10 Tips to Help You Survive a Winter Power Outage

6/10/2022 (Permalink)

Winter storms can cause outages. Keep out the cold with these tips.

With winter storms, come winter power outages. While a power outage may not be avoidable, you can stay warm without electricity and survive the outage. Take the recent power outages Texas has been experiencing as an example. Outages can often be unexpected and leave many people in dire situations. But if you take the necessary steps, you can be prepared for power outages caused by winter storms.

1. Stay Warm During Winter Storm Power Outages

When the power goes out, it can get significantly cold very fast. You want to be sure you can stay warm during power outages by taking the necessary precautions.

Keep Doors and Windows Shut

First, you want to have all doors and windows completely shut. If there are any cracks in the doors or windows, use towels to prevent drafts and cold air from coming in.

If you have black blankets or towels, these can also be used to draw extra heat into your house. By hanging them on windows or laying them on the floor where the sun shines, you are insulating the windows and bringing in heat directly from the sun.

Have Blankets on Hand

If you expect a winter storm, be sure to have several blankets on hand. Having enough blankets for your whole family can help you and your family to stay warm without electricity. Be sure to also dress in multiple layers.

2. Avoid Traveling During Winter Storms and Power Outages

If weather conditions are dangerous, such as sleet or freezing rain, it’s never a good idea to travel. Avoid traveling altogether unless it is absolutely necessary.

If you do have to travel during a winter storm, be prepared. Keep an emergency travel supply kit in your car and make sure you’re not traveling alone. Additionally, be sure someone knows where you are headed so that they can know if you arrive safely.

3. Keep a Non-Electric Heater

If you experience a winter power outage, have a backup non-electric heater installed in your home. Fireplaces and wood stoves are great at keeping you warm, but you need to be careful when using them. Be sure they are cleaned regularly and safely store any fuel for them.

4. Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning while Trying to Stay Warm

If you are using a non-electric heater, be sure to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. To do this, clean out your fireplace or wood stove before lighting it. Also, be sure the area is ventilated so that the fumes produced can leave your home.

5. Keep a Stock of Water and Non-Perishable Foods

Always have a stash of bottled water and non-perishable foods on hand in the event of a winter power outage.

It’s recommended to have three days’ worth of a supply of water on hand for your entire household. This means you should also have three days’ worth of food for everyone, including pets. Keep non-perishable foods in your pantry, such as canned vegetables and soups, granola or fruit bars, crackers, and nuts.

6. Have an Emergency Kit Prepared

Before a storm is expected to hit, take the time to put together an emergency kit. These kits can include first aid, medication, blankets, and flashlights. You can also include candles, extra batteries, pre-charged portable chargers, a small tool kit, and toiletries.

7. Keep Children and Pets Safe

During winter power outages, it’s extremely important to watch out for children and pets. Stay in the same room as them. If for some reason you need to travel in the winter storm and your children are old enough to stay home by themselves, keep emergency supplies for them.

Make sure your children know where emergency phone numbers are in case they need to reach someone. Have any medication they might need accessible and be sure they are dressed in layers.

Be sure to also dress your pets in any clothes you might have for them as well. If you do not have pet clothing, keep your pets wrapped in blankets for warmth.

8. Avoid Using Phones for Non-Emergencies

If you’re in the middle of a power outage, then you have limited cell phone batteries, which is why phones should be used only for emergencies.

Limiting the amount of time on your phones can help preserve your battery length. It’s smart to conserve your phone’s battery if you have an emergency and need to reach someone. Be sure to also have pre-charged portable chargers so that you can charge your phone throughout the power outage.

If you need to contact family members to confirm their safety, text them. Texting uses less power and doesn’t congest the network, leaving phone lines open for emergencies.

9. Prevent Further Damage

While your power is out, go around your house to unplug appliances and electronics. You won’t be needing them during the outage. By unplugging them, you’re protecting them from a power surge when your electricity does come back on.

You can keep one lamp plugged in and switched on. Although, the lamp won’t work, when it does flick on, you’ll know the power has come back.

10. Be Prepared to Evacuate

On the off chance that you need to evacuate your home during a winter power outage, there are a handful of things you should turn off or unplug before you evacuate.

Turn Off the Main Breaker and Water Main

Before leaving, be sure to turn off your main breaker. If you have a circuit breaker panel or power supply box, turn that off as well.

You also need to turn off your water main. After doing this, you need to drain any water from the system by opening all taps and flushing toilets in your house several times. Open your drain valve to empty the hot water tank as well.

After flushing toilets and draining sinks and tubs, spray antifreeze into the water left behind to prevent it from freezing over.

Unhook Appliances

Be sure to also unhook major appliances like washing machine hoses and drains. If you haven’t done so already, go through your house and unplug other appliances and electronics as well.