How to Prepare for Winter Power Outages - 11 Items to Have & 11 Things to Do
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- In this video, I give 11 suggestions on things to have on hand and 11 things to do before a power outage caused by a winter storm. I talk about 2 winter power outage examples that I’ve gone through because I refer to those experiences throughout the video.
NOTE:
See my checklist in action in the link below. See my video on how well this list helped us prepare for, and get through, our self-imposed 24 hour power & water outage.
• Arctic Freeze in Texas...
Because you may have an all-electric home or natural gas or even a generator, there are a few things that may not apply to you; however, my hope is that the idea of using a checklist of some kind will still be of use.
NOTE: Educate yourself and decide what to do to protect your water heater or tankless water heater if its freezing outside, whether the power goes out or not. Also, educate yourself and decide, during freezing weather, if you are going to drip the faucets or turn the water off and drain the pipes to protect them from freezing and breaking. Decide this now, before the freeze comes!
Link to checklist: drive.google.com/drive/folder...
Links to the videos I refer to in this video:
Emergency Radios Review
• Which One to Buy? Midl...
Olympian Wave 8 Heater Review
• Olympian Wave 8 Heater...
Mr Heater Buddy Review
• Mr Heater Portable Bud...
Wireless Thermometer Review
• ORIA Refrigerator / Fr...
5 Gallon Drinking Water Containers Review
• 5 Gallon API Kirk Stac...
Items to have on hand:
Mr. Heater Portable Buddy amzn.to/45V7Ek9
Olympian Wave 8 Heater amzn.to/3FJFhLb
Welding Blanket amzn.to/3smObLI
5 gallon water storage containers amzn.to/47k2r6r
Coleman Triton 2 burner Propane Camping Stove amzn.to/3FG4fv0
Gas One Propane or Butane Camping Stove amzn.to/3QqI1ls
Midland ER310 Emergency Radio amzn.to/3QGM3aU
Raynic Emergency Radio amzn.to/3tZWsFM
RunningSnail Emergency radio amzn.to/3slqUty
Baofeng UV-5R Handheld Ham radio amzn.to/47lOLYZ
Yaesu FT-60 Handheld Ham radio amzn.to/3SqjsIc
Gearlight LED Headlamp amzn.to/3Mpx2Yo
Camping Lantern for emergencies… Battery powered amzn.to/3QmYW8K
Olight Banton 3 amzn.to/3QowV0z
Dietz #8 Pilot Oil Buring Lantern (Blue) amzn.to/47jAcVy
Gallon Parrifin Lamp Oil amzn.to/3sg4r0V
Coleman Ice Chest amzn.to/3SIIvqb
Plastic Sheeting (Use this link as a jumping into point to find the one you want) amzn.to/47ibvZH
Texas worse power outage: www.kut.org/energy-environmen...
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#PowerOutage, #DisasterPreparedness, #winterstorm #preppingover50
Disclaimer: The content provided by PreppingOver50 is for information only. I make no representation regarding the accuracy of the information on this site. In no circumstance shall I have any liability to you for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the site. You use this site at your own risk. The suggestions I have are for general education and information only and is not a substitute for professional advice. - Věda a technologie
I'm a homebound widow living alone and I have used many of your ideas to prepare (bucket shower, gas generator/power station combo, water storage, Buddy heaters and more). I really appreciate your videos. Your experience shows! Thank you and keep 'em comin'!!
Thank you
Oklahoma here, over 60 ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@@kristifreeman5830 I'm 68 and in Virginia.. We are supposed to have a rough winter this year. I know OK usually does. Take care!!!
Buy a box of handwarmers also
@freedomlover411 Im just curious what you mean by hardwares...
If you live in a cold winter area, have a wood stove for heat, have solar powered lights, save milk jugs and such, fill with water and put them outside, they will freeze and you can put them in fridge to keep it cold. Have a back up generator and fuel. At least a month worth of food that needs no refrigerator.
This is a good start. Best thing to do is turn off your power for a while, you will learn real fast what and where you need to improve.
We lived in a cold winter area. That's the first thing I show in my video. We also save milk jugs or other jugs and showed them in the video, but for different reasons. We use to use them to fill with water and freeze to use in our fridge when we lived in the mountains. I stated in my video that the information was put together regardless of having a generator or not. I also talked about, as you say, food that doesn't need a refrigerator (non-perishable).
I did a video on how we get through a 24 hour power outage with our portable power station. In the video, I turned off the main breaker for 24 hours to demonstrate, and I suggested other people try doing the same thing.
czcams.com/video/dmOzUCgnzw4/video.html
You may want to check out.
Apologies, but "filling" up ANY container with water where it will freeze, will most like RUPTURE / BURST / BUST the container!!! Time for plan B!!!
I’ve seen maybe a hundred or more YT videos on survival. I’ve spent a lot of time outdoors. With that, in my opinion, you have one of the best and practical channels on survival.
Thank you
I agree! 💯
1. You really can't have too much water. Non-potable water is still valuable for bathing and essential laundry.
2. Use the trunk of your car for cold food storage while protecting it from critters.
Ahh, love the trunk idea! Thanks!
Lolol I have a bear that breaks out my car windows and sleeps in it with NO food in it!!!!! Was here again 2 wks ago again leaving paw prints In the snow. Wildlife hasn't been able to catch him.
Unless you're in bear country, the trunk isn't safe.
@@denisewehling649or mouse country 😩
I'm down to 1 thing -- a 7.5 kW propane generator with automatic transfer switch. A few years ago, the power in my neighborhood (100 homes) was out for 12 days. I lost power for about 15 seconds. The peace of mind is priceless. The generator has paid for itself several times: food that didn't spoil, pipes that didn't freeze / burst, a basement that didn't flood because the sump pump 'took a nap' .
Yep... We love our Delta Pro portable battery power station, which is hooked up to an inlet in the house which goes to an interlock in our breaker box. We have a propane outdoor generator we can use to charge the Delta Pro with if its too cloudy for panels. It has its own inlet outside with a changeover switch.
Glad you talked about the last minute things when a storm is approaching (shower, laundry, wash dishes). I would also add the bottled water to the fridge to add mass, and make some ice blocks with Tupperware containers to add mass to your freezer. These buy you time before things spoil.
Great tips! I have a video where I show a couple of milk jugs full of water in my freezer for power outage.
I keep mine stocked!!
I washed out pop bottles very well, fill with water and stuck in spaces in my chest type freezer. Helps keep it cold longer and when/if it thaws I'll have a pop bottle of water for whatever I need.
Living in the mountains, we are always prepared. We always have gallons of water. Plus no less than 10 cases of water. We have 20 gallons of kerosene, with extra wicks. I keep about 25 propane tanks on hand. Plenty of dry and canned foods on hand. Plus shelves of canned goods. We have learned over the years. That you can never have to much stuff stored up. For bad situations, last time we lost power. It was out for ten days. We had no problems at all making it.
I thought storing 10 propane tanks was a lot lol...
Why do you waste time looking at this if your preparation is so perfect ? 😂 Those 20 gallons of K won't matter if the grid goes out. You didn't mention firewood or medical supplies. Those are important and always needed in living off the grid.
@@matildagreene1744
A lot of people like to talk about how they are prepared for all kinds of different emergencies. The poster was just showing that if you prepare for the worst and hope for the best, you can certainly be prepared for something like a winter power outage.
Other people like to read about this because it helps them get new ideas about how to prepare.
I'm from West Virginia and every time a storm was predicted more milk jugs were filled with water in addition to the ones we always kept for emergencies. A storm coming was nothing less than a spring cleaning with ensuring all chores were completed and laundry was completed, taking baths, washing your hair, and going up and down the stairs to get supplies and food was ready in case the power went out. My mother loved those collapsing water jugs. " Make sure you feel the bath tub with water!" 😂
I still prep and make sure I have supplies for at least four months. The holidays are always a good time to shop because they decrease the prices so much. I have all my food purchased, fresh batteries, personal hygiene and I'm working to build up my cleaning supplies. No one wants to go out in the cold and when it's slick.
Make sure to get a windup alarm clock, We usually depend on gadgets to tell the time and the ones that run off of batteries are a risk if the battery is low and you don't have spare batteries. They have a good selection on Amazon. I hate referring someone their website but if you're living in an area with no real choices are disabled you do what you need to survive.
Wishing everyone the best and be safe.
Not only Milk jugs but also the plastic bottles that are used for SOFT DRINKS. The BIG ONES will hold a bit over 2 QUARTS. Just be sure to rinse them out of any drops of the soft drinks? Might be useful in a pinch???
@@jtc1947 We used those as well as the drinks that came in big plastic containers such as teas and punches. When Hawaiian Punch started using the plastic bottles it became game changer. 😄 We used the larger Gator-Aid bottles too since bottled water hadn't became popular yet. I still use the Gator-Aid bottles for juices, teas, putting fruit in water to flavor it and portioning out servings. I still use my big Nalgene bottles for water for every day use.
Sounds like a great idea!
Another thing you might want to hold on to is the large liquid laundry soap and fabric softener containers. I rinse these out fill with water and use these to put into the toilet tank.
Good idea!
If you need to run cords or hoses through a window, cut a hole through a pool noodle and use it to fill the gap between the sill and the bottom of the window. It helps to keep out cold air, rain, snow, bugs. Air still exchanges for ventilation, just not as much. If a concern, you can ventilate from another screened window. Bonus points if the noodle is prepared and labeled before it is needed.
Pretty cool idea. We would need to vent using another window, like you said. We may give it a try.
An EXCELLENT IDEA!
Just got my bonus points by preparing one now! Thanks for the idea!
If you sew, try making draft dodgers. Cut up an old fleece blanket the width of your doors and windows, plus 4 inches longer for seams and make the strips about 9” wide. Your strips will be about 40” X 9.
Sew these into long pockets, leaving one end open-add 6 cups large beans or small pea gravel. Sew the open end shut by machine or hand sewing.
Use draft dodgers at the base of interior and exterior doors and at base of windows to keep out the cold. Distribute the beans or gravel evenly across the width of the door or window. Keep them pushed tightly against the door or window.
Also , you can sew a casing at the edge of a quilt or blanket and run a tension rod through the casing . Pop into a window to hold back the cold. These also reduce street noise etc.
Note-if you don’t sew, use a row of large safety pins to make a casing. Fold down about 5 inches and pin a “seam” with the safety pins, across the width of the blanket-then run your tension rod thru and pop into a window. Note: be sure to buy sturdy tension rods because quilts can be heavy. Fleece blankets work better than quilts.
I use a navy blue king size blanket in my bedroom- keeps out cold, noise and serves as blackout curtain.
During the Texas storm I kept a list of items that we really needed and after the storm I purchased everything on my list - even if I already had one in the house. I placed all of these items in a storage bin and marked it as Winter Storm box. We had some items from our camping days but I stocked up on winter clothes (long johns ect) lanterns, water storage and an updated camp stove. We also made sure to buy a water shut off key to make it easier to shut off the main water supply to the house if needed.
That Texas storm was an eye opener for us even though we lived isolated at times during snow storms without power in the mountains for 7 years. I have a 5 part video series on my site that shows live video of what it was like for us.
My son in Austin went out and bought a wood burning stove for his home after the storm.
@@peggyhiggins7959he is smart😊
That was brutal. We live on the north side of a large lake. Had to get firewood out there. The electricity cut on every 45 minutes for 15 minutes out in our small community. No water. We did well though besides the firewood being a problem to grab and cooling the house down every time we opened the door. We replaced it with propane heater and use it often now instead of our HVAC.
@@DeLong740 rig yourself a "prison gate" at the door. Hang plastic sheet or small tarp just outside the door and another one inside the door. That way you have a windbreaker pocket to minimize cold air blowing inside.
Per ERCOT officials “Texas’ power grid was “seconds and minutes” away from a catastrophic failure that could have left Texans in the dark for months”. We were rolled completely off the electric grid. With no power we used a combination of hand warmers, zero degree sleeping bags, candle lanterns and a propane heater on low with Carbon monoxide detectors. Our problem was we frugally only prepared for three days and needed five days of supplies. We have bumped our supplies up to 21 plus days now.
I saw the same report about minutes away from months without power. I have a 5 part video series on my YT channel where I filmed, live, what we went through.
Hope that Y'ALL were able to find food for the other days of GRID DOWN??
@@jtc1947 someone needs to make a comprehensive video on coffee making in a crisis. That seemed to be the biggest complaint after having no power or heat. We had plenty of food water and other general supplies it just never gets cold here that long. We are lucky to see a light dusting of snow every few years. Everything is built for the heat. Even the paint stripes on the highway come off in the cold.
@@cowtowndowntownbuy a hand grinder for coffee beans bring water to a boil put as much coffee grounds as you’d like ,stir grounds into the boiled water , like tea let it steep for a bit then strain grounds off… a cup of piping hot coffee 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼google how to make “ cowboy coffee “
@@cowtowndowntowna French Press works great if you have means to heat water.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. We are fortunate that we have a wood burning stove and a working fire place. One thing I would add to your lists is to have a battery operated carbon monoxide detector. It can be plugged into your regular outlet but when the power goes out, the batteries kick in. Also having multiple fire extinguishers in one's home is helpful when using alternative heating methods. We don't purchase large milk containers but those hard plastic juice bottles clean up nice and can be fit quite easily in spots that the gallon sized milk containers do not. Having a septic system means out waste will get put into the ground and we won't have to deal with the disposal of that even if the water goes off. Water catchment containers will provide water for that purpose.
Another good idea if you know a storm is coming is to not only fill your water bob in your tub but if you have a washing machine, you can fill that up, as well. Being able to use that for washing laundry in our utility sink right next to the washing machine is convenient.
As far as I'm concerned, having a CO alarm simply goes along with the Mr Heater suggestion because I said to read the manual, and that's what it says to do. No need to add a 12th item to my list. I like your washing machine idea! I hadn't thought about that...
Another Tip: Buy a new 2 gallon weed/bug sprayer to use ONLY for WATER! Spray black or a dark gray paint on the outside except for a vertical stripe (use painter tape) so you can see the tank level. Fill with water, place in the sun or next to a window where the sun is shining in to warm the water. Then when you need to wash hands or bath you can pressurize the tank and have warm water. NEVER EVER reuse a sprayer that has had weed killer or bug chemicals inside. This idea is a great way to conserve valuable water resources!
Thanks for your comment. I really appreciate it, but I have seen lots YT videos on this, mostly used for camping... tried it and didnt like it. I sent sprayer back. I prefer a nice big cup dipped in 5 gallons warm water. Also, after setting it out in the sun when its 28 degrees out, it will struggle to get warm. If you are on rolling blackouts or have a portable power station, you should check out my video on how to make, what I call a warm water bucket shower...
czcams.com/video/ImgnfYROtDw/video.htmlsi=UJvpEg61ZJW_zY3A
I have a propane powered portable water heater for camping showers. I hook it to water hose on municipal water supply, but it is designed to work with a small pump in a bucket of water. It works with a 20lb propane tank. My complete shower setup was under $250 when purchased in 2022 and has been worth every penny!
Something we northerners do is use the outdoor weather to our advantage when it comes to keeping food refrigerated/frozen. Place your food in bins (keep a supply of empty bins for this purpose) outside in an enclosed area (fenced-in area to protect food from wildlife) or on top of a table outdoors when power is off for an extended period of time. You can also freeze water in containers outside (depending on how cold it is) and then add it to your refrigerators/freezers to keep your food cold. We get as cold as -35 C (-31 F). Also, scoop snow in containers for use in the bathroom to flush toilets if you run out of water for that use (use when snow melts). The other thing you want to do is keep some cash on hand, you're cards won't work at the ATM when the power goes down. Have extra warm clothing and blankets on hand. We're lucky to have a wood stove in the Living/Family Room to keep us warm that we can also cook on. Stay safe by being prepared. Thanks for the video, great tips.
P.S. Set up tents, one slightly smaller than the other, so you have a tent within a tent, sleep inside this area, you'll find that it's warmer if you are not able to heat your entire home with emergency supplies, and you have tents, use them, it's a smaller area to keep warm.
Empty cat litter jugs are excellent to store water in for general use. They have handles so easy to carry. Great to have for toilet flushing & hygiene in the bathrooms. Having several cats, I've stored a good number of them.
Someone else said the same thing. I never knew. Interesting...
You had me at cat litter. 😊
Yep me too .I have about 15 of them
What an incredibly helpful video. Though we already do all those things and have them at the ready I found your presentation to be complete and concise, excellent for beginners or those who need a review. Thank you so much for doing this video.
Thank you... I think one of my goals, if nothing else, was to give people the idea of keeping a checklist of some kind to make sure they have it all together before the storm hits.
If you have canned meat and individual packets of miracle whip or mayo you can make sandwiches. Even adults can eat baby food pouches. They don't need refrigeration but are a good source of food. They make yogurt pouches too. You can make tacos out of canned chicken or tuna with taco seasoning and burrito shells. You can add some canned tomatoes. I eat soups and vegetables right out of the can
In addition, don't forget cold weather clothing: hats, gloves, puffy vests/jackets/, wool socks, thermal underwear. Have a couple of sets per person. I live in the mountains, where our power goes off frequently during the winter. Having cold weather clothing will reduce the need for wood burning stoves/ alternative heating.
I already listed some of those items on the check list you can download and under the video description.
Over the years, I’ve bought quite a few goosedown comforters at thrift stores for less than $8 each. They are a great way for you and your pets to stay warm.
Great tip!
Very important for those with a backup gasoline generator, use the right extension cord. A standard cord with too much power running through it is both a serious fire risk but can easily turn your generator into a big metal box unable to give you the power you'd planned on. It all comes down to your generator's power output. Ours can run most things in our home and the cord for that was near $150. The price tag can be off-putting but it's essential to get this bit done right.
Excellent video, you can tell you lived in a place previously where being prepared is a must just during normal winters.
I have a couple videos showing us going through a self made 24hr power outage. I believe I spoke about the cord and how an electrician set us up with the correct size. Thanks for comment.
We live on a back road in Cayuga County, NY. There are only about 8 houses, so if our power goes out, we are one of the last ones to get it back on. If there is weather coming, like right now with high winds and possible lake effect snow (lots of trees on the road), I'll just put ice in the cooler and take out the milk and other things I might want to eat and put them in there first. We have propane on demand hot water and a propane stove, plus other cooking methods, including a new gas stove in our shed, where I can food during the summer so I don't heat the house up. Water: We have two big generators to run the well pump and keep the freezers going. Two is good, because upon checking our Generac gas generator that's about 10 years old, the small battery for the electric start is bad - again! It won't take a charge. Apparently, these small batteries often go bad quickly. We have a new propane/gas generator that I can start by myself if my husband isn't home. Only a gorilla could start that Generac by pulling the cord. So, if he isn't home, and/or the power outage is very localized, like from a thunderstorm, I always have water for me in big jugs, and two of those have the spigots on the bottom - so I can wash my hands! You can't wash your hands if you have to pour water on them, you need running water. OK - in the barn, I'll have every water bucket and water trough filled with clean water. In the summer, it's not a big deal if the power is out for a day or two if I have water drawn up. The thing then is to keep the freezers cold - and they all have some ice stored up in them. In winter, we have several Mr. Buddy heaters, a kerosene heater. /we also have some Jackery power stations, and many solar lights that we keep in the greenhouse. Oil lamps, too. And 'woodshed' kero lamps from Lehman's on the walls. Six gallons of lamp oil. The only thing we need is our two small woodstoves hooked up, but that hasn't been accomplished yet. Also, in winter, like right now, I have extra milk stored up in my barn. It's 40-degrees right now, so the outside can be my refrigerator. We grow most of our own food, including beef and pork and eggs (we need more meat birds this spring), so I have plenty of food canned, frozen, dehydrated. Also, I think it is wise to have some books on hand that you haven't read yet, board games, hand sewing, etc. to keep you busy with no t.v.
Nice video. Some good advice as well. I partially grew up on a farm before we started traveling. Now days people call it prepping. We just call it chores. We can, we make jam, I salt, and smoke meats, we make bread. We have generators. We use wood and propane heat. We also go camping. So we have camp stoves and lanterns and oil lamps and candles. When the storm is coming we fill the bathtubs up for the toilets. We even buy a couple extra cans or box of noodles when we shop and cycle them out over time. Recently I built a solar powered unit that I can connect to my truck. 3500 watt pure sine wave inverter. So I guess you could say we have backup for our backups.
Sounds great! Sounds as if you have lots of skills. I built my own off grid system in 2015...
czcams.com/video/HxJ-MUePm-Y/video.htmlsi=aOdpeTc0dqFXU2Rc
Nice!
Very good prep ideas. Thanks! I downloaded the list you made (it was easy). Some of the things I hadn't considered (like the water jugs for water to flush the toilet).
You are so welcome!
Always prepare for winter outage... candles, oil lamps, coolers to store food outside... Propane kitchen stove cooking and heat... melting water from snow is a bit misjudgement but can do. Standard fare in north woods... it's gotten better over the years and millions spent in error needed fixing, brilliant! My all time favorite is power outage out of the blue sky... Literally. 🕯Smoke Signal:
Here in Maine we have several winter power outages every year. They are usually associated with a bit of snow and wind. We prep as follows.
1) Turn the whole house inverter on in pass through mode. The inverter will make sure the 20 Kwh battery bank is fully charged. Then when the power goes out, the batteries and inverter take over in about 10 milliseconds (less than one AC cycle). That is fast enough that we don't notice that the power is out. The battery bank will run the whole house for at least three days. There is a solar array on the roof that will extend our battery life to about 6-7 days in winter and for as long as an outage lasts from mid-April to the end of October.
2) Before the storm I fill the truck with gas and put the snowplow on. So I can plow the driveway and our private road out to the town plowed road.
Our house is heated by a propane combi boiler that also provides hot water so we have heat and hot water. We get our water from our well, which runs off the inverter. So we always have water. If for some reason we didn't want to run the main heat, we have a Jotul wood stove and 6-8 cords of seasoned firewood. We have never had any reason to put any insulation on our triple pane windows, but it never gets below about -15F here. I would never run a propane heater in the house because of the condensation it will cause.
Lots of people I know have automatic propane fired backup generators that fire up on their own 2-3 minutes after the power goes out. I went with batteries and an inverter because I don't like the noise of a generator. That said, I do have an 8 kilowatt portable generator if I need it.
As far as food goes, the local stores all have generators so I can just go shopping for anything special I want. We can always get the basics though - potatoes and lobsters.
Sounds like you are very well prepped! We lived in a similar fashion when we were in the mountains.
Great info, thank you. Especially the part about keeping the 20lb propane tank outside the house when hooked up to the buddy heater
Great info as always!!! I’ve learned so much from your vids! Much appreciated! Reminder you can also use other containers such as plastic storage totes and the buckets that cat litter comes in to store extra non-potable water. They can fit in tubs or near toliets. We had a full week power outage in July once due to a tornado and massive flooding. Our little village was completely cut off - no roads passable in or out of town. A few restaurants got together and we had community cook outs. Everyone brought food that was going to expire since most of us didn’t have ice. The police went around town and announced the food gatherings. Luckily my house stayed cooled for several days as I didn’t go in/out of the house. I chilled into low activity mode and read several books. After that I now keep jugs of water frozen in my freezer. It helps keep the freezer colder longer when no power. I can transition a jug or two to the refrig or consolidate into coolers. I’ve now been buying extra coolers for another power outage. Just bought my first power station and solar panels. Here’s hoping I can get up to speed about using them. Your previous vids have been most helpful in this area! All the best! Thanks again!!!
Thank you. It sounds like you are well prepared. I'll be posting another video about solar power soon. We moved and are having things hooked up this week. I think keeping ice jugs in freezer is a great idea if you have the room. We did that for years.
I found 2 empty green plastic kitty litter jugs with lids in the recycling bin that I filled with water to test for leaks (no leaking). I figured since the labels said they held 36 lbs of litter they should be strong enough for water. Each holds 4 gallons of water. I keep them empty and when we get the alert that the power company may shut down the grid due to wildfire danger we fill these up an put one in each bathroom for non-drinking uses (for which I am glad they are a color other than blue, because my emergency water is stored around the apt in blue 4 gallon containers).
@@karinhart489 Great score! Gotta love free! I store cases of bottle water behind my couch which is along one wall. The couch is out about 4-5” more and they fit great due to the slant on back of couch. No one notices! Look for storage spots like this around your apt. Under couches, beds. Any empty baskets sitting around? Fill em w batteries. Etc. You can never have too much prep stuff! ❤️
I'm the type of person I only thinks about this kind of stuff when it's too late so thank you for bringing this to my attention now💛💛💛💛
I think many people hold off until its too late, especially when money is tight. I get it!
Sleeping bags are a must where we live. I bring our camping goods from our travel trailer into our garage for storage. Food, water, clothing, are essentials.
Your video is quite helpful
That's a great idea!
One of the simplest and best videos on preparedness. I can tell you've been there and done that. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words...
Very smart and helpful tips for any type of power outage. We use most of these tips during hurricane season here in Florida. Instead of heaters, we have fans to stay cool. We have a couple of solar generators to power lights, fans, electric cooler, cooking pot, and other devices. When ever I purchase emergency supplies I look for items that can be charged using solar and are USB when possible. There may come a day when our grid goes down and I want to be as prepared as I possibly can. I pray that never happens.
I built my own off grid system in 2015 and have videos on my site showing it, one showing how I use it in a power outage. I sold it when I moved. Now I have a Delta Pro hooked up to my home and several other units. I have lots of videos on this channel showing them etc... yes... solar is great. A lot of people dont have one, so thats why I said in my video the list is regardless of having a gen or not.
I wish I could afford a propane heater and propane. The most we have is a tent to put up indoors, wool socks, hot hands and feet, and candles. Lots of prayers!🙏🙏🙏
I almot included a tent for the living room in my video. Maybe long johns thermal underwear and ski mask. I used these in the mountains
@@LoneStarPrepping I hadn't thought of thermals and a ski mask. Thank you! 😊
I have those things but I swear the warmest clothes I had turned out to be Christmas pjs of thick polyester blanket type flannel. They were a Xmas gift I never used because they were too big, bulky to sleep in. Came close to cutting them up for pet beds. Turned out to be a great warm outfit though I looked like a giant Xmas elf. By day 3, I truly did not care how crazy I looked.
@@bmiles4131 They sound wonderful for that!
I love my blanket pajamas! They really are the warmest single layer items I own! I have a pullover top and pj pants that are my cold night go-to pjs.
I also use my empty cleaned vinegar jugs too so much stronger. Thank for reminding me too a filter system set-up.
Those jugs should work well! Thanks for watching my video...
Thank you , Betty, for mentioning about the vinegar jugs. I do that too. I use the jugs that have screw tops . As many people,I don’t have a lot of space for storage but I’m able to line one side of the stairs leading up the attic with filled water jugs and the same for the stairs leading to the cellar.😊
You also need extra water for pets if you have dogs or cats. You can collect water in old milk jugs that have been washed or juice jugs or your big jugs that water comes in. It's always good to have extra water on hand for emergencies 😊
You need as much drinking water as what makes sense for your needs. I have 24 five gallons containers full of drinking water stored and 15 cases of bottled waters because I want water for my freeze dried food as well.
I saw a great suggestion recently to use empty laundry detergent and bleach bottles for non potable water storage. To flush toilets, wash hands, wash laundry, etc.
I like to use thicker Arizona brand tea jugs to store extra water. They hold up to travel back and forth to less reliable water sources better than most others. They also stack unlike milk jugs.
Great idea about the used jugs with water to flush the toilet when no running water, thanks!!
Stopped by for some ideas, just wanted to say I’m throughly impressed you took the time to demo and show all of these items. I can appreciate folks who try to do things right. Thanks!
Thank you so much!
A timely reminder - thank you.
I am so grateful for the content of your channel...
Thank you very much! ❤
Thanks for taking the time to watch.
I viewed the video for any ideas I might have overlooked.
However, my takeaway is that I already live all the time as if there was no electric power.
I heat my home with my wood stove, and have ample scrap wood collected for fuel.
I collect rainwater from gutter downspouts, and haven't had citiwater turned on in years.
I have a gas range, and the gas has been turned off for utility planned maintenance only once in 38 years, and I'm skilled on cooking on my wood stove if need be. Indeed, I cook on and in my wood stove pretty often in the winter when the stove is burning.
I( have ample food on hand.
I have a Coleman propane lantern which is my primary source of light in the event of no power. It connects to a propane gas cylinder which sits on the floor while the lantern hangs from hangers screwed into the ceiling where I might want them.
The wood stove burns out overnight, and it is usually COLD on winter mornings, so I routinely sleep in a sleeping bag during the winter. That keep me warm whatever the temperature, although it IS chilly until the wood stove heats things up in the morning!
Sounds similar to some of the things we did when we lived in the mountains. Sounds good!
One reason for my video was to suggest using or making your own checklist to go over before the storm hits.
I like your rain gutter setup, but I read that if you use roof comp, it could have chemicals that could be harmful to ingest, which may or may not be able to be filtered out.
After a dry spell, I use the water collected for gardening, clothes washing and such.
I collect potable water that I use for drinking and cooking when sufficient rain has washed the roof clean an the water runs clear. I usually have lots of water collected that way that is stored in my basement, so I can turn to that water during the summer draught for those purposes.
That's good enough for me.
Thank you‼️ Watched a recent video of yours and very much appreciated the jam packed 20 min. video! It had truly relevant info, with data & Tests, that you had researched and performed during that 24 hr ‘TEST PERIOD’ - Thank you, for these videos! I’m *Sharing* this one, before I finish watching, as Imho, it will be informative and likely much needed by others (& perhaps faster than I may finish viewing). 💥We, as Viewers, SHOULD ALL be SHARING imp. information out NOW, WHILE WE CAN‼️ Who knows, if that ‘luxury’ will continue!💥T.y again! Blessings to you’all! 🙏🕊️
Thank you
Love the wisdom you are sharing. I have a suggestion , this is what we have done for a few years in a row. We put as many 16 oz water bottles in the freezer in between the food. They freeze and help the food will last longer with all those frozen bottles
That kind of thing has been suggested on the updated list. If you see my recent video where I deal with 24hr power outage using the list, I use ice bottles but not enough.
Post Script: Those behemoth octopus coal furnace need feeding too... Daddy showed me one time., said step aside and opened the door. See those whirling colors and whoosh, flame across the Michigan cellar. That is a basement dug in clay after the house was built... My job was to feed that beast shovel at a time at three years of age. Life was more fun!
Thermal Underwear changed my life in winters. Now I like tight fitting fleece under clothes. Dewalt has a work site light that looks like..a box with a dome on top and it is battery powered (by same batteries used for Dewalt tools) It may not be the best lighting solution, but I loved how it lit up our living room as if the lights never went out. If you already have Dewalt tools and at least 2 of the batteries, might be nice to have. We found it helpful when we were doing a project outside and we rented a big piece of machinery and to cut down on rental time, therefore cost..we used the light outside when it was dark and we were able to finish the job in one day. Without the light, we would've had to stop at dark.
Having a small off grid solar power system would solve a lot of these issues. Also, shut off the water and drain the pipes if you think they may freeze.
Yep... An off grid system would be very useful, but a lot of people don't have one and almost everything on my list would still make life easier even with an off grid solar system. That's why I said in my video that my list is regardless of having a gen or not. For example, you may want a mr. heater even if you have a portable power station because an electric space heater will drain the battery too fast. If you have an all electric house, you will still need some kind of propane stove, again, because an electric stove would drain battery really fast. I have many videos on my channel about solar. I built my own off grid 10,000 watt battery capacity system in 2015. I have a video of it and one showing me using it in a power outage. I now have a Delta Pro that was hooked up to my home in about 2020, and I did a video on how we manage a 24hr power outage with it... so I know its nice having one for emergencies but my list would still be useful even if you have one.
I went through that Texas storm and have doubled up on preparing to go through life without the grid at any time of the year ever since. This is a great list you’ve put together. Subscribing to your channel.
Since water to flush a toilet might be needed for more important things, I bought a 5 gallon bucket toilet seat lid and bags. I use horse bedding pellets from Tractor Supply to absorb liquid and mask odor. These pellets are the same thing as the pine cat litter pellets but much cheaper. We also use this bucket for camping when bathrooms are too far from our campsite for nighttime visits.
We have a 5 gallon bucket with toilet seat as well. Have not had to use yet, but we have it just in case.
I paid attention to the Texans' struggles during that freeze! I now have a backup way to cook inside when it's too cold or raining and outside grilling isn't a good option.
We use pine shavings for our potty bucket! Will definitely keep an eye out for pellets!
@PreppingOver50 My sewage line busted from tree roots penetrating it and had some sewage backed up in tub and shower. Had a bucket toilet and lid with kitty litter and garbage compacter bags had used for camping that saved me. No repair for 3 days, had to dig up and replace pipe. Never know!
I had no power for 2 months after Hurricane Katrina,,, no AC in after Hurricane weather is deadly… it was 100 to 120 degrees in the shade here along the whole Gulf of Mexico. When the Power goes out have a big Bar B Q, use refrigerator and freezer foods first if you do not have a generator to put it on,,, Here in the Hurricane zone we have Chest Freezers and line the bottoms and sides with Bags of ice,,, so that way u will have ice also
Also was here during the power outage and had almost all of these items so didn't suffer at all. Thank you.
You lived in that cabin in the woods and you left??!! Wow, I’d stay forever!
That's what I said... But we wanted to live closer to family and commuting to work over 30 miles away was difficult in the winter. I would have to plow the mile long private road at 4am to get out on time. It was a lot of work living up there. Here is a video of what it was like... loved it though!
czcams.com/video/fMg7MRlxO6c/video.htmlsi=ggb8cgbFJX5d1LS1
I found this video helpful. I live in Ontario and am use to the cold but its surprising how unprepared we can still be. Fortunately, I live in an area that doesnt get many power outages but I do make a point of taking my kids camping and they adapt fairly well to not having power. Even hope for it during storms lol. The only thing I'd add to the list is to make sure you and your family know where everything is or how to use the items. Even as I write this I realized my kids might not know how to use an oil lamp. As someone else mentioned, turning off the power and doing a trial run is a good idea.
I did a video where I shut off the power to my house for 24 hours to show how we handle it with a Delta Pro. I suggested others try this as well in that video.
studio.czcams.com/users/videodmOzUCgnzw4/edit
Also, I think everyone needs to know the location of the main water shut off and how to work it, for sure.
Have FLASH-lights handy and know where they are along with the batteries to run the lights and any other battery operated gear. A battery organizer like "BATTERY DADDY" will be a great way to organize batteries.
@@jtc1947 I have a video about how to store batteries...
czcams.com/video/g2CWEISMOUY/video.htmlsi=eP2ASne8bdQX_szs
I have this vid at 9.30 shows how I stored batteries and flashlights etc... several years ago in one place...
czcams.com/video/GVWRaffzp30/video.htmlsi=0Vz5jbhxHUDzen7D
For my showers a used a 1 gallon garden sprayer that I cleaned well with soapy vinegar water then rinsed well. And a 1 quart pressure pump sprayer showers for children. Just dampen wash and rise and have hooded towel ready to wrap them till dry.
Im aware of people using these. Im glad you found something that works for you but thats not for me. I have made those. I will take a 5 gallon bucket full of warm water and a glass over a sprayer any day. You should check out my, what I call, warm water bucket shower video. Now, that is the way to go!
czcams.com/video/ImgnfYROtDw/video.htmlsi=TjhYZ_Wx7dnhIMd-
I keep a dozen or so cat litter jugs filled with water to fill the toilet tank. They’re large and square-ish so they pack well together and hold a lot. I store them in the back of closets or behind furniture until needed. Before filling I rinse them with a roughly 5% bleach solution. During the last bad hurricane I used them for washing as well.
Also, save the gel freezer packs that come with meal delivery kits. Store in a ziplock bag because they sometimes leak, and put them in the freezer before the storm. They freeze very quickly and stay frozen for a very long time. I use them on top and in between the food in the cooler.
Someone, in the comments, said they stores cat litter jugs as well. Sounds like a plan!
Thank you for those great tips I’ll have to listen again
Those propane catalytic heaters are great. They don't give off the odor or moisture a conventional propane heater does. Yours is the large model. They make one half that size for smaller areas and better portability. I purchased one half that size and have it permanently wall mounted and plumbed to an outside tank.
We really like ours!
Great tips thank you. These are great tips not just for preppers over 50 but younger folks as well.
Great tips. Thank you
I use the Big Mr. Buddy. Because you can use a 30pound propane tank. Less expensive. Withan extention. I called the manufacture to be sure ✨✨✨
First time watching ❤ wonderful video, such great tips! Thank you 😊
Another good thing to have on hand are battery powered or rechargeable fans if it's hot and the power goes out and solar powered generators like a jackery to plug in phones a toaster or microwave or radio or computer.
Fans good idea. I have plenty of videos about solar gens...
Thanks for the advice.😊
I love in an apt & this is a very practical list . My Mr. Buddy heater is on its way next week, I already use the window treatments every winter, & stock up on food preps. My struggle is water, I have limited space left after modifying a closet for food prep & extra blankets.
Walmart has a 6 gallon water storage container for $17. Its pretty thin...enough you can fit it under a bed. Also bottle water under bed.
One of the smartest lists I've seen!
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for the print outs! Great advice!
Glad I could help!
Yes, Texas gets those ice storms. Takes out everything.
Great ideas and tips! Thank you!!!
Thank you for the helpful information.
Nice video. Thank you for sharing
Your channel is great. I just found it and I love your videos! Your presentation is perfect, you are calm, and give us information without scaring us. Can you please advise me? I live in a condo. I have no storage area for propane other than on my balcony which is off the living room. I live on the second floor. If I buy a couple small, propane containers, what can I cover them with so they’re not damaged? Also, should they be kept near the railing rather than up against the siding of the condo? I hope you can help me. It’s hard to prep living in a condo where I don’t have control over a lot of stuff! 🎉
Thank you. Im not an expert about this, but there are plenty of sites that have info if you google it. Here is one site:
www.amerigas.com/about-propane/propane-safety/tank-storage
I would not store it in diect sunlight. You may want to turn a milk crate upside down and place it over the canisters to protect them.
Thank you. Great information and video.
I burned my finger the exact same way. Also, just stumbled upon your channel. Subscribed
Thanks for the sub!
Thank you for great explanations on your info. 😮
❤Great Reminder video
Great video, thank you.
You are welcome!
I love your videos! Well done sir. I'm 54 and can relate with a lot of things youve mentioned. Just subscribed! Thanks from Ontario Canada
Thanks for the sub!
so well thought out! thankyou !
You're so welcome!
Really good ideas , thank you!
Three years ago, we had a 72 power outage in an ice storm. We have a natural gas fireplace, but it puts heat straight up into the mantle, which would overheat. We have a fireplace screen, which we use as a decorative item; but I took some aluminum foil and painter's tape and created a baffle to push the heat out into the living room. When we turned off the fireplace, the foil would drop down onto the screen; and when we turned the fireplace back on, the foil would rise up to about a 45 degree angle and push the heat out into the room and protect the mantle.
Along with the heat being diverted into your home better, the fumes and possible CO will be as well. You need venting and I suggest CO alarms.
Our gas fireplace vents outside, it's the hot air from the built-in heatilator that the baffle directed to the center of the room.
It’s getting cold and we will probably have a few storms this winter. I’m getting my things together. This video was really helpful. Thank you!
Glad I could help...
Bless you for helping others.
Thank you...
Great suggestions!
Thanks for watching!
We live in LA. and were prepared for hurricanes with food, water and generator but not so much for that cold spell you mentioned. Our power was out for a day+ and all I had was a fireplace with very little wood to burn. Luckily it didn't last or I fear my plumbing would have been froze by the next day. That woke us up to the realization the GOV is causing problems with the grid making it more undependable. Even more so now since they closed two coal plants in this state. Any how I added a small room size kerosene heater and Coleman kerosene lantern to my prep. My house is all electric and those BBQ size butane bottles can go really fast in the heater I have while from experience I can go several days with a five gallon can of kerosene for a heater while a gasoline generator can go thru five gallons of gas in a day. I would go with every fuel option you can get as from experience gasoline and butane can be hard to acquire and a waste of time waiting in line if the stores are even open. It will never get cold enough here for me to freeze up but there is not much I can do for the plumbing disaster I might end up with.
Look into a portable power station or as some call them... solar generator.
In days of old in the big city... Grandma heated a large kettle of water on the gas stove to bathe... One too two inches of water mixed every Saturday whether needed or not, two weeks if grandpa was making gin. As a word to the wise, never chip off a chunk of ice for a drink out of the oak ice box. Grandpa will rearrange your molecules...🛁
Thank you for an awesome video with some valuable information. Very helpful.
Very welcome!
Very helpful, useful info! Thank you for making this video! Seems like common sense, but thinking about these things ahead of time can really make all the difference. Appreciate having checklists like this.
People tend to panic when power goes out. This helps guide you so there is less panic. You are the one in control!
These are great tips! I experienced a week-long power outage about 10 years ago, and it really opened my eyes.
To afd to your list:
--Always keep your fridge & freezer filled, even if it's just water bottles. This will help to maintain the temperature longer, plus you have water to drink if needed.
--Toilets use a lot of water, and there are only so many times you can use it for #1 without having to flush (3-4, unless you can tolerate the smell.)
--A camping solar shower may help tou heat up water to bathe. They're fairly cheap.
I was able to hold down the fort for the week and didn't loose any food in my fridge/freezer. I was also able to watch TV via over-the-air signals, using a basic wire stuck in one of the inputs on my TV.
Since then, I've learned to add a water filtering system. Bleach first, then filter through a Zero water filter for drinking or cooking. If using for washing, no need to filter through Zero water.
Candles help, but be sure to have battery-powered smoke and CO detectors if using anything with a flame. Fire extinguishers are a must, too.
Wonderful video. Straight to the point.
Thank you...
Excellent and practical.
Thank you
Very good info. 😊
Great video! Thanks for sharing.
Nice, quick and concise👍
Thanks! 👍 Thats what I was aiming for.
I have been thinking about this and I thought I was prepared. It looks like I have more work to do. Your video is very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks for watching it...
Thank you so much!
Thank you! Headed to stores tomorrow:))
Glad I could help!
Thanks!👍
Thank you Sir. Great information.
Very welcome
We ran out of plastic when i was young (late 90s) mom put blankets over the windows and had oil lamps for light and warmth.
We had kerosene heaters to keep the living room warm.
She would run the burners on top the stove. To warm up the kitchen in the morning. She closed off parts of the house we weren't using. With old blankets ❤.
I can't stand a electric stove. It won't work in a outage. But sure fire that gas stove helped to save our lives.
Fuel was cheaper back then.
My parents were and are still cool. We had the ability to survive. Mjm power went out days sometimes.
The tips were great
Illinois ❤
Wow, sounds like you went through a lot. People tend to appreciate things more after having lived through that kind of thing.
Thank you, Sir, very helpful.
Glad I could help!
I have watched so many prepping videos but yours is tuly one of the best as ll the things you share come by experience and noticibly out of good will. Liked&Subscribed. Keep up the good work.
Thank you. When I talk about or show our experiences, I am hoping it will help people. I did a 5 part live video series on this channel about what we went through in Feb 2021.
@PreppingOver50 One can clearly tell things in the video are tested and proven worth to share. I especially like the checklist idea at the end. Great video again and looking forward for more of this great content!
Thans for the tips.❤
No problem!!
Solid video thank you