I will not be caught unprepared again (heat)

[Anonymous]

penguinsix wrote:If you get a generator, seriously consider a) the size of the generator you need (google generator calculator) and b) a generator transfer switch. This eliminates the need for extension cords running throughout the house and it also protects the safety of the linemen who are working to recover your electricity. That part is no a do-it-yourself thing though--you will need to contract and electrician.

That is a good point about endangering the linemen. I never thought about that. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

also re:kerosene heaters. I lived in Morocco for years and this was our primary way of heating our house. Keep the windows cracked for venalation and you will be fine.

[Anonymous]

We had no power since Fri. night, no fireplaces and no portable heaters (kerosene or otherwise). Survived by using our gas burners on the stove with water-filled pots that steamed up the room nicely. With the doors shut it was easily 70 in there. When we opened the louvered doors into the dr/lr, it cooled off but was a manageable 60 in those rooms. We slept in there, and I checked on the pots of water a couple times during the night. Not ideal, but worked in a pinch. I, too, will probably be shopping for some type of heater in the near future.

[Anonymous]

If your heat is out, you should leave faucets running with a slow drip on any outside walls (laundry rooms and downstairs half baths are often on outside walls).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No heat?
If the temperature drops inside the house, then your pipes could burst

Yes but the house has to get down to 32 degrees, right? And if you are home with your kerosene heater, you can always turn off your water and drain your pipes. You can't do that if you are at a hotel and your home power goes out.

WTOP said anything under 55 degrees in the house can be a danger for water pipes. Leave the faucets all dripping a tiny bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had no power since Fri. night, no fireplaces and no portable heaters (kerosene or otherwise). Survived by using our gas burners on the stove with water-filled pots that steamed up the room nicely. With the doors shut it was easily 70 in there. When we opened the louvered doors into the dr/lr, it cooled off but was a manageable 60 in those rooms. We slept in there, and I checked on the pots of water a couple times during the night. Not ideal, but worked in a pinch. I, too, will probably be shopping for some type of heater in the near future.

Be careful with this. We did the same, and then when our power went back on, our Carbon Monoxide detector wailed.

We ended up in an ambulance, having our 20 mo son checked for carbon monoxide poisoning at the ER last night. The ambulance driver said he'd had a few calls like this, and on his first call, the person's house caught on fire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had no power since Fri. night, no fireplaces and no portable heaters (kerosene or otherwise). Survived by using our gas burners on the stove with water-filled pots that steamed up the room nicely. With the doors shut it was easily 70 in there. When we opened the louvered doors into the dr/lr, it cooled off but was a manageable 60 in those rooms. We slept in there, and I checked on the pots of water a couple times during the night. Not ideal, but worked in a pinch. I, too, will probably be shopping for some type of heater in the near future.

Be careful with this. We did the same, and then when our power went back on, our Carbon Monoxide detector wailed.

We ended up in an ambulance, having our 20 mo son checked for carbon monoxide poisoning at the ER last night. The ambulance driver said he'd had a few calls like this, and on his first call, the person's house caught on fire.

In these next few days make sure everyone has a battery powered CO detector- its when the power goes out that these are absolutely needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are getting a generator, I don't care what DH says. This totally sucked! We also lose water and flushing toilets when the power goes out, because we're on well water. Thankfully, we are now out of the dark ages.

That's my mother - she and her husband live in rural Ohio and my 88yo grandmother lives with them. Their power's still out from Saturday and they had to decamp to a hotel. God only knows when, in her words, "Mayberry Electric" is going to have them back up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
19:35 - every last gas FP we have had (different houses) we have absolutely hated. They just don't have the ambiance, heat, or (LACK OF) smell that the old fashioned wood burning fireplaces have for us. We had one house with both, and we turned off the gas FP in favor of the WB. Are we missing something? Anyone?

We always have to shut off our gas FP because of the smell and it just does nothing for us (heat). These are "real"/"installed"/"original" gas FP's that just stink (literally). It does not seem worth it to us. [It's not a gas stink, it's like a waxy-type stink; thankfully, we use a C02 detector, just in case].

Not to hijack, but we'd LOVE To know how people keep warm. Please advise.

We'd love to invest in a decent generator, if it is worth it. But I'm not listening to a noise maker all week, if that is what it means.

Our gas fireplace, ventless, puts out a lot of heat. I once got the first floor of our house up to 80s with just the gas fireplace. I don't know what brand it is, but it is ventless and was installed by Case.

Our two wood burning fireplaces are useless. We can't get any heat out of them. An insert would probably be a good idea to make them more functional.

Generators are noisy. We have at least two neighbors (on different streets, not on our street) with generators. We can hear them fire up pretty much as soon as we lose power. Our part of town loses power several times a year. Usually just for a few moments, sometimes for hours, and occasionally for days. Winter has the most potential for devastation (the cold), but having to throw away everything in the fridge and freezer is pretty expensive, too. I don't know if a generator would help protect electronics from the surges or not.

As for what else to have to shelter in place, a tent, or a makeshift tent, and lots of blankets (down is particularly warm) will probably keep one warm enough for survival, although not a lot of fun. People live in very cold places without central heat.

[Anonymous]

We've got neighbors with generators also, so I came to this thread looking to see what others do. I don't mind the loss of power, but the loss of heat was a killer.

We put all our fridge/freezer stuff out in the snow in those plastic Rubbermaid containers, and it held up fine.

Thanks for the kerosene heater idea. That might be a good option.

Nighttime works out under the covers, but during the day, it gets way too cold.

[Anonymous]

zumbamama wrote:There are solar powered generators.

What about any sort of solar powered portable heaters? Or battery powered? I tried to search, but not coming up with much.

[Anonymous]

I think it's too late to get anything for this winter. I called a Home Depot to see if they had firewood. The person said "yes". So my DH goes on the bad roads, and NO FIREWOOD! They don't have wood anywhere, so I doubt they would have heaters anywhere. It sucks!!!!!!!!!! I just hope, hope, hope that we don't lose power with this next storm. If we do, I'll be burning old papers from 20 years ago.

[Anonymous]

The PEPCO president was just on WTOP saying that people should relocate if they have no power. Well, the problem with that is our street wasn't plowed until tonight.

We had no power for 2 days, and there was no way to drive out. What's the alternative? Calling 911?

[Anonymous]

Relocate if you can, walk to a plowed road and then get a ride somehow. Pull the kids on a slep or carry them. You do what you have to do.

[Anonymous]

sled, not slep