How to Stay Warm, Eat and Have Water If the Electricity Goes Out

Once winter hits you never know what is going to happen with the weather. Do you know how to stay warm, eat and have water if the electric goes out? When I was small, Ohio had a major blizzard. It is known as the Blizzard of 78. We made it through the blizzard without much difficulty. But this is mainly because my parents already had everything needed to make it through. We heated our home with a woodstove, instead of inside plumbing we had an outdoor well, we already several kerosene lamps and my Dad always had canned food from the summer’s garden supply. He raised chickens, so eggs and chicken were readily available too. Today’s world does not readily have all this on hand. So I do the best I can do too have whatever I need, if the electric goes out or the water freezes. Use these tips to be prepared if a storm puts your electricity out.

I love candles, so I always have plenty of these on hand. I also have a couple kerosene lamps, that I keep filled just incase I need them. When winter approaches and the temperatures start dropping, I keep a five gallon jug of kerosene on hand for my Kerosene heater. I make sure to keep plenty of food in the cabinets. Any milk jugs or 2 liter bottles that I have on hand get filled with water and stored under my sink. I do change the water every two weeks.

So let’s say a storm has put the electric out. Now you just want to make sure to eat, stay warm and have water.

To help prevent freezing pipes, turn on faucets slightly. Running water will not freeze as quickly. If it is going to get especially cold you may want to fill several things with water just incase your water freezes and the electric has not came back on.

If you have a gas oven don’tuse your gas oven to heat your home, this one I did not know about, my Grandmother always used her gas stove to heat her home, if she had no other heat however, prolonged use of an open oven in a closed house can cause carbon monoxide gas buildup.

If you use fuel space heaters such as kerosene heaters make sure they are used with proper ventilation. Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as is possible to help reduce food spoilage. If your heat goes out during a winter storm, you can also keep warmer by closing off the rooms that you do not need. Dress in layers of lightweight clothing and wear a hat and socks.

If you are using a kerosene heater you can use it to heat water on and cook foods that do not require lots of heat, such as soups. I also have a Coleman fuel camp stove that I keep on hand to cook on incase the electric goes out. When you are trying to sleep use plenty of blankets you can also rig a tent over your bed with a sheet or blanket. Your own air from breathing will warm up the inside of the make shift tent up. This will help keep you warm.