Winter Power Outage Safety Tips
As the holiday season arrives, we are more than ready to celebrate. We clean our house, do the shopping, and prepare for a wonderful time with our loved ones. While we are busy making plans for the holidays, we often ignore the winter creeping in.
People do not realize how dangerous a blackout during winter can be. Even if you see no signs of winter storms, always stay prepared for a power outage. Not taking protective measures can put you and your family in danger.
Power Outage
Are you ready to face the harsh cold during a blackout? Save yourself from troubles during a time of festivities. Arm yourself against a winter power outage with the help of these safety tips.
Prepare for Backup Power Outage Safety Tips
Buy a Generator
where to buy a generator
When the temperature goes below negative twenty , it can get really scary. People underestimate the dangers of having no lighting or heating during a winter blackout.
Having a generator at home means you are prepared for a blackout. If there is no electricity, you need to have your own means of providing power for your home. With a diesel generator, you can use some light, charge your devices, and even run a fridge!
This backup power source is a must for areas prone to bad weather during the winter. You can find different types of generators at Kruger Power. For more information on diesel generators, visit website.
Generator Maintenance
Keep your generator in a cool, dry, and ventilated place, but try not keep it inside your house. Generators emit carbon monoxide. In a closed area, generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which is why it is important to have carbon monoxide detectors inside your house.
Always keep a supply of fuel for your generator. You never know how long you will be stuck because of the storm/blackout. Having a supply of fuel will keep your generator running longer. Make sure you know the capacity of your generator. A powerful generator will run more appliances.
Prepare Your Home
Keep Your Chimneys Working
Even if you have a furnace and do not need to use your old fashioned chimney, clean it when winter arrives. In case you cannot run your furnace, you will need to use your chimney. You can clean it yourself or hire a chimney sweep.
Buy a supply of wood, just in case you need it. This is never a bad investment. Even if you do not experience a power failure, you can enjoy hot cocoa by the fire on Christmas.
Prevent the Pipes from Getting Frozen
frozen pipes
Having no water during a power outage is tedious. Your pipes might freeze and crack. Having a plumbing problem during a blackout is a NO-NO.
One way to prevent pipes from freezing over is by keeping your tap dripping. Running water is less likely to freeze.
Before winter comes, it is wise to insulate your pipes. Insulating pipes doesn’t take a lot of money. You can buy insulation foam or tape at a hardware store and do it yourself.
Insulating pipes definitely takes less money than repair jobs. If your pipe cracks, and you don’t realize it, it can flood your house. If you realize a part of the pipe is frozen, apply light heat to melt the ice.
During Power Outage
Right after the outage occurs, keep your house warm. Cover the windows with old blankets. Also, cover the gap under the doors or any crack that might bring in a cold draft.
Keep your fridge closed for as long as possible. Opening it frequently will make the fridge lose the cold air. Try not to open your freezer at all. Keeping it closed will prevent frozen food from spoiling.
If the fridge has no power for over 24 hours, the food might spoil. With the snow outside, you can make a snow tub to keep your perishables. Make sure you keep this tub inside and keep covering it with fresh snow to prevent melting.
Cooking On Open Flame
If your stove is not functioning, you might have to cook over an open flame. Only cook over indoor flames if you have a firewood chimney. Never use a gas fireplace for cooking.
Using skewers to cook meat and vegetables is a good idea. You can also try going old school and using a saucepan to cook stew or soup. Try not to cook fatty food as your house will fill up with smoke, and inhaling smoke is bad for your health.
You could make an outdoor firepit, which can help with the smoke problem. But do so during the day to avoid any accidents. The food will get cold quicker, so take it inside the moment the cooking is done.
Prepare Your Supplies
Lights
Buy flashlights and chargeable lights before the weather gets bad. With this you must keep a supply of batteries for your flashlights. You can also keep a supply of candles and matches. Matches are vital, as at any given time you might need them.
Keep a supply of firewood in a dry, indoor area. If you keep them outside, in your shed, it will be out of reach during a storm.
Food
Keep a storage of canned and dry food when a storm is incoming. Buy canned beans and vegetables. You can also buy canned meat and fish.
Dry nuts and fruits are also good options. Try to keep a healthier food supply instead of food with high sugar contents.
Always keep a supply of pet food if you have pets. The same goes for baby food and cereal.
Safety Kit
Prepare your first aid kit with gauze, cotton, bandaids, and antiseptics. Also keep other medicine like over the counter paracetamols, antihistamines, antibiotics, etc.
Other Information
Try to keep the charge on your phone in case of emergencies. Communication is very important during a blackout. To keep in contact with the outside world, have at least one functional radio at home. Credit and debit cards will not work during a blackout. Keep a supply of cash at home, even if you tend to use cards.
Conclusion
Power outage during winter might be scary, but being prepared will save you from any trouble. Keep your home ready for such emergencies. Always have food and other supplies at hand. In case there is a blackout, these tips will keep you and your family safe.
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