In planning a house, what are some residential features and/or preparations that can be made in the event of a prolonged power outage?
Asked by
Yellowdog (
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February 18th, 2021
I’ve lived through four prolonged blackouts in my lifetime. Indeed these are rare events, but they do happen. And as we have learned from these winter storms across America, they are particularly miserable and deadly in extreme temperatures.
In a 1994 ice storm, most power was restored in a few days, but some residents in my city were without power for four weeks as crews tried to restore power to all of the city.
If you were planning a house, or just making preparations to wait out the storm / weather / outage— what would you include?
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11 Answers
Look at my house.
I have 2 wood burning stoves as well as an oil fired hot water baseboard heat system, with two 275 gallon storage tanks in the basement that are large enough to cover me for a year.
This house is in a more rural area and came with no water service, so I have a 90 deep, jet pump well. But about 6 years ago the town put a water line down the road so I have both systems in working order.
I put a 220 line out to my garage and have a transfer switch so I can start my gas generator and power the house if power goes out.
My sump pump has 2 back up systems and a battery back up that is large enough to keep it running for a month if there is no power.
I had insulation blown into all the outside walls and added an extra layer beneath the siding so the house is significantly tighter than most.
Thermostats are programmable with set-back capability.
I can last a long time if there is a disaster.
Backup batteries, solar panels and generators, and non-electric cold storage. Fresh water and dried wood storage, and wood stove cooking ability.
Extra insulation, Natural Gas (if you are on a gas line) or LPG fired generator, city water should be no problem (but back-up generator for well and sump pump if necessary).
My son in New York is on well water but has a LPG fired generator that can power kitchen,well and several downstairs rooms but not upstairs bedrooms. He has used it nine times in the last 13 years. Gas oven and stove top.
@LuckyGuy is on my team if I’m ever on Survivor or Naked and Afraid.
First, locate your home site as far away from Texas as possible…
A fireplace and a good supply of coal.
Candles and a box of matches.
A warm duvet.
A wind up radio.
A small wood burning stove.
Don’t fight. There is plenty of space here. I also have room for 6 campers with hook-ups for water and electricity. I have had campers park and plug in here for weeks.
We do not have natural gas here so I rely upon bottled gas for my grills and outdoor cook tops.
A gas range and a stand-by generator.
We do not have natural gas here so our electric range turns into a large brick if there is a power outage. I do have 2 portable, 7800 BTU, portable Butane cookers similar to this one and 8 canisters of butane at the ready.
And I have gas grills, etc. outside but they are covered in snow now.
Make sure to build it in close proximity to a local vault
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