Helpful tips when Power Goes Out...:)

Prepare Yourself Before Power Emergencies

1. Make sure you have appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer.
   • Check to ensure that the freezer temperature is at or below 0° F, and the refrigerator is at or below 40° F.
   • In case of a power outage, the appliance thermometers will indicate the temperatures in the refrigerator and freezer to help you determine if the food is safe.
2. Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator, or coolers in case the power goes out. If your normal water supply is contaminated or unavailable, the melting ice will also supply drinking water.
3. Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk, and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately. This helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
4. Group food together in the freezer. This helps the food stay cold longer.
5. Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerated food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours.
6. Purchase or make ice cubes in advance, and freeze gel packs ahead of time. Store all of these in the freezer for future use in the refrigerator or in coolers.
7. Check out local sources to know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased, in case it should be needed.
8. Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
9. Make sure to have a supply of bottled water stored where it will be as safe as possible from flooding. If your bottled water has an odor, do not drink or use it. Instead, dispose of it, or if applicable, call your bottled water provider to make arrangements to get a replacement.

During an emergency, if you use food or beverage containers to hold non-food substances like gasoline, dispose of them after use and do not recycle them.

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Power Outages: During and After
When the Power Goes Out . . .

Here are basic tips for keeping food safe:

1. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
   • The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.
   • A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.
2. Buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.
3. If you plan to eat refrigerated or frozen meat, poultry, fish, or eggs while they are still at safe temperatures, it is important that each item is thoroughly cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature to ensure that any foodborne bacteria that may be present are destroyed. However, if at any point the food was above 40º F for 2 hours or more (or 1 hour if temperatures are above 90 º F) — discard it.

Once Power is Restored . . .

Determine the safety of your food:

1. If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.
2. If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
3. Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than 4 hours and the refrigerator door was kept shut. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or leftovers) that has been at temperatures above 40° F for 2 hours or more (or 1 hour if temperatures are above 90º F).

Perishable food such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, and eggs that are not kept adequately refrigerated or frozen may cause illness if consumed, even when they are thoroughly cooked.

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If Flooding Occurs
Keep Water Safe
Follow these steps to keep your WATER SAFE during and after flood conditions.

1. Only use water from a safe source for drinking and washing or preparing food.
2. Use bottled water that has not been exposed to flood waters, if it is available.
3. If you don’t have bottled water, you should boil or disinfect water to make it safe. (see steps below)
4. If you have a well that has been flooded, the water should be tested and disinfected after flood waters recede. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agricultural extension agent for specific advice.

How to Boil or Disinfect Water To Make It Safe

If the water is cloudy, first filter it through clean cloths, or allow it to settle and then draw off the clear water for boiling/ disinfecting. Then, follow one of these two procedures:

Boiling

Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms that may be present.

1. Boil the water for 1 minute.
2. Let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers.

Disinfecting with Bleach

Bleach will kill some, but not all, types of disease-causing organisms that may be in the water.

• Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of unscented household (5.25% concentration) liquid bleach for each gallon of water.
• Stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it.
• Store disinfected water in clean containers with covers.

 

We have a private well so when the power goes out there is no water. I keep a 50 gallon drum in the basement full of water for toilet flushing. My folks used to fill the bath tub for the same purpose. IMO the worst part of a power outage is not being able to flush!

 

We do the tub thing to. During storms if the lights are flickering I'll fill it up.

 

Keep a close eye on your sump pump.

When the power goes out during anytime wet, I end up hand bailing the crock into the floor drain. The whole while, I think of ways to avoid doing this the next time, but never do anything about it!

 

My 3500 back up generator and transfer switch cost about $600.00 altogether. Cheap money for peace of mind. Runs well/ fridge/freezer all plugs downstairs and up. Just have to be careful what you plug in at the same time.


Very easy to install your self or cheap to have an electrician do it. Set our house up myself when I built the new house 9 years ago. After the first outage the neighbors asked if I would set them up.

 

We had a generator panel put in when we upgraded from fuses. We had previously bought a 4500 watt Champion generator off a neighbour when they upgraded to a natural gas unit. The generator had barely been used and we saved a lot.

The panel makes it so easy. Just flip the lockout switch and it’s isolated from the grid. We have to keep our sump pump running if we get a heavy rain storm in the winter and we use heat tape to keep the water line to the barn running. It’s enough to run the freezer, fridge, well pump, wood furnace blower, lights and use the microwave or toaster over. We just make sure the pump doesn’t come on when cooking. The generator costs about $50 a day in fuel but it’s way cheaper than a flood or pipes freezing.

If your power doesn’t go out for long or very often might not be worth the expense of getting the panel and generator at the same time. We had the generator already and got a deal on the panel as we were upgrading the main panel anyway.

 

A refrigerator and a freezer work more efficiently when full. If your freezer is 1/2 empty fill it with water containers that you can freeze and use later. Set up a cooler for drinks and common use items so you don’t have to open the fridge door when the power is out. Allow frozen food in your freezer to thaw in your refrigerator to help keep that cold.

 

I got a generac 8000 wired into the main panel. We loose power a lot on the mountain. Buddy is an electrician and owed me a favor so I made out.

 

x2
same here with the well.

we're all electric. even the oil furnace needs electric to run....

we live in a hollow with a small creek, so we can get water to flush with a bucket if needed.

 

If it's brown flush it down, if it's yellow let it mellow!

 

I like your panel setup gboutdoors


Kinda surprised you can run as much as that on a 3.5KW system.

We purchased a 7.5KW system, but it's not setup to run the entire house, I had dedicated outlets and a panel box installed.

Well/freezer/kitchen/some lights is all ours is setup for.

Only thing I regret is that I haven't ordered and installed a dual fuel carb on it so that it can run on propane or gas.


Gotta move that up on the priority list.
Just don't think about it, until I think I might need the genny.

 

One time I resorted to melting snow on top of the wood stove.
Takes a LOT of snow melted to flush the toilet.

 

I did not put any lights on it that’s what eats up your power. We can plug a lamp in any plug in the walkout or in the main floor area. Had a 8500 battery start when building the house but it vanished one day at the end of the build with my heating crew I think.

 

I've been replacing the old florescent light fixtures with recessed LED lighting.

Very efficient, and super bright.

 

That reminds me, I've got room for 2 more 30 packs of blue smoothies in the beer fridge.


I mean, I should be efficient and all, right?

 

Until you get the shutoff to run generator.. You can red neck engineer it by dropping deadbolt in a door and putting cords through.. Allows door to shut tight. For temperature and rodent control

Genny outside power in.. Safety

 

Lots of great tips in there. We lost power in one of the blizzards last March...4 days no power, 8 days no TV/internet. Almost two days couldnt get out of driveway as huge oak took down pole and lines. We had coolers out on the deck and used the snow for ice. Cooked on the camping stove and charcoal grill. My GF was a long time girlscout leader so she took it in stride, almost enjoyed it. Landlord had city water, we have a well in the rental house. Worse parts were schlepping water to flush toilet and sleeping in a >50 degree house!

 

a firewood hoarder? sleeping in a 50° house?!?

 

My house is always >50°F

I think he meant <50°F