something I ever want to experience again.

[Nonny]

Well, we have a whole house generator now, but before we'd make sure phones were charged (and charge in the car if necessary), and we always have peanut butter and crackers on hand, and things like bottle water and Gatorade. Usually it was a lot of figuring out where might have power to go out to eat.

Otherwise it was a lot of hunkering down under blankets, listening to the radio (Zunes or hand crank radio), and chatting by candle light or a wood fire.

But in our area storms are due usually to wind, not snow. And having a generator is better.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the advice!

We did have water today. I don't know if it would have lasted if the power had been out longer, though. I tried not to flush too much just in case (yes, I probably peed at least 4 times during those 4 hours, lol).

What does water in the bathtubs do?

How much does a generator cost? I'd love to have one, but hate to spend a bunch of money on the off chance that this happens once every few years.

Today we had a "blizzard" but I think we got 3 inches or less of snow. The wind was definitely the culprit for the power outage. It's still blowing like crazy so I hope we don't lose power again! Everything is charging right now just in case

[gardengal]

you can use water in the tub to flush the toilet. Put the water in the bowl & then flush.

[Deleted]

You can use water from the bathtub to flush your toilets.

If your water was working today, that probably means that you're okay. My parents lose water when they lose power because they have a well; we lose water when we lose power because we live in a high-rise and getting water upstairs requires a pump that requires electricity.

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2012 21:32:53 GMT -5 v said:

You can use water from the bathtub to flush your toilets.

If your water was working today, that probably means that you're okay. My parents lose water when they lose power because they have a well; we lose water when we lose power because we live in a high-rise and getting water upstairs requires a pump that requires electricity.

Oh - duh. I guess that makes sense, lol.

We just have regular old city water and live in a duplex, so I guess we're ok. I would have FREAKED if we didn't have water, I think the only thing we have to drink around here is expired milk, wine, and hard liquor

[mbcdefg]

Try to keep your electronics charged, some ice and cash and jugs of water on hand, and keep the gas tank full. The gas lines in NJ after Sandy were awful.

Have some food around that doesn't need to be cooked - crackers, pretzels, peanut butter. Make sure your pets have something to eat.

Make sure you have flashlights and new batteries. Hands-free lanterns and headlamps are very useful. Candles and matches too. We have a gas stove so we were able to light it with a long lighter and cook.

Charge up any MP3 players, portable DVD players, Kindles, and load some movies onto them. Round up some other entertainment ... playing cards, board games, books (I wish we'd had headlamps - trying to read with a flashlight/lantern was a PITA).

If you know a storm is coming, get your laundry and dishes done in advance.

ETA: good suggestion about the French press. My mom and siblings lost power for 10 days after Sandy ... my brother found an old percolator coffeepot in the basement and you would've thought it was Christmas at their house.

We need to buy one of those red gas cans and fill it if we know there will be another big storm coming.

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2012 21:35:41 GMT -5 @buckybells said:

Dec 20, 2012 21:32:53 GMT -5 v said:

You can use water from the bathtub to flush your toilets.

If your water was working today, that probably means that you're okay. My parents lose water when they lose power because they have a well; we lose water when we lose power because we live in a high-rise and getting water upstairs requires a pump that requires electricity.

Oh - duh. I guess that makes sense, lol.

We just have regular old city water and live in a duplex, so I guess we're ok. I would have FREAKED if we didn't have water, I think the only thing we have to drink around here is expired milk, wine, and hard liquor

Not having water was BY FAR the worst inconvenience for us. It gets gross quickly. I really like to flush and wash my hands and shower and wash my face and stuff.

Speaking of alcohol -- you want red wine rather than white because of the whole refrigeration issue.

[Nonny]

The cost of a generator will depend largely on the type and size, and ours was $$$$ so I'm not the best person to ask.

We have a huge generator that runs our whole house, runs off natural gas, and automatically flips on after 30 seconds. It's kind of overkill and a total luxury item, but I have to admit it's pretty awesome and I'm spoiled now. You can get smaller, portable generators for much less, that will run just a few items, like heat and lights.

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2012 21:36:28 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

If you know a storm is coming, get your laundry and dishes done in advance.

This is a good one. Also, clean generally so you aren't tripping around in the dark, and because things get gross if you can't clean in the dark.

We lined up all of our emergency preparedness stuff so we wouldn't have to fumble around looking for it if the power went out when it was dark out.

[keweenawlove]

No advise other than you've got me thinking now. I'm glad you got yours back. DH is stuck in the town he works so it's just me in the dog. I'll probably get my flashlight just in case. I've got a wood fireplace going so at least I have heat if I lose power.

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2012 21:51:31 GMT -5 keweenawlove said:

No advise other than you've got me thinking now. I'm glad you got yours back. DH is stuck in the town he works so it's just me in the dog. I'll probably get my flashlight just in case. I've got a wood fireplace going so at least I have heat if I lose power.

Yikes! It seems like the worst has maybe passed already? I hope so. It went out around 3:30 and thankfully has been back for nearly 2 hours. I'm thinking we might be in the clear but I don't want to jinx it!

I'm jealous of your wood fireplace! Ours is gas and it didn't occur to us until shortly before the power came back on that it works without electricity, lol. You have to flip a switch to turn it on so I guess I assumed there was electricity somewhere in there? Glad to know for the future though, it doesn't heat as much as a wood fireplace would but does help.

Stay warm and I hope your husband can get home safe tomorrow! Looks pretty clear then.

[keweenawlove]

The woodstove was one of the selling points to this house

We're supposed to drive 9 hours north tomorrow. It doesn't look like it's supposed to snow more so I just hope they get the roads cleared!

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2012 22:00:38 GMT -5 keweenawlove said:

The woodstove was one of the selling points to this house

We're supposed to drive 9 hours north tomorrow. It doesn't look like it's supposed to snow more so I just hope they get the roads cleared!

Once you get out of Iowa, you should be fine. I don't know what is wrong with this state but I was never so nervous driving when I lived in WI and the UP!

Drive safe regardless! I'm taking the Mega Bus to Chicago tomorrow night so I'm hoping the same will be true of the roads heading east. Not gonna lie, I'm a little hesitant trusting other people to drive in bad weather.

[keweenawlove]

I think there's more paranoia here. Everyone was saying the roads in town were terrible and I was thinking they were just like a regular day in the UP. I think the freeways will all be cleared by tomorrow.

[Deleted]

We are still stocked from when we lived in a hurricane zone. We have a wood-burning fireplace now and live in the north.

If I knew a severe storm is coming, I make sure that laundry and dishes are done. I also fill the washer with water for "soaking" anything that gets dirty during a power outage. We also fill the tub.

As far as advance-warning type purchases:
1) Glass-tumbler/jar candles (i.e., Yankee candle)....a bunch of them plus matches. we put them around the house (kitchen, bathroom, etc)
2) Plenty of batteries (all sizes; flashlights typically run on D)
3) We have a portable camping 1-burner stove that runs off of propane. We have a few spare small cans of propane as well as a large canister.
4) A French Press coffee pot (boil water with the above...voila, coffee!)
5) grill/extra charcoal
6) a cord of wood
7) emergency radio (hand crank or batteries)
8) various car adaptors for charging electronics + full tank of gas
9) canned fruits, veggies, and beans, as well as meats including tuna and chicken...anything that we'd eat regularly. If you won't eat it regularly, it's going to be a total PITA to eat when you're hot/cold/have house damage. However, we cook / grill fridge and freezer food first. Usually eat like kings during a power outage
10) canned milk (mostly for coffee above ;-) ) and gatorade
11) multiple LED flashlights, stored in multiple places (1 in basement, 2 in bedroom, 1 in office, 1 in kitchen)
12) $100-$200 cash
13) plastic tarps and rope, and a package of large garbage bags
14) manual can openers
15) plastic forks, knives, spoons & paper plates/cups
16) several gallon jugs of water as well as bottled water
17) first aid supplies (bandages, peroxide, neosporin)
18) camping lantern
19) stainless steel cookware for easy clean up and use on fire pit, grill, or propane burner
20) paper towels

Note: I feel like we're pretty prepared for most storm or power-related emergencies. I also rotate to prevent canned goods from expiring. My basic goal is to be able to have enough food around the house to be pretty comfortable without power for about 2 weeks. A week is the longest that we've been without power.

[takeonyou]

I have a lot of the above mentioned. But I have to say, when our electric went out last time, we just went into our camper. We ran electric from the battery and used the propane to cook.

[jayhawkbecca]

my power went out today as well due to the snow storm in WI; first time in the almost 8 years I've lived here. Thankfully i was home alone without the kiddos. I had to searc the basement for three random flameles candles DH had bought for halloween decorations and then find a small screwdriver in the garage to get them open for batteries, all using the only flashlight we have. needless to say, i think we should get a few more things to be better prepared.

glad that your power is back on now!

[Redpoppy]

We have this solar lantern as well as the non-solar version. It gives off various levels of light depending on the setting. We like them a lot. We bought the non-solar as it was the only battery-operated light left at Home Depot on day 2 of our 5 days without power from Isaac. It's LED so doesn't suck batteries, but we got the solar one just in case.

www.amazon.com/Energizer-Solar-Rechargeable-9-LED-Lantern/dp/B003JIP8VG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1356063092&sr=8-4&keywords=energizer+lantern

[chickadee77]

Pretty much all of the above. I grew up in rural WI and now live in FL, so power outages are a little different with heat rather than cold with which to contend, lol. When I lived in KY, though, there was a big ice storm, and everyone was bemoaning losing their freezer stores because of no power, and I was like, hello, we just got five inches of ice! Ever hear of a cooler, lol?

Anyhow, glad you're okay now and thinking ahead. Gas fireplace is good to keep warm; also, if you still have hot water, you can run a hot bath or shower and get your bathroom nice and warm and hang there if you get desperate.

[chessie]

Normally we prep enough diesel on hand to run the well for 2 weeks, so at least we can run the well, and only the basic essentials. We don't have to concern ourselves too much though, we already burn primarily with our woodstove and we can cook on it if needed.

[Deleted]

We got a generator that we hooked up to our natural gas line. It's not huge - it won't run everything but it'll keep the heat on, run the fridge and stove, and let us turn on some lights.

[Norticprincess]

Test your bathtub before you need it. Ours always seems to drain slowly overnight. I now put two plastic storage bins in and fill those in the one bath and one in our shower (with out tub) in the other bath.


Eta
I got this weather radio/solar charger/crank/cell phone charge, www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0071BTJPI/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00

Other than flashlights in handy locations, I keep everything together in two storage bins in the basement.

[heliocentric]

I tend to keep flashlights around the house since out power seems to go off fairly often. We have them in our kitchen, hall closet and in baskets on our nightstands. If I know a storm is coming I stash them elsewhere.

If you have room, stock up on basics. Whenever I see batteries on sale I buy them. We have a crank flashlight/radio. We keep candles, the batteries, matches & a large lighter in a waterproof bin. Also in the bin are the directions to our generator, the extension cords we need for it and some other key numbers (ex. the phone number & account number for our power company so we can report the outage). We tend to have a ton of food on hand, so that's not an issue. We fill up containers with water and we have some cash on hand.

If you have a landline, consider keeping an old non-cordless phone on hand so you can use it when the power is out and if your cells are dead.

To the poster who commented on water draining from the tub, we used a rubber stopper coated with vaseline to seal it during Sandy and it worked great.