Ice storms, summer thunderstorms and tornado outbreaks can cut power for hours or days. A little planning keeps the lights, phones and water going.
The basics
- Keep phones, power banks and flashlights charged before bad weather arrives.
- Store drinking water and shelf-stable food for each person and pet.
- Keep a battery or hand-crank weather radio where you can find it in the dark.
Carbon monoxide: the real danger
Generators, grills, camp stoves and charcoal give off carbon monoxide, which can kill. Run a generator only outdoors, well away from doors, windows and vents, and never in a garage. Never burn charcoal or use a grill or camp stove indoors. Keep a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector in the home.
Choosing a backup power source
- Power banks keep phones, lights and radios running for days.
- Portable power stations are battery-based, quiet and can run small appliances for a limited time. Check the watt-hours against what you want to run.
- Generators run longer but need fuel, safe placement and correct hookup. A transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician is the safe way to connect one to a home.
- Solar can recharge small devices on its own. Before you connect solar or any generator to your home wiring, talk to your electric utility; rules and fees vary by utility.
Water
If you plan to treat water from a creek or lake, check what a filter or purifier removes (bacteria, protozoa, viruses) before you rely on it. Boiling remains a dependable backup.