How to Stay Warm When the Power Grid Goes Down

Millions of people rely on the power grid for many of their everyday needs, but when it goes down, life can get pretty brutal, especially in the cold days of winter. Do you have a backup plan for you and your family to keep warm and have lighting and other basic needs in these dire situations?

This article takes a look at what we can do to prepare ourselves for the next time the power goes out. It makes interesting reading, because the fact of the matter is that the power is going to go out again at some point in the ear future and it will keep doing it again and again.

Why We Need Electricity

We rely heavily on the electricity grid for so many of the things we need for normal living, such as:

• Lighting
• Heating
• Hot water
• Cooking (electric cooker and oven, extractor fan)
• Cooling (air conditioning and fans)
• Storing food (refrigerator and freezer)
• Washing machine and clothes dryer
• Vacuum cleaner

and a hundred and one other things that make our lives easier and more convenient. When it's suddenly not there, very few people are prepared and have the resources to maintain the necessities.

Just think of all the things you will suddenly be without when the power stops flowing into your home! Aside from the real necessities, what about all the peripheral things we have become accustomed to enjoying and we really do take for granted, such as:

• Television, DVD player etc
• Music system
• Internet and WiFi
• Clocks
• Telephone
• Recharging things like cell phones, laptops, tablets etc
• Kitchen appliances (food processors, blenders, juicers)
• Electric kettle and coffee maker

As you can see, it’s a pretty impressive list of things you have to do without when there is no electricity!

Heating in Winter

One major problem that families face in winter is how to keep warm. This is a critical consideration for the elderly and very young who may even die from hypothermia in very cold weather for prolonged periods without any form of heating.

One very cost effective backup heating solution is to have one or more small, portable propane heaters to hand for just such an emergency. These heaters can provide essential heat for people when they need it most.

It is relatively easy to store them in a garage or other suitable storage place along with a supply of gas cans to keep them running for several hours as necessary.

Disaster Planning

It is one thing having to suffer for a few hours with no power when the grid goes out. It is another thing altogether when a disaster situation strikes, such as has been experienced in some areas when a major hurricane hits.

In these situations, the power can be out for several days while emergency services work around the clock to try and restore power to homes, offices, stores and public buildings. It is during these times that preparedness with a portable propane heater or several at the ready with sufficient fuel for several days becomes a sensible precaution.

We can't always plan for every bad situation that can crop up. Nor can we know for sure how long it will last. But we can be prepared in some way at least to provide necessary heat and the facility for cooking food and heating water as well as light when the sun goes down.

Be prepared and don't get caught out!

Note: Here us a useful resource with information on disaster preparedness