{"id":6582,"date":"2015-12-17T11:00:33","date_gmt":"2015-12-17T16:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/?p=6582"},"modified":"2015-12-14T13:41:06","modified_gmt":"2015-12-14T18:41:06","slug":"how-to-survive-the-next-winter-power-outage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/how-to-survive-the-next-winter-power-outage\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Survive the Next Winter Power Outage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Old Man Winter is back again, and with winter comes power outages. Downed power lines can be caused by heavy snow, ice, wind and sometimes errant drivers, but the result is the same — hours or even days without electricity. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0To help you and your family endure this winter’s inevitable power outages, take steps now to get prepared. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Here are some practical tips and useful battery- and solar-powered devices for the home to help your family cope with the next blackout.\"winter<\/a><\/p>\n

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Power Outage Checklist<\/em><\/h3>\n
Stock up on food and water<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Stock the cupboard with non-perishable food and a couple of gallons of drinking water per person in case the power outage keeps everyone housebound for a few days. Keep a non-electric crank can opener in your kitchen drawer. Fill a few clean pails or the bathtub with tap water for washing.<\/p>\n

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\"Wind<\/a>Stockpile flashlights and extra batteries<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Flashlights are always a safer choice than candles for emergency lighting. In addition to conventional flashlights, get a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0hand-crank flashlight\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that works without\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0batteries like the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Wind \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00cb\u0153n Go\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0emergency flashlight<\/a><\/strong> with three bright LEDs.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0One minute of cranking yields up to an hour of light.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 This flashlight\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0can also be used to charge most cell phones\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0using the universal Nokia adaptor (included).<\/p>\n

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Purchase a weather radio<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

When television is no longer an option for getting news, a battery-powered\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0weather-alert radio<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0is a must-have for\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0automatic official, up-to-the-minute information<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0on severe weather, local hazards and other emergencies.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Two excellent weather alert radios are the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Midland 7-Channel Emergency Crank NOAA Radio<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0and the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0WeatherX AM\/FM Weatherband Radio<\/a>. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>Both models have a built-in flashlight and can be\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0powered by batteries or a hand crank.<\/p>\n

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Fill important prescriptions<\/strong><\/h5>\n

A power outage can occur at any time, so don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t let important meds run low in the winter time. Consider switching to a local pharmacy that makes home deliveries or sign up with a mail order pharmacy so no one has to venture out in bad weather to pick up medications.<\/p>\n

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\"Datexx<\/a>Keep a battery-powered cell phone charger handy<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Landline phone service is usually unaffected by power outages, but if you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2re like many Americans who no longer have landline phone service, you will want to keep your cell phone fully charged at all times. A battery-powered cell phone charger like the 2,400 mAh PowerNow Buddy<\/a><\/strong> or the higher capacity 5,600 mAh PowerNow Grande<\/a><\/strong> give you a way to charge your cell phone during prolonged power outages. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0The PowerNow Grande can also charge tablets. Both chargers use a long-life lithium ion battery with nearly a year of shelf life.<\/p>\n

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Install solar-powered floodlights for outdoor safety<\/strong><\/h5>\n

It is incredible how dark your yard can be during a power outage!\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Keep family and friends safe and scare away intruders by installing a few\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0solar-powered floodlights<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0around the perimeter of your house to light up walkways, driveways, garages and sheds.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 These floodlights turn on when motion is detected at night. When charged in full sunlight, the light can activate up to 150 times when on for 60 seconds at a time.<\/p>\n

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Special lighting for indoor safety<\/strong><\/h5>\n

To keep everyone safe when the lights go out, plug in a rechargeable nightlight like the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Datexx Sentina\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0LED <\/a><\/strong>that turns on automatically during a power outage. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Use it to light up a main hallway or room.<\/p>\n

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\"Reliance<\/a>Prevent basement floods<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Electric sump pumps don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t pump during power outages and can lead to a messy flooded basement. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0A battery-powered\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0sump pump alarm<\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>will\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0sound a loud warning if the water level in your sump pit rises to a dangerous level, so you can take preventive action before the pit overflows.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 The model in this photo uses a standard 9-volt battery.<\/p>\n

For protection when no one is home, the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0PumpAlarm Cellular Water Alarm<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0sends text message alerts to your cell phone or mobile device\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0when the water level in the pit gets too high. It also notifies you when there\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 s a power outage.<\/p>\n

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Protect against carbon monoxide poisoning<\/strong><\/h5>\n

People come up with all sorts of risky ways to stay warm during a power outage –\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0like using a portable propane or kerosene heater indoors, opening the oven to warm the kitchen, or running a gasoline generator in a poorly vented place — all of which can produce\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0deadly carbon monoxide<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0(CO) fumes. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0If you are going to use one of these alternate heat sources, protect your family from odorless, invisible CO by providing adequate ventilation and installing a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0CO alarm with battery-backup<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that will\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0continue to operate when the power goes out.<\/p>\n

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\"Stanley<\/a>Have a backup plan to start your car<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Cold temperatures affect the chemical process inside a car\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s battery that produces and stores electricity, effectively slowing it down and reducing the battery\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s ability to hold the charge.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 To ensure that you have a way to jumpstart your car battery during a power outage, keep a battery-powered portable jumpstarter like the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Stanley 300 Amp Jump Starter<\/a><\/strong> in your garage. The Stanley 300 provides 300 amps of instant starting power and features reverse polarity alarms to warn against improper connections to battery terminals.<\/p>\n

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More Power Outage Advice<\/em><\/h3>\n

Here are a few other guidelines for keeping warm and safe during a winter power outage while you wait for the electricity to be restored:<\/p>\n