It can be hard at this point of technological advancement – almost impossible – to imagine living without electricity. In a house where everything depends on electricity to function, facing a power outage that goes on for days may very well mean putting your life on pause for an unforeseeable amount of time. While short power outages can be difficult, you won’t have to struggle much to make do.
The real disaster strikes when the power goes out for days or weeks on end – something we’ve become all too familiar with due to the floods and earthquakes we’ve witnessed recently. Whether you’re expecting a power outage or you want to be prepared to face the worst, here’s how you can prepare your home for times when there’s no power.
Prepare an Emergency Kit
Let’s start with the obvious: you’ll need to put together an emergency kit to use as soon as the power goes out. After all, you don’t want to start searching for the tools you need in the heart of darkness, risking falling or getting injured in the process. You don’t want to keep guessing where you’ve placed your flashlights either, so creating an emergency kit and placing it in a designated place will save you a lot of trouble. In your kit, you want to include all the basics you’ll likely need. This includes flashlights, batteries and backup batteries, a first-aid kit, and a tool kit. Moreover, you’ll want to add a few other essentials, like hand sanitizers, dry shampoo, cash, battery-operated fans, weather radio, garbage bags, and a car charger for charging your phones.
Get a Backup Generator
Whether it’s in preparation for a natural disaster or dealing with a national transmission power outage, having a generator can be one of the most worthwhile investments you can make. In fact, getting a backup generator, even if facing a power outage is not a common occurrence in your area, can be a lifesaver. After facing one of the longest and biggest power cuts in the decade, that was true for UK citizens back in August 2019. In the face of such an unprecedented situation, having backup generators can help you get your house up and running like nobody’s business. There are many factors to consider when choosing the generator, such as the kind of fuel, portability, power, and noise.
Stock Up on Food and Water
Once the power goes out, you should be prepared for a countdown for the food stored in your fridge. Most food will go bad in a day at normal room temperature, but some kinds of food may deteriorate faster. You’ll have to find a way to finish this food before it goes bad; researching the best solar generators for refrigerators might be of use here; meanwhile, your plan to stockpile non-perishable foods, like dried and canned snacks, will commence. Don’t forget to get your pet’s share of food as well. You shouldn’t wait until the weather forecast announces the upcoming tragedy, as you’ll probably be faced with empty shelves.
Although it’s unlikely to happen, you must also prepare for an alternative if your municipal water supply stops functioning. It’s best if you stockpile sufficient water reserves in tanks or empty bottles so you can use them, just in case. However, storing water for drinking and cooking can be a little bit more difficult. The best thing you can do is to buy bottled store water. If that’s not plausible or affordable, you can store water in advance from your taps in milk jars or disinfected containers.
Fuel or Charge Your Car in Advance
In the midst of all the chaos, you’ll likely forget all about your car. After all, your car doesn’t really have anything to do with the power outage. In the case of having an electric vehicle, it’s obvious how faulty the previous question is. However, you’ll also need to fuel up your regular car in advance. You’ve probably failed to consider the possibility, but gas stations do operate on electricity, after all.
Prepare for the Weather
Finally, you’ll want to be well-prepared to face the weather once the power goes out. If you live in a cold climate where you’re used to relying on heaters for comfort, you’ll need to stock up on heavy blankets. Getting thermal clothes made out of wool can also help preserve your body’s heat. In the case of hot weather, you’ll want to wear cotton clothes and find manual or battery-operated fans to keep you cool.
Power outages have a way of interrupting our lives at the most unexpected moments. Since you don’t want to be left helpless waiting for the storm to pass, it’s important to get your home prepared to deal with a power outage whenever that happens. A few simple steps can go a long way in maintaining your life and protecting you against unfortunate occurrences.
