Winter Power Outage Prep: Water, Warmth and Food

Frozen pipes, well pumps that stop and cold kitchens: a calm checklist for the first 72 hours.

Our worst outage was four days in January. Here's the list I keep on the fridge now.

Before the storm

• Fill pitchers, pots and a bathtub bladder. If you're on a well, your pump stops when the power does.
• Know where your main water shutoff is, and tag it.
• Let faucets drip on very cold nights to help prevent frozen pipes.

During

• Keep stored water inside the warm part of the house so it doesn't freeze.
• Eat no-cook pantry foods first, then use the camp stove outdoors only.
• Close off unused rooms and gather in one space.

After

Refill and re-date everything you used, and write down what you wished you'd had.

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