Winter Power Outages

There are many possible reasons for the power to go out during the winter. These include accidents involving power infrastructure, defective transformers, too much power draw, or even terrorism. Sometimes we will be informed how long it will take to restore power, but occasionally a long-term power outage will occur, such as was experienced in Texas a few years ago.

Since we usually won’t know ahead of time if, or for how long, a power outage may occur during the winter, we have researched and assembled some things we can do. First, what we should do ahead of time, while the power is still on and the grocery and hardware stores are stocked and operational. Second, what we should do at the time of the power outage, both short term and long term as needed.

Here are the things you need to do ahead of time, to prepare for a wintertime power emergency. These lists are roughly based on an article in the March 2023 Reader’s Digest.

Your home should be well-insulated, so as to require the least amount of power to keep it warm in the winter.
If an AC power generator is an affordable option, it may take over much, if not all, of the power load when a power failure occurs. At a bare minimum, a generator can provide power for emergency lighting and some refrigerator/freezer operation. On the other extreme, a fully powered generator system can power the furnace and even the oven and dryer. But this additional power draw requires a much beefier generator, with higher price tag, and requiring more stored fuel. Orem Community law allows only 25 gallons of stored gasoline and 25 gallons of stored propane. Since the fuel is a finite resource, it should not be counted on as a long-term single solution for power failure.
Flashlights, or candles with matches, should be purchased as needed, and located in easy-to-find places, when darkness may prevent physically locating them in order to use them.
Warm layers of clothing should be purchased as needed, and stored in a known location. This should include warm socks and waterproof shoes or boots, and head warmth clothing. If you’re ready for snowmobiling, you’re probably ready for cold weather survival.
The house’s water shutoff valves and low-point water drain should be located, in case the water lines need to be drained during a long-term power outage in the extremely low temperatures of mid-winter.
If you have a fireplace or wood stove that can provide substantial heat for the home, keep its chimney clean of soot and creosote accumulations. Maintain an adequate supply of seasoned, cut logs on hand, as well as kindling and matches.
If you do not have a fireplace or wood stove, a safe source of heat should be purchased and maintained. Before purchasing, be sure to read all precautions on the packaging, to ensure that it is safe to use in an indoor environment.
Have an emergency radio with FM and Weather Radio bands, with multiple ways to power it. Mark the frequencies of designated emergency FM radio stations. These stations are 89.1, KBYU, for local emergencies, and 102.7, KSL, for regional emergencies. During a widespread emergency, they will provide the status of the emergency causing the power failure, and instructions from local authorities on how best to cope with the situation.
Keep your freezer(s) full. A half-full freezer will warm up to where its contents melt in one-half the time as a full freezer. If you don’t have enough frozen goods to fill your freezer, fill it the rest of the way with sanitized bottles filled 90% full of drinking water. For example, you can use thoroughly washed 2 liter pop bottles.
Buy a refrigerator thermometer for both your refrigerator and freezer. Make sure that your fridge maintains a temperature between 34 and 40 degrees, and that your freezer is no higher than 0 degrees Fahrenheit. You will use these thermometers if the power goes out, to determine whether or not your refrigerated and frozen food is safe to eat.
Stock your pantry or storage room with at least 3 days worth of food that is easy to prepare without any electric appliances. Heating and cooking may be done outside on the BBQ grill or over the fire pit, if you have one. Ensure that you have plenty of bottled water, and that it is replaced by the expiration date.

Now, with your preparations completed, in the event of an actual power failure, do the following things in order:

Make sure that the power is out. See if the problem is isolated to just one room, or just your home. If it is isolated to your home, reset the circuit breaker involved,first ensuring that it has cooled down, and that the cause of the loss of power on that circuit has been resolved, or at least all electrical items are unplugged from that circuit.
If the power is out in your neighborhood, call Rocky Mountain Power to report the outage. Your cell phone should still work at this point.
Unplug your appliances. Sometimes power surges occur as electrical service is re-established.
Keep your fridge and freezer closed. When necessary, remove items you intend to eat quickly, then close the door tightly again.
If it is dark, use flashlights, lanterns or candles to light the area. Be cautious of tripping, bumping into furniture, or other accidents due to incomplete and lower levels of light coming from candle or lantern light.
Stay warmer as follows: wear layers of loose-fitting clothing as needed to stay warm. Cover windows and doors with blankets. Put a towel at the base of each exterior door to reduce cold drafts from outside air. Choose a warming room to congregate in, preferably one with the least window area, in the core of the home. DO NOT use gas ovens, grills or heaters to warm the interior of your home, unless they are made and installed for that specific purpose in your home.
If the power outage continues on for several hours, consider moving your pop bottles filled with ice from the freezer to the refrigerator, if keeping the refrigerator food cool enough is a higher priority to you. At that time, consider the condition of food in both the refrigerator and freezer, depending on the temperature in the unit. Food in the freezer that is thawing may be placed in the refrigerator as long as its surface is below 40 degrees.
If the temperature in the walls of the home that have plumbing going through them has a potential of reaching a freezing temperature, turn the tap(s) that are supplied by those pipes – both hot and cold – to provide between a steady drip, up to a thin stream, depending on the outside temperature and the outside wall’s exposure to wind. Be sure to capture the water as it comes out of the tap for use in washing dishes, flushing the toilet, etc. This is because water processing may also eventually be affected by the power outage. If there is any question about the purity of the water, bring it to a full rolling boil for at least 2 minutes, or treat it with bleach (2-3 drops per gallon) before consuming it or using it in meal preparation.
When the power does come back on, wait a minute or two for the power to stabilize, then plug in the refrigerator and freezer appliances first, then other appliances, then turn on the furnace, then electronics once the power is stabilized.