How to prep my new house for an approaching winter storm
March 12, 2023 8:04 AM Subscribe
I just moved into a rental house (free-standing) in a lake community on top of a mountain (700ft above sea level, if that matters). I previously lived in apartments in town and rarely had to deal with winter storm issues other than digging out my car. There is a pretty significant winter storm coming tomorrow night into Tuesday and I am looking at ways to prep my house (and myself) for this.
I live in Western CT, approximately 25 miles due north of the coast.
This community often suffers from power outages during significant storms (winter and summer). There is one road in/out to the main road. I do have a 4wd truck, so it's not so much getting off the mountain that I'm concerned about.
My heat is electric and there is a septic system. The house is not that well insulated, as I've learned since moving in two weeks ago. I keep my heat at 68 in the main living space, but it still feels chilly at times, and the windows are not the best.
I guess what I'm asking about is this: what things can I do in the next 12-24 hours that will help in the event of a power outage. Since my heating is all electric, if that goes, then pretty much everything is off.
My stove/oven is propane - can I use it in an outage?
Can toilets be flushed using buckets of water with a septic system?
I will put the taps on slow drip if power goes out.
Are there any other things I can do, like salt the deck, fill the bathtub, stuff like that? I have shovels and a roof rake, but this is likely to be a heavy wet snow and the predictions are 5-10 inches of it before it's done. I'm a middle aged woman with zero handy skills and a bad back, living alone. So whatever I can do to mitigate any anxiety about this new (to me) situation would help me immensely.
Thanks MeFites!
I live in Western CT, approximately 25 miles due north of the coast.
This community often suffers from power outages during significant storms (winter and summer). There is one road in/out to the main road. I do have a 4wd truck, so it's not so much getting off the mountain that I'm concerned about.
My heat is electric and there is a septic system. The house is not that well insulated, as I've learned since moving in two weeks ago. I keep my heat at 68 in the main living space, but it still feels chilly at times, and the windows are not the best.
I guess what I'm asking about is this: what things can I do in the next 12-24 hours that will help in the event of a power outage. Since my heating is all electric, if that goes, then pretty much everything is off.
My stove/oven is propane - can I use it in an outage?
Can toilets be flushed using buckets of water with a septic system?
I will put the taps on slow drip if power goes out.
Are there any other things I can do, like salt the deck, fill the bathtub, stuff like that? I have shovels and a roof rake, but this is likely to be a heavy wet snow and the predictions are 5-10 inches of it before it's done. I'm a middle aged woman with zero handy skills and a bad back, living alone. So whatever I can do to mitigate any anxiety about this new (to me) situation would help me immensely.
Thanks MeFites!
Best answer: Yes you can flush your toilet with buckets of water on a septic, but does your well pump run on electricity? Your stove might also require electricity for ignition.
posted by shadygrove at 8:21 AM on March 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by shadygrove at 8:21 AM on March 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I would make friends with my neighbors, the local government officials (police, fire, whoever at city hall coordinates emergencies), and reach out to in-town groups (houses of worship, schools for those who have children, eldercare if that is applicable, etc.) Make yourself known to your human resources and let them know that you are new to this and need all the advice and assistance you can get.
Do not try to tough this out. You may need to take shelter in a safer place, or have plans set up if things quickly go haywire.
Even experienced people get caught out by winter weather. Eventually you will be counted as a resource for your neighbors. Until then, be conservative in your estimations about what you can do alone.
Good luck.
posted by TrishaU at 8:32 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Do not try to tough this out. You may need to take shelter in a safer place, or have plans set up if things quickly go haywire.
Even experienced people get caught out by winter weather. Eventually you will be counted as a resource for your neighbors. Until then, be conservative in your estimations about what you can do alone.
Good luck.
posted by TrishaU at 8:32 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Fill your gas tank if it isn't already, in case the storm is worse than you anticipate. If the electricity goes out the gas pumps might be inoperable. Empty your fridge of things that will definitely go bad - and stock up on ice in coolers to try to keep cool things like milk or meat. If your meats thaw, when the power returns it might still be fresh enough to cook. Do you have foods that you can eat without cooking?
I have little experience with a propane stove, but the risk of CO2 in my house if the stove is on for long periods if is not venting properly would deter me. If you have a CO2 detector - is it electric?
Is there an evacuation center in the worst scenario? Look into what might be an emergency radio station you can find on your phone. FencingGal is right - a back up portable charger is essential.
Do you know your new neighbors? Perhaps try to connect with them and get their phone numbers in advance in case of emergency.
Anticipate the worst, and find out where you can go if it starts to look bad. You don't have to be alone through this. Good luck!
posted by citygirl at 8:39 AM on March 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
I have little experience with a propane stove, but the risk of CO2 in my house if the stove is on for long periods if is not venting properly would deter me. If you have a CO2 detector - is it electric?
Is there an evacuation center in the worst scenario? Look into what might be an emergency radio station you can find on your phone. FencingGal is right - a back up portable charger is essential.
Do you know your new neighbors? Perhaps try to connect with them and get their phone numbers in advance in case of emergency.
Anticipate the worst, and find out where you can go if it starts to look bad. You don't have to be alone through this. Good luck!
posted by citygirl at 8:39 AM on March 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Flashlights , lantern , batteries.
Charge your cell phone and laptop, tablet.
If Internet goes out you still might be able to use cell phone as a hotspot.
Texting might still work if voice call can't be made.
posted by yyz at 8:58 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Charge your cell phone and laptop, tablet.
If Internet goes out you still might be able to use cell phone as a hotspot.
Texting might still work if voice call can't be made.
posted by yyz at 8:58 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Here's a link from my electrical company (Eversource) on preparing for a storm. I just received the "Major Storm Heading Our Way" email from them, so it's not a bad idea to be on your electrical provider's email list and to know how to report an outage.
+1 on knowing your neighbors (especially the ones with a generator and/or wood stove). You'll probably meet them when clearing out your driveway, if you haven't already.
Luckily, it's March, so any snow storm usually has warm weather right after. It's going to be in the high 40/low 50's later this week, so no real chance of water pipes freezing.
posted by bCat at 9:01 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
+1 on knowing your neighbors (especially the ones with a generator and/or wood stove). You'll probably meet them when clearing out your driveway, if you haven't already.
Luckily, it's March, so any snow storm usually has warm weather right after. It's going to be in the high 40/low 50's later this week, so no real chance of water pipes freezing.
posted by bCat at 9:01 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Do fill the tub with water to use for flushing. If you have a barbecue, you can sill make hot food. Put blankets over the doorways to the one room you can most easily keep warm. Turn up your heat in that room now, while you can.
posted by Enid Lareg at 9:07 AM on March 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Enid Lareg at 9:07 AM on March 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I have been a similar situation a lot with my place in the Hudson Valley. I have electric heat, well pump, water heater, and fridge/freezer, and a propane cooking range.
A few things I've learned:
- Check the back of your propane range right now; does it plug in to an outlet, or does it just have a gas hookup? If the latter, then it does not have any kind of electric ignition system and you will be able to use it to cook if your power goes out. If the former, see if you can unplug it right now and get comfortable lighting one of the burners using a match. (This is a useful and clear explanation of how to do that.) This will mean you can comfortably cook using the burners during a power outage.
Do not use your range as a heat source, though, as it is too detrimental to your indoor air quality to have it on for hours at a time.
- A portable car jumpstart battery pack (I have one like this) can do double duty; stored in your truck glove compartment for a dead battery on the road, and brought into the house during storms to keep your phone and laptop charged. You might go into town today and grab one.
- A bucket or two of water next to your toilet will allow you to flush and then refill the tank. If it's easier for you to fill the tub and scoop water from there, that also works. You'll need another jug or small bucket's worth for brushing your teeth and washing your face at the sink.
- Set aside enough drinking and cooking water in clean containers that you keep in the kitchen.
- You can use your porch or your car to store any food you fear might get too warm in your fridge if you experience an prolonged outage. (This obviously isn't a good trick if you have a summer storm outage.) Take care not to store food outside in a place where wildlife could get into it, though. My screened porch keeps the deer and raccoons and squirrels out, but I would use my car instead if we had regular bear visits here.
- Get a good ergonomic snow shovel and keep it right inside or outside your door. If you can spend a few minutes every hour during the actual storm keeping the path between your door and your car clear, it's easier than waiting til the end. If this is not practical, a pair of good boots (maybe even with some additional traction, I use these) will allow you to safely walk in around outside the house if you need to. I would not salt your deck because it's not great for the wood long-term (but if that's your only option for this storm, once won't hurt).
- For your personal comfort in a chilly house, wear multiple layers of and make use of hot water bottles and blankets. I got a lot of good info in this Ask Mefi thread; I personally swear by a hat, fingerless gloves, and a couple hot water bottles. I also rely on a rechargable radio; I find it is nicer and less isolating to have music and news on in the cold house.
- And finally, a big +1 to getting to know your neighbors and becoming familiar with your electric company's outage policies and contact info, and your local government and nearby storm shelter. And like bCat said, it's March and this storm won't last that long. Think of this as a bunny slope storm that will teach you a lot about how you and your new house work in these situations.
posted by minervous at 9:41 AM on March 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
A few things I've learned:
- Check the back of your propane range right now; does it plug in to an outlet, or does it just have a gas hookup? If the latter, then it does not have any kind of electric ignition system and you will be able to use it to cook if your power goes out. If the former, see if you can unplug it right now and get comfortable lighting one of the burners using a match. (This is a useful and clear explanation of how to do that.) This will mean you can comfortably cook using the burners during a power outage.
Do not use your range as a heat source, though, as it is too detrimental to your indoor air quality to have it on for hours at a time.
- A portable car jumpstart battery pack (I have one like this) can do double duty; stored in your truck glove compartment for a dead battery on the road, and brought into the house during storms to keep your phone and laptop charged. You might go into town today and grab one.
- A bucket or two of water next to your toilet will allow you to flush and then refill the tank. If it's easier for you to fill the tub and scoop water from there, that also works. You'll need another jug or small bucket's worth for brushing your teeth and washing your face at the sink.
- Set aside enough drinking and cooking water in clean containers that you keep in the kitchen.
- You can use your porch or your car to store any food you fear might get too warm in your fridge if you experience an prolonged outage. (This obviously isn't a good trick if you have a summer storm outage.) Take care not to store food outside in a place where wildlife could get into it, though. My screened porch keeps the deer and raccoons and squirrels out, but I would use my car instead if we had regular bear visits here.
- Get a good ergonomic snow shovel and keep it right inside or outside your door. If you can spend a few minutes every hour during the actual storm keeping the path between your door and your car clear, it's easier than waiting til the end. If this is not practical, a pair of good boots (maybe even with some additional traction, I use these) will allow you to safely walk in around outside the house if you need to. I would not salt your deck because it's not great for the wood long-term (but if that's your only option for this storm, once won't hurt).
- For your personal comfort in a chilly house, wear multiple layers of and make use of hot water bottles and blankets. I got a lot of good info in this Ask Mefi thread; I personally swear by a hat, fingerless gloves, and a couple hot water bottles. I also rely on a rechargable radio; I find it is nicer and less isolating to have music and news on in the cold house.
- And finally, a big +1 to getting to know your neighbors and becoming familiar with your electric company's outage policies and contact info, and your local government and nearby storm shelter. And like bCat said, it's March and this storm won't last that long. Think of this as a bunny slope storm that will teach you a lot about how you and your new house work in these situations.
posted by minervous at 9:41 AM on March 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
Best answer: When we got really cold temps in NC I was really surprised to find out how well covering the window with bubble wrap really helped to keep the heat in. Our house insulation is ok, but I think it really helped to keep the heat in the house from dropping too quickly.
Also if you know when the storm is coming, overheat your house by a couple of degrees so that if you lose power for a while it’s not horrendously cold inside
posted by raccoon409 at 9:44 AM on March 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
Also if you know when the storm is coming, overheat your house by a couple of degrees so that if you lose power for a while it’s not horrendously cold inside
posted by raccoon409 at 9:44 AM on March 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Lake community implies lots that are too small for both private wells and septic given the required setbacks. If you're on municipal water, ask the provider or your neighbors whether the water will keep flowing to your elevation even if power goes out.
If you're actually on a private well, wash dishes and laundry while you can, then fill a few jugs with drinking water and a few buckets for other needs. And keep an eye on the pressure gauge in the pump house. If it's a typical 40 on/60 off, you want to fill enough containers to trigger it and then let it sit on 60. The pressure in the tank should keep the taps flowing for 24 hours or more given how little you'll need having already prepared. Absolutely do not waste it letting taps drip, and if you have a leaky faucet or toilet, turn off the shutoff valve. If it was going to be significantly below freezing and you have an unheated crawlspace where the pipes might freeze and you haven't already insulated them, get some good pipe wrap and aluminum tape. But the forecast for western Connecticut does not look like pipe-freezing weather.
You probably want some kind of ice chest so you can move the contents from your refrigerator outside where the weather will keep them from spoiling. You can also put the contents of your freezer into a foam cooler inside the freezer compartment and freezer water bottles in the door to act as heat sinks. That will keep anything inside from thawing. Your kitchen won't be warm enough to require dry ice.
If you have a propane stove with pilot lights, you can use it during a power outage to cook a hot meal. Don't try to heat your house with it when you can't run the fan in the hood. Mine can get the interior CO2 up to 2000 just making a pot of pasta. CO (carbon monoxide) is the greater concern for sustained combustion indoors without ventilation.
You should have a UPS (Uninterruptible power supply) for your computer. If so, get a spare battery and start charging it ahead of time; then you can swap the other one back in if a power outage drags on. Small electronics like cell phones can charge off a power bank. In the long run, you might want a generator, but given the forecast, you won't find one in stock.
Here we got roughly 24" of snow in 24 hours two weeks ago, and my power was out for 32 hours. I spent half that time in bed under the covers, getting up to shovel every few hours before the accumulation became too much. It was inconvenient but manageable.
+1 to everything minervous just said as well.
posted by backwoods at 9:51 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you're actually on a private well, wash dishes and laundry while you can, then fill a few jugs with drinking water and a few buckets for other needs. And keep an eye on the pressure gauge in the pump house. If it's a typical 40 on/60 off, you want to fill enough containers to trigger it and then let it sit on 60. The pressure in the tank should keep the taps flowing for 24 hours or more given how little you'll need having already prepared. Absolutely do not waste it letting taps drip, and if you have a leaky faucet or toilet, turn off the shutoff valve. If it was going to be significantly below freezing and you have an unheated crawlspace where the pipes might freeze and you haven't already insulated them, get some good pipe wrap and aluminum tape. But the forecast for western Connecticut does not look like pipe-freezing weather.
You probably want some kind of ice chest so you can move the contents from your refrigerator outside where the weather will keep them from spoiling. You can also put the contents of your freezer into a foam cooler inside the freezer compartment and freezer water bottles in the door to act as heat sinks. That will keep anything inside from thawing. Your kitchen won't be warm enough to require dry ice.
If you have a propane stove with pilot lights, you can use it during a power outage to cook a hot meal. Don't try to heat your house with it when you can't run the fan in the hood. Mine can get the interior CO2 up to 2000 just making a pot of pasta. CO (carbon monoxide) is the greater concern for sustained combustion indoors without ventilation.
You should have a UPS (Uninterruptible power supply) for your computer. If so, get a spare battery and start charging it ahead of time; then you can swap the other one back in if a power outage drags on. Small electronics like cell phones can charge off a power bank. In the long run, you might want a generator, but given the forecast, you won't find one in stock.
Here we got roughly 24" of snow in 24 hours two weeks ago, and my power was out for 32 hours. I spent half that time in bed under the covers, getting up to shovel every few hours before the accumulation became too much. It was inconvenient but manageable.
+1 to everything minervous just said as well.
posted by backwoods at 9:51 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This time of year, it'll likely warm up quickly enough that ice dams probably won't be a huge issue. So don't worry about raking the roof; save your back for other things.
If you lose power, pitch a tent indoors; it keeps you warmer than you'd expect. If you don't have a decent sleeping bag, try to get one.
Have enough stored water and food that doesn't need cooking on hand to get you through comfortably.
Make sure your freezer is full; freeze containers of water in advance to leave in there if it's not. That'll keep it at temperature for longer. You'll be able to keep things refrigerator-cool outdoors in a cooler if need be, but it'll be better if the freezer stays frozen.
posted by metasarah at 10:09 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you lose power, pitch a tent indoors; it keeps you warmer than you'd expect. If you don't have a decent sleeping bag, try to get one.
Have enough stored water and food that doesn't need cooking on hand to get you through comfortably.
Make sure your freezer is full; freeze containers of water in advance to leave in there if it's not. That'll keep it at temperature for longer. You'll be able to keep things refrigerator-cool outdoors in a cooler if need be, but it'll be better if the freezer stays frozen.
posted by metasarah at 10:09 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you have a barbecue, you can sill make hot food
It hopefully goes without saying, but don't use a barbecue inside (eg. don't be tempted to put one of those disposable tray bbq anywhere enclosed, or to use one in the shelter of a garage). They give off carbon monoxide even after you've finished with them.
posted by penguin pie at 10:17 AM on March 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
It hopefully goes without saying, but don't use a barbecue inside (eg. don't be tempted to put one of those disposable tray bbq anywhere enclosed, or to use one in the shelter of a garage). They give off carbon monoxide even after you've finished with them.
posted by penguin pie at 10:17 AM on March 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Great advice, everyone - thank you!
I do have friends and fam up here on the mountain, so I'm good there. I am also on the Eversource text list so I can notify and get updates as well. I'm pretty certain that this will be the last big one we get, since it's almost spring. BUT, this is New England, lol.
I have really shitty snow boots that soak through quickly. I made a quick trip to Goodwill and picked up a great pair of hardy boots for $20 - score! Since I figure I'll be shoveling a lot, I also picked up a great pair of ski gloves there for $5.
Going to fill some containers with water just in case. My guess is that the snow will not stick around too long after the storm, so power restoration probably won't be more than a day or two. Neighbors have said that in the winter months, our area gets restored pretty fast. Summer, not so much (good to know for my summer overplanning).
I thank everyone for these great tips. I tend to overplan for every possible scenario and also tend to doubt my abilities in rough times. What I am going to also do is file this thread somewhere for now and future reference.
Thanks again, folks!
posted by sundrop at 11:13 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
I do have friends and fam up here on the mountain, so I'm good there. I am also on the Eversource text list so I can notify and get updates as well. I'm pretty certain that this will be the last big one we get, since it's almost spring. BUT, this is New England, lol.
I have really shitty snow boots that soak through quickly. I made a quick trip to Goodwill and picked up a great pair of hardy boots for $20 - score! Since I figure I'll be shoveling a lot, I also picked up a great pair of ski gloves there for $5.
Going to fill some containers with water just in case. My guess is that the snow will not stick around too long after the storm, so power restoration probably won't be more than a day or two. Neighbors have said that in the winter months, our area gets restored pretty fast. Summer, not so much (good to know for my summer overplanning).
I thank everyone for these great tips. I tend to overplan for every possible scenario and also tend to doubt my abilities in rough times. What I am going to also do is file this thread somewhere for now and future reference.
Thanks again, folks!
posted by sundrop at 11:13 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: One thing I would not do, suggested to do above, is put food in your car to keep cool if you live in bear country. At my cabin in the Adirondacks, bears were a regular sight. I learned through experience and old timers laughing at my experience that bears will try and access your car. I put my garbage bag in the car overnight intending to bring it to the dump in the morning and my car was scratched and dented from bears trying to break in. I was told, not sure if it is true, to not even leave something like an empty candy wrapper in the car.
Now bears are usually hibernating in the winter, but that is not a guarantee. If bears are around in the winter or early spring, they are going to get to your food if it is outside and/or try in your car, but not much you can do about it. You do not want the bears thinking of your place as a regular food source.
I would put the food outside in a large cooler with a weight on top to prevent small animals from getting to it and accept that a bear may get it, but your vehicle will not get damaged.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:43 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Now bears are usually hibernating in the winter, but that is not a guarantee. If bears are around in the winter or early spring, they are going to get to your food if it is outside and/or try in your car, but not much you can do about it. You do not want the bears thinking of your place as a regular food source.
I would put the food outside in a large cooler with a weight on top to prevent small animals from getting to it and accept that a bear may get it, but your vehicle will not get damaged.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:43 AM on March 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Figure out where and how to turn your entire water supply off and drain your pipes, in case you get a serious long term power outage and need to keep them from freezing and bursting.
This is something you should know about the place you live. The valve should get a big clear label on it; the electrical power shut off should get one too. You want it to be really clear and really visible, so that someone who has never been in your house before can do it, and so that you can do it six years from now, in the dark, while sick, and knee deep in flood water.
posted by Jane the Brown at 11:48 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
This is something you should know about the place you live. The valve should get a big clear label on it; the electrical power shut off should get one too. You want it to be really clear and really visible, so that someone who has never been in your house before can do it, and so that you can do it six years from now, in the dark, while sick, and knee deep in flood water.
posted by Jane the Brown at 11:48 AM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: it's not a bad idea to be on your electrical provider's email list and to know how to report an outage.
Yep. Eversource has an app and you can use it to report an outage.
This will probably be no big deal, but in addition to what people said above, keeping your phone and other devices charged, maybe get a few movies or other stuff downloaded to a laptop so you have entertainment in a power failure. Also maybe get a cheapie electric blanket and just keep it on low so that if the power does go out, you have a warmish bed you can hang out in for a bit. If there's a neighborhood mailing list or FB group, find it and get on it so you maybe know who is in your neighborhood and don't be afraid to reach out to folks.
If you're out shoveling a lot, change into dry stuff every time you get back inside. Consider snowpants generally to keep you dryer. Also maybe reach out to your landlord and ask them if the water still runs in a power failure (really depends on how it's all set up) or if there's something else they'd like you to do in the event of a long outage since frozen pipes are ultimately going to be a headache for them as well as you. Good luck, we're expecting the same storm and maybe a foot of snow where I am.
posted by jessamyn at 2:27 PM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yep. Eversource has an app and you can use it to report an outage.
This will probably be no big deal, but in addition to what people said above, keeping your phone and other devices charged, maybe get a few movies or other stuff downloaded to a laptop so you have entertainment in a power failure. Also maybe get a cheapie electric blanket and just keep it on low so that if the power does go out, you have a warmish bed you can hang out in for a bit. If there's a neighborhood mailing list or FB group, find it and get on it so you maybe know who is in your neighborhood and don't be afraid to reach out to folks.
If you're out shoveling a lot, change into dry stuff every time you get back inside. Consider snowpants generally to keep you dryer. Also maybe reach out to your landlord and ask them if the water still runs in a power failure (really depends on how it's all set up) or if there's something else they'd like you to do in the event of a long outage since frozen pipes are ultimately going to be a headache for them as well as you. Good luck, we're expecting the same storm and maybe a foot of snow where I am.
posted by jessamyn at 2:27 PM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It's a spring storm, and you may lose power, but it shouldn't be too crazy. It's unlikely that it will be cold enough, long enough, to worry about frozen pipes. I'm in Maine on city water but have a septic system. My water keeps going when my power is out, and the septic system can handle some limited flushing for a couple days. Flush only for poop. Just pour @ a gal. of water into the toilet bowl; you'll see how it works. Store a 5 gal bucket of water or 2 for flushing. Make sure you have water for drinking & cooking. Turn the fridge to a colder setting to have a bit more time. If you lose power, keep the fridge closed as much as possible.
Get matches; your propane stove top will light with matches; a disposable lighter is a nice thing to have in a kitchen drawer, as well. Your oven probably uses an electric igniter and will not work. Anything you burn in your house to generate heat will generate carbon monoxide. If your home doesn't have a CO alarm, consider it, though electric heat doesn't make CO. don't try to heat the house with the stovetop, but make tea, hot chocolate, soup, etc. A big storm is a nice time to make a pot of soup.
LED headlamp, flashlight & a few LED battery-operated string lights will allow you to read and do stuff. Candles are pleasant and cozy and should be in a safe place. Days are longer now, which makes outages way more manageable. It isn't expected to be bitterly cold, but know where your long underwear is, and blankets, quilts, etc. If there's no power, dress warmly, and you'll stay warm in bed and can read by headlamp.
Fill the car with gas. Backup phone battery, absolutely. Charge the phone, tablet, laptop. When I remember, I download content from streaming services that allow it and ebooks from the library. Outages can be boring. Make sure you have ready-to-eat/heat foods. I make sure I have coffee, beer, tea, bread, snacks, canned soups, etc.
My area is predicted to get 8 - 12" of mostly snow, just as we did a week or so ago. Snow + rain is a lot of work to shovel, and you should find a plow person to clear as much as possible. Shoveling causes lots of injuries. Are you good at driving in snow? It takes practice and good tires.
This is a nice time to connect with neighbors, if you can. The weather after the storm is likely to be sunny and nice. You aren't likely to need emergency services of any sort, but you're smart to prepare.
posted by theora55 at 7:22 PM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Get matches; your propane stove top will light with matches; a disposable lighter is a nice thing to have in a kitchen drawer, as well. Your oven probably uses an electric igniter and will not work. Anything you burn in your house to generate heat will generate carbon monoxide. If your home doesn't have a CO alarm, consider it, though electric heat doesn't make CO. don't try to heat the house with the stovetop, but make tea, hot chocolate, soup, etc. A big storm is a nice time to make a pot of soup.
LED headlamp, flashlight & a few LED battery-operated string lights will allow you to read and do stuff. Candles are pleasant and cozy and should be in a safe place. Days are longer now, which makes outages way more manageable. It isn't expected to be bitterly cold, but know where your long underwear is, and blankets, quilts, etc. If there's no power, dress warmly, and you'll stay warm in bed and can read by headlamp.
Fill the car with gas. Backup phone battery, absolutely. Charge the phone, tablet, laptop. When I remember, I download content from streaming services that allow it and ebooks from the library. Outages can be boring. Make sure you have ready-to-eat/heat foods. I make sure I have coffee, beer, tea, bread, snacks, canned soups, etc.
My area is predicted to get 8 - 12" of mostly snow, just as we did a week or so ago. Snow + rain is a lot of work to shovel, and you should find a plow person to clear as much as possible. Shoveling causes lots of injuries. Are you good at driving in snow? It takes practice and good tires.
This is a nice time to connect with neighbors, if you can. The weather after the storm is likely to be sunny and nice. You aren't likely to need emergency services of any sort, but you're smart to prepare.
posted by theora55 at 7:22 PM on March 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'd agree to gas up your car - you can charge your phone and run the heater there.
Also, if the power is out for more than a couple of hours, put up blankets over windows and doors and use just one room, which you can then heat with a fire or with blankets and sleeping bags.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:30 AM on March 13, 2023
Also, if the power is out for more than a couple of hours, put up blankets over windows and doors and use just one room, which you can then heat with a fire or with blankets and sleeping bags.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:30 AM on March 13, 2023
Septic systems should work on gravity flow, so as long as you have water, flushing should be no big deal.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:31 AM on March 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:31 AM on March 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by FencingGal at 8:15 AM on March 12, 2023 [5 favorites]