Winter outages are the dangerous ones. Ice storms bring down lines across huge areas, repair crews struggle with the conditions, and the power can stay off for days in freezing weather. A bit of planning makes a big difference.
1. Plan your heat
Most homes lose their heat when the power goes out, even with a gas furnace, because the furnace needs electricity for the blower and the controls.
- A gas furnace plus backup power is the single most effective winter upgrade. The blower usually needs 300–800 W, so a power station of 2,000 Wh or more, or a generator through a transfer switch, can keep the whole house warm on gas.
- A wood stove or fireplace insert works without power. Stock dry firewood and get the chimney checked.
- Propane heaters are only OK if they’re rated for indoor use, have an oxygen depletion sensor, and you have a CO alarm.
- For personal heat, electric blankets (50–100 W) are the best use of a battery. Here’s why space heaters drain power stations.
2. Hold on to the heat you have
Choose one or two rooms to live in and close off the rest. At night, hang blankets over doorways and windows; on sunny days, open the south-facing curtains and close them again at sunset. Block the drafts under doors, and wear layers, a hat and wool socks indoors.
3. Protect the pipes
- Let faucets on outside walls drip slowly.
- Open the cabinet doors under sinks so room heat reaches the pipes.
- Know where the main water shutoff is.
- If the house will be below freezing for a long time, think about shutting off the water and draining the lines.
4. Backup power for winter
| Need | Typical load | Suggested backup |
|---|---|---|
| Phones, router, lights, electric blanket | 50–200 W | 1,000 Wh power station |
| + refrigerator | + 1–1.5 kWh/day | 2,000 Wh+ |
| + gas furnace blower | 300–800 W, many hours | 3,600 Wh+ or a generator |
| + well pump | 1,000+ W, 240 V | 240 V-capable system or generator |
Batteries lose capacity in the cold, so keep power stations inside. Solar also produces less in winter, with fewer sun hours and a low sun, so if winter is your main worry, size the panels for it.
The power station size calculator will give you an exact number for your essentials.
5. Stock up on the basics
- Water, a gallon per person per day. Well pumps don’t work without power.
- Food that doesn’t need cooking, and a camp stove for outdoor use only.
- Flashlights and lanterns. Skip the candles.
- A battery or hand-crank radio.
- Sleeping bags rated for the cold.
- A week of medication.
- Battery-powered CO alarms. Winter is peak season for CO poisoning from generators and badly used heaters.
6. Generators in the snow
Keep the generator at least 20 feet from the house and clear the snow away from its exhaust and air intake. Use a generator tent instead of moving it into the garage. And keep stabilizer in the fuel, because gas goes stale over a winter.
Knowing when to leave
If the house gets dangerously cold, especially for babies, older people or anyone with a medical condition, go to a warming center, a friend’s place or a hotel. During big outages your local emergency management office will list the warming centers.