If you live in the states where Old Man Winter comes to visit with all his fury you know the uneasy feeling when the local weather person talks about an approaching ice storm. When will it hit? How much will we get? Is the power going to go off and if so how long will it be out? Now is the time to prepare for the unexpected.
Make sure you have enough water to drink and enough dried or canned food that you can prepare without electricity. Don’t forget to keep a hand operated can opener with the food supply. If you have pets, don’t forget to have a food supply for them stored as well. Next you will need extra clothing and blankets for warmth. Flashlights with extra batteries and/or the type of flashlights that don’t require batteries are a necessity. If you are using any type of space heater you have to make sure you have adequate ventilation and are using only the type of heater that is made to be used in enclosed areas. Carbon Monoxide is a deadly gas so don’t take the importance of this lightly.
Having a generator ready and available is something that can help you survive a long power outage and make a short one less of an inconvenience. Choosing the right size of generator takes some planning. Square footage has nothing to do with sizing a generator. Add up the wattage of the items that the generator will be required to run and then add 10%. You can also contact your power company to get your average usage. This will give you a general idea of what you would need to run the items in your home that you normally run. The proper generator ready and available will help make your life much better in the event of a storm or power outage any time of year.
Make sure you have enough water to drink and enough dried or canned food that you can prepare without electricity. Don’t forget to keep a hand operated can opener with the food supply. If you have pets, don’t forget to have a food supply for them stored as well. Next you will need extra clothing and blankets for warmth. Flashlights with extra batteries and/or the type of flashlights that don’t require batteries are a necessity. If you are using any type of space heater you have to make sure you have adequate ventilation and are using only the type of heater that is made to be used in enclosed areas. Carbon Monoxide is a deadly gas so don’t take the importance of this lightly.
Having a generator ready and available is something that can help you survive a long power outage and make a short one less of an inconvenience. Choosing the right size of generator takes some planning. Square footage has nothing to do with sizing a generator. Add up the wattage of the items that the generator will be required to run and then add 10%. You can also contact your power company to get your average usage. This will give you a general idea of what you would need to run the items in your home that you normally run. The proper generator ready and available will help make your life much better in the event of a storm or power outage any time of year.
