NO GENERATOR?? 10 THINGS YOU'LL WANT DURING A WINTER POWER OUTAGE
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- čas přidán 22. 12. 2022
- #poweroutages #winterstorm2022 #prepperpantry #prepper #prepping #preppingonabudget #preppingforbeginners
amzn.to/3rVb8W7 Buddy propane heater
amzn.to/3SAMW6b Oil lamps (these ones are nice)
amzn.to/3tErnXP smokeless lamp oil
amzn.to/472RZAc snap on toilet seat
Here are some ways we prepare for winter power outages without a generator - Jak na to + styl
I put my candles and lamps in front of mirrors and this increases the light!
Great idea!
Is that even possible? How can you get more light from a single flame?
@@200cdl um...please pay attention, there might be a quiz...
@@200cdlhow did you survive grade school?
@@bradfarrahgerwing154 it expands light, not increases you can't , increase a single element by placing any single object next to it, that was my point and it went right over your heads,
I created several emergency kits for neighbors in the event of a power outage. I used coffee "cans" (empty of course). I placed a 100 hour oil candle, several tea lights, matches, a lighter, a section of foil, and a dollar tree mini flashlight and I typed out directions.
Also, if you line your kitchen sink with foil, place one or two 3 wick candles (large ones) in the lined sink, place one of your oven racks over the sink & lit candles. Voila, set your pan of soup over the candles to heat it. This can also heat water for coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
nice idea
Great idea but only for stainless steel sinks, not composite.
Using a large stainless steel bowl or cooking pot would work, as well, for those who don’t have ss sinks.
Terrific idea (and how generous!) May I ask where you get coffee cans? Or do you mean plastic ones to be used to store the kits? Regardless, those are some good thoughts.
Thank you so much for that incredibly radical suggestion! I am totally going to do that when the power goes out this winter -KNOCK ON WOOD.
The last major winter outage we had in my neck of the woods lasted about a month. My children were quite small at the time, so I really had to stretch my imagination to figure out ways to not only make it an adventure but also keep them warm. I definitely stored most of my food out on the porch and collected snow to melt for use in cleaning. We always keep at least 30 gallons of water on hand for emergencies, so when they got low, I drove to the nearest area that had electricity to top up our water supply for drinking and cooking. And Candles and oil lamps really added to the adventure, ambiance and heat. The boys really had fun making aluminum foil shields which helped to increase the light as well as heat. We used our barbeque out on the porch with cast iron pots and pans to cook and bake. When we were done we would rewarm the clean pans and use them to warm the blankets. I pitched a large tent in the living room and covered the outside with blankets as well as the floor, were the children could play and do their homework. This had the added benefit of increasing the warmth of the small space via body heat. I also covered all of the windows with thick blankets and closed off the top floor of the house with construction plastic sheets and blankets.
Wow, well done, Michelle...a month is a long time to manage and you made it an adventure for your kids as well :)
The mother of ingenuity is need, right? LoL Forgot, another trick was that We kept a couple buckets of rocks in the house. I would heat them up in the dutch ovens and then place them in my crock pots to add heat to the house. Of course, I would tell them the story "stone soup" and they of course wanted to try that out. I bet the candle trick you showed would work as well, to heat the rocks.@@asimpleseason2616
Living in Florida is better!
Excellent!
Here's a tip. If possible, move near a hospital. The lines going to the hospital are restored first. I live near the lines supplying the local hospital, so we've never lost power more than a day or two. Another way to make a play "tent" is to put sheets or blankets over a card table. The smaller size makes it warmer. If there are too many people, use the dining table.
Good ideas. Also solar garden lights. Charge them in the daylight, bring them in after dark.
That's a great idea.
Heavy duty MOVING BLANKETS can be life savers. Moving Blankets really help in cold temperatures. Even carry in the car or truck for emergencies along with candles and matches and a mason jar lid to place candle on with melted wax.
Had occasion diesel fuel froze in tanks of the Mack Cab Over rig I was driving with trailer loaded with lumber bundles, moving blankets kept me from freezing when the engine quit, till I could get additive for the diesel fuel and restart the engine. Like the Indians used Bear hides wrapped around them, I used a moving blanket to keep the blowing wind and snow off me till I got going again, in that life threatening situation.
When a big snow or ice storm is forecast, fill the bathtub & sinks with water. Toilets will flush if you put water into the cistern, from water stored in tub or bottles. Drain water lines to keep them from bursting if they become frozen. Make sure that if there is space in your fridge & freezer, to fill it with anything that will fit. Opening a door lets cold air escape, but if the cold is 'stored' in things like linens, newspapers, etc. the cold is retained for longer. Close of areas of the home that arent absolutely necessary, like bedrooms & utility rooms. The smaller the volume you have to keep warm, the better. If you have a pop-up tent, set it up indoors or create a fort out of blankets & furniture. Drag mattresses to central common room - this also will insulate the floor. Keep curtains/drapes/blinds closed. Open flames are dangerous. Use jars with candles - they intensify the light & keep your pets' tails safe! Do NOT seal the house completely - fresh supply of oxygenated air is a must even if its only a window barely cracked open. In a poorly insulated house, an in ground basement will probably hold heat better. Do not use an entryway that opens directly into your 'warm' room. Use one that has atleast one room between it & the outside - think airlock. If you have a fireplace & run out of firewood, be careful of what you burn - the chemicals used in finishing furniture can be unhealthy to breathe.
Love the idea of a candle in a jar, I am always so cautious with my pets with candles but this is a great idea!
You can place parchment paper on a regular plate if you don't have paper plates.
great idea :)
Parchment paper at Dollar Tree is so useful in a pinch! You can fold it into open "boxes" and fold over the corners and staple it into disposable bowls. If you staple at the top they won't leak out the bottom. Also, if you ever use store bought pie crusts, those aluminum plates can be reused in many ways. You can use them to carry tea lights in a pinch.
I never heard of this one and I've been looking at these sites for 23 years. Great thinking.
Genius!
One thing to think about is keeping the cold OUT.
We have old windows, and even with their storm windows closed, a lot of cold comes through.
I bought some large-bubble bubblewrap . Wash the window, spray a light mist of water on the clean window, then apply the bubblewrap to the window bubble side out. (Cut to size, and piece the wrap, of course.)
I first put it on the large picture window in the living room. The difference was immediately apparent. So much so that I applied the wrap to the rest of the windows. Because it's translucent, light still comes in. It is easily taken down and reapplied, if necessary.
It's really made a difference for us.
Great idea! Sounds like this might work better than heavy curtains by what you've described :)
@A simple season I can say it does work well. I'm sitting here in my living room, and there is no large draft of frigid air coming in from the large, old window. Not "air tight" by any means, but it does help.
With the heavier drapes of that window closed, the room is not drafty. Layered window coverings definitely help.
The window kits with clear plastic film and double sided tape work really well when installed correctly, and don't block the view or light. In the spring, if you remove the plastic carefully, you can reuse it over multiple years. Just need to retape it.
I took mylar emergency blankets and sewed them between the drape and its lining. You need to put in rows of stitches, otherwise the mylar tears under its own weight after a few weeks.
Wow. What an idea!
I have used the 5 gallon bucket and a pool noodle outside when camping in 0 F temps. It works great and an added bonus is the pool noodle reflects heat so you don't feel like the seat is frozen.
We filled our top loading clothes washer with water ahead of any tropical storm or blizzard and used it as a wash station!
A word to the wise, when using the small camp stoves make sure you check the gaskets and rubber seals. During a recent power outage my husband set our kitchen on fire 🔥 with one of these. The gaskets and seals were old and had rotted. We had not used the stove in a very long time and when he lit the gas, he created a massive fireball.
Thanks for the info!
Yikes!
Wow! Thanks for sharing this warning!!
Wow!!!!!! Sooo glad your here to tell this story!!!
Good safety note!
I read in a FB group that people used to place bricks in the fire then wrap in an old towel to keep at your feet to keep them warm when going to sleep. Also read that you can also fill a cast iron Dutch oven up with coals and put a lid on it to create ambient heat since cast iron retains temperature for a long time.
A big rock wrapped in rags after heated in the woodstove is how my Dad's family kept warm during the Great Depression. They lived in a tent as his Dad was in the hospital with a heart defect in cold Idaho.
I have never heard of this. Thank you for sharing this with us.
@@lindamoses3697 if using rocks make sure to do some research first. Some rocks explode when heated up because of moisture trapped inside. Others are totally risk free.
Don't forget pet food! Cat litter! Plenty of garbage bags! I have cats.... they are family. 😻
For a safety perspective we should all have a battery powered carbon monoxide detector running when using lamps and heaters that burn fuel.
Fire extinguishers too.
anything that burns, for the most part, needs to be ventilated...and that is where I find them to be a problem...not safe to breathe the air so unless you are outside, not really safe to use, candles are prob the only exception
I live remotely so I’m at very end of power restoration, I have a bath tub and separate shower. When calling for a storm I place saran wrap around tub drain and fill tub which about 60 gals for flushing toilet. I keep a Tupperware pitcher and dump straight in bowl as most toilets are artesian, well style, which means they flush when full without emptying bowl. Placing used toilet paper from urinating in plastic bag and tying it up makes less to flush, so using the yellow let it mellow helps flushing every couple of urinations saving water and a bit of pinesol for any odors.
Pee outside
She doesn't need to, so why would she? Very odd comment.
We just moved off grid into a tiny home my husband built and it’s been such a blessing! We use our wood stove for our main heat source, but we have a back up propane heater if it gets really cold and if we are gone for an extended period of time. We also have a propane stove we use to cook. I’m thankful we were able to get a well, but we need to get a hand pump in case we are not able to get gas to run our generator. Thank you for all your tips!
Lehmann’s has DEEP WELL hand pumps 🤗
After the unexpected Texas snowstorm/freeze I can say I wish we had had a propane cook stove and wax or sawdust fireplace logs. I don’t like the idea of a woodpile outside as it is so hot and dry here most of the time I would worry about it being an accidental fire source in the summer. Also a nice place for scorpions and rattlers to hide in. Since then I have accumulated a lot of the store bought logs that I bought in the springtime for half price. We bought items for the flower pot heaters. Can’t put them on the floor as we have dogs but I thought one in the oven with the door open and the other on top of the stove. We asked my mother-in-law if we could have the camp stove we had bought my father-in-law for his fishing trips before he passed away. She’s in her 80’s and told us to take it. She has a gas stove and isn’t going to be using it. Just need to get the propane tanks for it or a large tank and hose set up. Food is never an issue as I’m always well stocked. Have lots of candles, head lamps, flashlights and batteries. Living where it’s warm doesn’t prepare you for cold temperatures. Growing up in the north and not seeing snow in many years was a nice surprise though and my children and dogs were never more excited and enchanted. The snow came in the first night and with a bright moon it was almost like daylight outside it was so bright from the white snow reflecting the light. My daughter spent the entire next day outside building a snow dog and snow elephant. Asked her why not a snowman and her reply was “ everyone does that. I’m more creative.” Me: uh, ok.
Another thing u can do is freeze empty milk containers to help keep the fridge and freezer cold during a power outage. In South Africa we have up to 10 hours of no electricity every single day.
Great tip Marsha
Those battery stick on lights are great inside cupboard doors to illuminate contents, also at skirting level to guide into rooms.
every day, wow, I guess youre pretty resourceful by now...
Try filling the "empty milk containers" with water before freezing.
Putting a mirror behind your oil lamp will double the lumens. If you can find an old magnifying glass that you can mount in front of the oil lamp, will really increase the lumens.
Pardon the pun, but that's "brilliant!" :)
@@asimpleseason2616😂😂😂😂
My grandma used to wash and then fill all sinks and bathtubs with water if a big storm was coming and we might loose power. She filled buckets on back porch too.
all great ideas
you could just line your toilet with plastic bags and use it as normal then dispose of it however you would if you had used a five gllon bucket. saves buying the bucket and lid since we already have toilets. Love the oil lamp idea. I used to have those. I'll have to go looking again.
Great idea!! We always use the bucket method when we go camping so I had that on the brain...I love how our community shares ideas :)
I bought a toilet seat with a lid that snaps in place on a 5 gallon bucket.
Wouldn't the bottom of the bag in the toilet get wet?
well you'd think that you had already used a flush or two to use up the water in the toilet before using the bag. at least that's what we would do.@@margarettickle9659
Use a plastic sitz bath inside and line with plastic
ive been prepping for over 25 years and i learn something new. Cutting a Pool Noodle for a toilet seat wow, very ingenious
Campers and vanlifers have been doing that for ages. That where all these ideas originated.
As with camping I keep either vinegar and water or grain alcohol and water in a spray bottle for cleaning dishes. Just use a paper towel to wipe food off the dishes, spray with the sanitizing spray, and wipe clean.
Or you can stock up on paper, plates, paper cups, plastic forks, spoons, and knives.
Good idea
Have you heard of the Crisco candle?
Get a six or 3 pound can of Crisco and get a long tapered candle, measure the candle to just above the lard and then cut it so the wick is just above the lard and light it boom that candle will burn for 72 days burning at eight hours a day. You could also put a terra-cotta pot on top of that for heat.
Will a crisco burning light cause blackening on your ceiling? Looking for options that will not blacken walls and ceilings.
Blanket forts and tents hold body heat in, especially a four seasons tent. They can be set up indoors for warmth ♨️
I lived in this awful place and every winter the pipes froze for weeks if not months at a time. If you have a gym membership you can shower there if they have power. Keep in mind pets we went through SO much water for 2 small and 1 medium dog.
My husband has a small solar panel in the window of his office that he just leaves up. Whenever we have lost power it was great for recharging our phones and his laptop.
My first move in an outage: eat the ice cream 🍦
Fondu pots work well for cooking...have 3, one for oil to do meats, one for cheeses for veggies, and one if you want to mAKE desserts...melting choc. etc. Just keep a case of sterno cups in the pantry.
What a fun idea with ambiance included.
New York and the power outages during winter were so bad. I remember one year when I was taking care of my 90 year old mother and after 2 days her lips were blue and we had to get her into respite care. After another 7 days without power (after she had died) I finally said enough and moved to Virginia.
Haven’t had anything like that since and I say goodbye and good riddance.
Having a snow day where you can stay home and still have power is a thing of beauty. No bitter cold and being able to have warm soup. Keep it. Don’t prepare for it. Just leave it behind.
New subscriber here.
You are so beautiful and cheery!
I also fill empty laundry soap containers, with water, and label "Soapy water" for hand washing or other cleaning. My family thinks I'm slightly crazy.
You are not crazy...that's brilliant! :)
I think you're slightly BRILLIANT!
I have been doing the same! Came o. Handy a few times in hurricane season! I keep one in each bathroom and at kitchen sink, though I wash it out well and let dry a few days and use it for hand washing, washing small plates or bowls and cups we may have used. Works great! Then after season, I use it out back to fill my water canister and water plants!!
That is an excellent idea! Doing this right away.
Crazy like a fox.
Love that dollar tree solar yard light idea. I'll put them in canning jars and leave in the window sills in my garage and shop and use on the floor in the house where I walk through halls or doorways or stair ways or steps at night or to see the floor and keep from tripping on my dogs toys that seem to be every where.❤
Hi Lisa, I absolutely love my oil lamps, they are so cozy when all lit up not only for lighting, but like you said it can provide some heat too during a power outage. I also always fill my tub and any buckets and containers with water whenever a storm is coming. This allows me to flush the toilet as well as having extra water for personal cleaning etc.
Great ideas, Sherry...thank you for sharing them! It's always a thrill to find a new oil lamp :)
@@asimpleseason2616 I also love looking for oil lamps to add to my little collection. Do you have any suggestions on what to do with the kerosene in older lamps? I only use clear clean oil in mine.
Good question, Sherry...I think if you want to dispose of it, the oil needs to go to a household hazardous waste collection site...I'm thinking a place that changes motor oil would know....I can only think of one time where I accidently bought kerosene based lamp oil and the smell of it was just way too much for me...I only use the ultra clear lamp oil too :)
@@asimpleseason2616 thanks Lisa
@@Shermaxphil use it as Firestarter for your wood burning fireplace, charcoal grill, or autumn bonfire!
It is important to educate people regarding safe use of combustibles within the home. Propane, kerosine, candles, stereo, tea lights, candles, and lamp oil all produce carbon monoxide. It’s not safe to use a lot of them them all at once. Propane units specifically designed for indoor use shedding low carbon monoxide utilize oxygen. Ventilation requirements are surprisingly big. In cold weather, people tend to tighten up the building envelope to conserve heat, not realizing the room might require 8 sq. Ft. of openings to ventilation. In a tightly closed cabin, the heater can use up all the oxygen, causing asphyxiation. Please explain the risks and necessary precautions.
Thank you for saying this, with power loss people generally get stressed and tired. There are many solar items available now. I have been through many power outages. I would never use propane, or even candles anymore unless it was a
a last resort, besides living next to a fireman is an eyeopener.
We put kitty litter in the bags in our portable toilet. Also, multiple bags with litter at one time. Then remove a used bag, and another one is ready to go.
wonderful idea, Pamela!
Placing a mirror under & or beside an oil lamp will multiply the amount of light you get from it.
Great advice! Thanks for sharing. I make candles so I always have a good supply on hand. Recently, I've been making unscented, non color candles, poured into empty, cleaned food cans (beans, tomato sauce etc) to use strictly as emergency candles!
If you put rolled-up corrugated cardboard into that food can you will use less wax and the candle will burn longer. We used to make these in Girl Scouts.
@@lynneclark5313 Great advice! Thanks I'll give that a try!
How do you make wicks? Thank you!
During a storm my tiny human and i roasted marshmallow's over tea lights.
Awww, I can just picture it...wonderful! :)
How fun! And wonderful memories, too! Blessings!
Concerning cooking alternatives. I recently bought 2 electric skillets. One is a 12 inch, and the other is a 16-inch skillet. The 16-inch is used when I can ground beef and Jimmy Dean sausage. I brown the meat prior to canning. I do have a Honda Generator 7000 watt that hard wired to my breaker box using a Transfer Switch. I built a BLOCK HOUSE for the Generator so it's protected from the weather. The generator is extremely quiet, but block house makes it that much quiter.
Very nice presentation….you have a lovely demeanor and are providing good information in a very non-SHTF style, which I so appreciate.
Side note: the first thing we did when we moved to a citified section of the western NC mountains was….put in that Generac! Our budget took a big hit on that one, but it’s downright scary how often it turns on to save our butts during any random event. It only takes spending 14 hours on Thanksgiving Day without electricity - no visitors, tho! - to make you really appreciate a whole house generator.💕
Thank you! I bought a below 0 tent and sleeping bag too. I can set it up if power goes out, throw a few blankets over and should be pretty warm once it is closed up. It got down to -11 with -35 wind chill last month. Thankfully the power stayed on. I love your positive outlook on negative situations, really refreshing😍
-35 yikes ! tent and sleeping bag is a great idea!
Oh yes, setting up a tent in the warmest room of the house is a long-standing method for surviving a lack of heat in sub-zero weather. You can let your kids stay inside during the day to play in the relative warmth, and the whole family can sleep inside to conserve body heat.
We had to do this during a bad winter in New Jersey without power during an ice storm that lasted THREE days. We couldn't even drive away, the conditions were so bad. So the tent was set up in the windowless kitchen with a tarp nailed up at the entrance. I used the coleman stove to cook in the bathroom that did have a window. We made it work.
How do you set up a tent in the house? Are they pop ups?
Mostly people use pop ups but if you have the tie down kind you can tie it to table leg furniture or use weights from any home gym you have or just use your brain you can come up with a way to do it with what you have on hand.
@@lonknight3197Never would have thought of free weights for a tent. Thanks for the great idea!
I've built a composting toilet. Right now, it's a stop-gap while we wait for the plumber to be available to replace cast iron that has rotted away. (We have far too few plumbers in our area for the number of repairs, and I don't like to make demands on repairmen that require us to be ahead of others who've been waiting longer.) However, I've discovered that I really like the composting toilet because it can be used without flushable water. This one will be moved out to the farm after the plumbing is done, but we will probably keep a smaller one in the basement for emergency purposes. The bucket in a composting toilet can be lined with trash bags (or not) and composting material kept near it. We've been using shredded straw in ours, but I watched a video recently in which someone was using horse pellets. I don't remember what channel that was, something about camper life. But the composting toilet idea can be found on Off-grid With Doug and Stacey. Doug's a little odd, but they have a whole playlist about composting toilets.
Great peeps. There’s an additional layer of planning for winter areas that freeze. Jar & can goods may freeze like bricks and not be accessible without a lot of energy to thaw out. Dehydrated meals have the water removed and won’t freeze into a block of ice. Boil water, reconstitute and consume. Additional water for cooking is needed in preps. Can do them DIY or purchase pre-made meals or ingredients for meals. Just a thought from a northerner. : -)
Our paraffin lamp oil froze, lol. VERY annoying. But we put all the refrigerated goods on the north facing porch and hung those quilted moving blankets we had in boxes out in the shop to close off one half the house. Ice storm in 2009.
@@jessiec1194 Moving blankets are awesome insulators. Great idea!
Put a small tent on top of your bed, makes a cozy retreat when the powers out. Kerosene heaters also throw off a lot of heat in winter storms.
They make tents just for the bed.
Setting up a tent indoors and dragging a mattress or foam couch cushions and your family into it is a great way to stay warm while you sleep. A tent within a tent is even better.
Storing water is a great idea, and keeping them in a dark location is good also. It is best to use an opaque container for storing water though. If light energy can pass through the container, it can spur the growth of any contaminants in the water. Light proof containers and the use of water treatment solutions for storing can keep water good for several years.
Alternate heat source is the old Rayo or Aladdin lamps. They process enough heat to heat my 12 x 10 living room with easy. I used mine a couple of years ago when the power was out in Texas.
Having a wood stove with a flat top is great to have. It not only provides heat, but also a place to cook.
If you've lost power due to snow, melt the snow for washing up.
I used to have a battery operated shower for camping. They're great if you want to get a hot shower.
Instead of a bucket, I have a bedside commode. It didn't cost me anything. Someone gave it to me.
Really great tips here! Thanks Lisa. I was raised in Florida, hurricane alley. Having a hurricane kit, (water, batteries, 1st aid kit, dry food, etc) is standard in the south east and along the eastern seaboard. When I moved back home to Nova Scotia, I created another. Power goes out here at least twice a year. I buy the large hard plastic laundry soap containers with the spouts on them. When I use all the soap in them, I rinse them out by refilling them with water and empty them into my portable washer till they run free of soap. Then I store water in them. Since I use a portable washing machine, I rotate the water in the containers by using them in the washer and refill the containers. I have a small Jackery lithium battery that can be charged 3 ways; solar panel, in the car, and it plugs right into a wall socket when you have power. I use it to charge my cellphone and laptop. I'm going to invest in a larger one to run my fridge in the summer if and when the power goes out. If I have warning, I clean and fill the bathtub. I cut the top off a gallon milk jug to scoop water for flushing.
Lots of great tips, Juanita :)
We use the 'honey bucket' idea for camping. We always keep a bag or bucket of shavings and sprinkle some on the bottom of the plastic bag lined bucket. This makes clean-up easier and cuts down on smell.
You should check out double doodle bags!
Did all of this in 2021, when freezing temps caused a blackout for 5 days. I recommend a few battery powered lanterns and a wind up am-fm- weather radio and power banks for the cell phone. I also have a battery TV for weather forecasts.
When I was growing up, we were fine when the power was cut off: we camped and had a fireplace. Also - when using fire, crack a window so you don't burn up all of the oxygen in the building.
We live in Texas and we’re seriously affected by the now infamous freeze about 18 months ago. Fortunately we did not lose power, but we had pipes that burst. Our family has two physically disabled members and our plan has always been to set up a tent in the living room. Fortunately we didn’t have to use it, but it’s large enough to maneuver around in, and our living room is open concept, so we have the space near the fireplace to set it up, and then create warmth by the 4 of us gathering in the tent to reduce the area we are trying to warm. I did buy a Buddy heater when it went on sale last fall, and have the small propane tanks to use in an extreme emergency. I also bought an extension hose to connect to a larger tank that could sit outside and pass thru a cracked window. I trimmed a pool noodle to fit over the bottom edge of the window, so it creates a seal around the hose to the propane tank and reduces the amount of cold air coming in. We also have a Co2 detector that is packed away with our gear, we change the batteries when we change the smoke detector batteries.
We heard about it in the news...bursting pipes is no fun...sounds like you got your bases covered, Valerie :)
VERY smart!
The critters I would worry about when putting 'food totes' outside are the 2-legged kind so maybe make certain they are buried out of sight . LOTS of good ideas here ! which usually means innovation and bigger better outcomes. I vote for the Big Buddy Heater or an against the wall blue flame propane heater. Include a 30 pound/gallon propane tank with a longer (10+ ft.) hose, Love mine. The heaters in your thumbnail are yummy !
California is full of two legged critters
My thought was if the powers out the house is going to get cold anyway so I would leave everything in the fridge and freezer, and open as little as possible
I put my coolers on my 3 season porch, filled ziplock bags with snow for the coolers and covered with a beach towel to keep sun off of it. Refrigerator food lasted almost a week and a half. Just updated freezer bags.
Dont get rid of stored water. Use it to flush your toilet. You must put it in the tank and need about 4 gals per flush dont pour water on the bowl. You will just overflow the bowl
Older toilets in the house. To use less water per flush I've placed rocks, not pebbles, in the tank. I can't believe the difference it's made in the amount of water used and total time for flush. It has not interfered with an effective flush.
If you put a gallon jug or half gallon jug of water in the tank it still flushes good and saves on water usage
My Dad n siblings used newspapers to insulate their clothing and stay warm during The Depression.
These videos are making a lot more sense to me as I get older.
The bucket with a pool noodle on top, had some cat litter or pine shavings lining the bottom of the bag which helped cut down on smell. Then just a plastic bucket lid on top. A NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio has a hand crank to charge up small USB devices like phones, laptop lights, rechargeable hand warmers, and headlamps. I used UCO 3 candle Candleliers to help take the chill off. I hung wool blankets in the windows, on beds, and wrapped them around pet shelters at night. I wrapped pool noodles around my pipes and wrapped duct tape round the insulation. We ate a lot of cereal. The BBQ'rs were used everyday.
For summer you can get USB fans that work really well. We had a four day power outage in the hottest part of this past summer and I was grateful for these rechargeable fans. Battery packs to charge your cell phone are also great.
great suggestion, Sandy!
After living in the cold Midwest we moved to the hot south. Took me a bit to think of a storable, portable cooling solution. These are exactly what I landed on - rechargeable fans. Picked up some from end of season markdowns last year and from thrift store this year. This year I also added in a small solar panel which can connect to my phone or the fans. Nothing fancy but will be much appreciated if we lose power and it is 90+ outside.
During hot weather we use our 2 little ten-inch battery powered portable fans. Each one uses six D-cell batteries but they run for days on one set of batteries. My husband is a cardiac patient so if he gets overheated and loses electrolytes he can die. Water, Gatorade, and those battery operated fans are a must for elderly or sick people when the power is out and the temperature is over 90F with no air conditioner.
For keeping warm at night - down comforters are great, but nothing really beats an old vintage pure wool blanket! A little pricey, but worth every penny - and they'll last "forever!"
Thrift stores & rummage sales!
@@patriciatinkey2677 eBay new blankets
Another source of lighting can be found at Dollar Tree...solar lights. They last forever, and will recharge with just about any amount of sunshine. Bright and easy to store. Just make sure that you keep them charged
Great ideas. Though, about the 'toillet bucket" if you have access to a land or a backyard for composting, it's much simple and less anoying to do your big business in wood chip litter (no urine though, so need two buckets). Same wood chips as for horses or chicken... Smells nothing in the house, even smell wood, which is nice. And you can go for quite a little while with one bucket.
Very nice video. Thanks a lot.
Don't forget to let water drip from one faucet to keep flow in the water main. This should help keep your pipes from freezing and breaking.
the pipes will eventually freeze even with the dripping
If on a well there’s no water without power
I think you could run the faucet until no more water comes out, so there is no water to freeze/expand and damage the pipes.@@freshoil1
I decided a couple of years ago to have a whole house generator installed. It was pricey but thought it was worth it for peace of mind. The annual service fee started at under $200.00 which this year jumped to $350.00. You have to have it serviced by the manufacterer or you forfeit the warranty. I now wonder how much it'll cost next year to service. Total robbery in my opinion and wish I hadn't installed it. My power has only been off for about five minutes during that time so the return on investment is very poor. Just get a little buddy heater and save yourself thousands of dollars.
That is something I was not aware of. Thanks for sharing.
In Alaska the day if the storm coming l always cook a big pot of stew,beef🥕🧅🍠 carrots,potatoes,etc or a big pot of pasta🍅,like spaghetti .Than when the power goes out you have enough food for 2days
great idea, Cat...nice to have dinner sorted on storm days :)
Back at ya babe and l am a chef with dietary education...the complex carbohydrates keep people calm and warm❤️
Trail. Ix does not need to be cooked or refrigerated.
There is a lot to be said for a down comforter. It will keep you very warm without a lot of weight. Close fitting long underwear like Cuddle Duds are a great layer for underneath your clothes. Also, if your power is out but you can still use your gas stovetop or you have a camp stove to set on top of the non working electric cooktop, you need some way to see what you are doing. Candles just won't cut it. Get an outdoor grill light! They are battery operated and you can attach to a cabinet or your ventilation hood. They put out a lot of light. Similarly, it is good to have one in the bathroom so you can see enough to read which medicine you are taking. There are led lights that look like a light switch that can be mounted on the wall. We have them next to the electric panel in the garage, in the closets, and in the bathrooms. They are really bright, so mount them above eye level so you aren't blinded when you turn them on!
Excellent tips! Thanks for sharing :)
@@asimpleseason2616
One word of caution,
If you use your gas stove for heat you have to leave a window open like a inch , if not the stove will burn up all the oxygen in a room and you will fall asleep and suffocate/ die.
@@lonknight3197 I had no clue as to the "why" of opening a window! Thanks!
@@pamskinner9490 welcome
Our "light switch" light is next to our bed.
Using a garden sprayer that you can hand pressurized is great for washing dishes,and helps conserve water. Harbor freight has a large backpack style that I have set aside for showering.
this is prob OTT and too much for most, but here's an idea in a pinch and it saves a lot of water/soap regarding cleaning dishes, etc.; I eat canned tuna regularly and instead of trying to clean them out (it is difficult as they are smelly and greasy) so I just place them into the woods far away from my house (I live in a wooded area) and usually within 24 hours they are spotless clean (mostly from the ants as they can get in every nook and cranny)...of course one has to consider the proximity of where you are living not to attract the wrong kind of animals, but it does work extremely well...and the ants get meal out of it too
I live in the Southwest, so cold is not a big deal. It is the cooling I would need in the very hot summers! I have 3 solar generators . love I can use my Traeger with them. Get Dollar tree yard solar lights for of ambient lighting. Great ideas expressed here by others.
I bought 2 Camp Chef 2 burner stoves. I use one for my canning and one as backup. They both use propane. FYI, I don't use the BBQ propane tanks, I use the 40-pound propane tanks. I stockpiled 6 tanks. When I use the tank for my canning sessions, they go a long ways before they are empty. The bbq tanks don't last long.
Thanks for the tips!
@@asimpleseason2616 my apologies for too many.
Nonsense! We are a community here to help each other out :)
@@asimpleseason2616 appreciate it. Thank you.
After a fire destroyed my condo building, I had the plumber install a natural gas line and I have a gas stove the stove-top which can be lit by a match should there be a black-out. I did not want to be totally dependent on the electrical grid. That trick for "cooking" with the tea lights was great!
We live in Michigan and 2 weeks ago we dealt with a 2 day power outage. We set up a "warm room" in our bedroom. We had a tealight flower pot heater (with 2 tealights) which worked well for us AND we also used 4 other tealight candle and 2 votive candles all in separate holders. We were able to maintain our bedroom near 60 degrees while the outside was 35. We do not have a generator, but I plan to buy a Mr. Heater during off season. I also highly recommend using solar powered battery packs in able to keep phones charged up.
Did you feel you had to vent the room when using the tea light heater arrangement?
@@cohen860 no, but we were concerned enough to have a carbon monoxide reader with us and we did not sleep with it on.
Thanks!@@Elaine_Jim_McGuire
Great ideas. I fill our empty laundry detergent bottles with water for cleaning 😊
Love that!
Oh, me too. Bought a good Sharpie to use to date everything, label my canning, etc. Had to hide it, lol
To heat set up a tent within a tent…read up on it works well
Thank you for taking the time to create this practical and positive video.
One of the best backup energy investments we can make is a 1,000W inverter (~$90) and the cables to connect that to a vehicle parked outside.
For many people, this is the best first option because they don't need to store and cycle gas cans...just top up your car and maybe have one small can of gas in case you mess up and run your car out of fuel.
I set my inverter on a block of wood under the car and run the cables up to the battery. This keeps the engine cooling system working properly and keeps the inverter out of the weather. A full tank of gas and a car at idle for 2-3 hours at a time can keep refrigeration going and devices, lights, etc. charged.
Also, it's quiet. With a little careful thought and appropriate heat-resistant tube, you can park your car in the garage and vent the exhaust out under the door and no one would ever know you have backup power if you black out your windows.
This sounds interesting! I would imagine even running it for an hour or so a day would be enough to keep a freezer going. Thanks for sharing this idea !
@@asimpleseason2616 Correct. The last time I used it to alternate between 3 refrigerators and a freezer for 1-2 hours each then off for 6 hours, then did it again. It was 80F outside so no stashing food in the snow. While the fridges were going, we had plenty of power for charging batteries, devices and other small loads.
Most people have 1-3 "generators" sitting in their driveway with 15-40 gallons of fuel, and it isn't complicated to set up, and cars can idle quietly for many hours on a tank of fuel.
Typically a 10mm wrench is all you need to loosen a battery terminal and install the inverter wires after the inverter is connected to the other end to avoid having a hot wire from the battery.
When we know a storm is coming that we may loose power, we have always filled the bath tub and/or 5 gallon buckets with water to fill the toilet tanks with water so they can be flushed. Done this all my life. I'm 68, grew up on a farm and whenever the wind blew hard we lost power.
Great video. Even if you have a generator, it's fuel supply would be limited in emergencies so as many non-electric alternatives as possible are really necessary.
buy large can of lard,take off lid ,insert three tall candles,light,cover with stone pot,with one inch bottom air flow,will heat room for a while
I definitely can recommend the Buddy Heaters! I have a couple Regular Buddies and a little Buddy. But if i did it again, i would get a Buddy Flex because it would easily heat my largest room. I might still add it to my backup heat preparation next year. There are small gas generators called inverter generators that are easier to handle and that run items like space heaters etc. i know it’s an expense, but solar generators are a life saver and can be recharged on the inverter generator. We are in a hurricane zone so outages from storms are a regular thing here. Having backup items makes all of this so much easier to deal with. I love your suggestions too!
Thanks for letting us know you like your buddy heaters...I can see how living in a hurricane zone would require a good generator...I'll have to look into inverter generators :)
I have 3 and love them.
❤ I put the mr.buddy heaters in small metal animal cages with metal trays inside under the heaters. This keeps pets and animals safe. I also have small woodstoves in the barns.
Am planning to purchase a Mr. Buddy heater. Am told a two bladed woodstove fan helps direct the heat horizontally rather than vertically and much more heat efficient. Can't wait to try it out.
If you have a backup electrical source, electric blankets are wonderful. It can get 40 degrees F in our off-grid season at night and we wake up toasty warm in the morning. They don't use that much power, nor burn up oxygen in the room like propane heaters or candles do.
Be careful with terracotta pots. Cheap ones have a tendency to explode causing a fire hazard
In a lot of the flower pot heater videos I see, the person puts another spacer on the top of the flower pot. In your case, maybe another Mason jar lid to create an air gap And then they put a slightly smaller terracotta pot on top of that and I think it's because the 2 layers of terracotta Heating up with the air pocket in between Throws off more heat than just one flower pot. I am gonna try it myself this fall but figured I would mention it here so you could test and see if maybe it is an improvement upon your design.
Interesting idea, Danielle...will have to give it a go :)
I cannot visualize this configuration, could you draw the plan and post please?
@@tinamarion7022 just set another smaller pot upside down on top of the first one.
🎉🤩 As someone who lives a full-time pioneer offgrid life, these were great budget friendly tips! Thank you!💗
In my last house, we moved in and almost immediately got cut off unexpectedly. I kinda fell down a prepper rabbit hole. I learned a few things (although not in perfection). I did the save water in vinegar bottles thing, and the bottles turned black☹️ I don't remember how long it took, but it wasn't good. I also thought glass would be great, but didn't think about the lids. My mother in law loves to gift frappacinos, so I thought I would save the bottles for water. Didn't realize the lid was so hard to clean (there's some kind of foam/waxy thing on top to keep it sealed). You can use this, but you have to soak the lids in bleach.
I found that bleach bottles were a better solution to saving water. I used bleach to kill weeds (yeah, the yard was smelly... It's a learning experience. Bleach does not hurt the yard, though.) The nature of bleach is of course it's corrosive, so the bottle can't be cheap plastic. And the small amount of bleach helps keep the water clean. I also found out water needs air bubbles in it, otherwise it tastes flat. So shake it up every so often.
If you are on city water, you will still have water for a while after the power goes out. It gets pumped into a tower, then is distributed by gravity. I was on a well, so relied on a pump.
Another way to store water for the future is save a few of those big laundry soap containers. I suppose if you're desperate you could filter it, but you could save a few of those for if you really don't have water. You can use it for hand washing or a sink bath or something. I'm thinking of those large side dispenser ones. They are so convenient, because they are built for the weight, and it is kinda the max size for portable water. You can also buy those wine bags (created for people who make their own wine. It it to contain it while it ferments too, I think). I bought several, and they have held up very well. I only lost one, thinking I could freeze it then carry it in a backpack. That tore open (it was an experiment).
Those large water storage containers are a great thought, but they're super heavy, and the dispenser is often so close to the ground that it's an issue. What will you do if you have to leave? Better to have portable water👍
I used my fondue set to get some warm water and heat soup.
I fill up all my empty plastic bottles and jugs and put them in the deep freezer-it will keep longer that way plus added benefit-it helps prolong the life of the freezer; the less it cycles on and off, the longer it’ll last. The more full it is, the less it will cycle!! Plus it’ll keep everything frozen longer if the power does go out! When the freezers start getting a little full I simply remove bottles as necessary!!
Nice tip, Debi :)
Have a container in the freezer part of the fridge. When it freezes lay a quarter on top of the ice. During an outage if the quarter sinks your food defrosted too and refroze. Do not use the food if this happens.
Excellent tip! Great for those times you are out of the house and may not know how long the power was out :)
fast food restaurants that use dill pickles on sandwiches often have empty 5 gallon pickle buckets with lids that they might give you. they would be food grade so safe for storing water.
Thank you Lisa. So love your videos!
I love the tea light heater idea!
Thank you. Appreciate your suggestions - some, I had not thought of.
I like to wear my headlamp around my neck so I can see where I am going and what I am doing, but I don't blind everyone else when I turn my head
great tip :)
I use solar lanterns Just keep them in the window and they are ready to go when you need them.
I would not throw out old water. I would use it for flushing or cleaning. I store my water for the bath room in my big detergent jugs.
Grandma Sue in central Indiana
People should be sure and fill their bathtub when they know that there's a possibility of failing electricity. If it doesn't go out, just drain the tub
I am in MI and aside from all of these great tips (thank you!:) I will add to it.
I keep cat litter on hand. Its great for for a makeshift toilet because it clumps (its dumped in a bucket lined with bag) and can be easily scooped out.I use only what I think I will need, a few inches in the bottom as not to waste it. The scented litter is great, especially for a number two potty lol. (2) Cat litter again It is good to keep in the vehicle to get unstuck in snow and puts more weight on the back for tire traction!
Hand and toe warmers! Inexpensive, too.
An egg crate like used for beds. Fiam retains heat. Strofoam does as well! Buy mylar blankets for extra warmth.
I buy 1 gallon jugs of water for drinking (less recylables) then fill with tap water and store for emergencies. I put a black checkmark near the cap so I know its tap water.
I keep my old blankets and comfirtors in a plastic bag that is made for construction materials. They are thick and long. Can never have too many blankets IMO!
Thanks for this video, I just found your channel! Stay warm this winter!❤
Yay! Great ideas and thanks for finding me! :)
@@asimpleseason2616 I love when You Tube surprises me with a new favorite channel in my feed yayyyyy ☺ Nice to meet you and the subs here ♥
Good thoughts re: foam and check mark on lids!
I have my parents oil lamps and now I too collect them. I love them. Great tips!
Those who have medical needs like sleep apnea and diabetes should consider having a backup power supply such as a solor generator and an insulin cooler. The solor generator needs to have a large enough battery storage to last for a week or so. Avoiding using the power inverter will extend the run time, so a dc power cord for the cpap and dc powered lights will use less power.
Your videos are like a cheerleading team, giving us ideas for trying times. ❤❤❤
I'm so glad! We can do it! :)
A string of solar-powered Edison-type LED lights could be brought through some opening. The solar panel could be placed outside, and unless it turns dark and gray during the days, it will give you light in the evening.
GREAT TIPS. THANKS !!!