What Do You do When the Power Goes Out?

PAM SHERMAN DEC 26, 2023

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The short answer is: we do what we’ve prepared for and we get creative in the moment. We’ll discuss a range of solutions: woodstoves and fireplaces, rocket stoves, generators, pellet stoves, solar panels and wind generators, energy storage solutions, kerosene and other heaters, camp stoves, insulation and weatherstripping, and making the heated area smaller and warmer. Let’s start with the most popular option: woodstoves. 

Woodstoves or Fireplaces

If you have a woodstove as backup, you’re good to go in terms of preparation for short or long-term events. If unsure how safe it is, ask your fire department or a chimney sweep to check it. This is what we rely on in the mountains. Good deals on used stoves can be had on local free sites. 

Next best is a fireplace–less efficient, but still puts out heat. Again, make sure it’s constructed safely and burns wood. As the old saying goes: “Wood warms you three times—when you chop it, when you stack it, and when you burn it.” 

Rocket Stoves

These are a breed apart, for those mountain do-it-yourselfers who are savvy about how woodstoves work and can decide if this differently designed stove, which does not use electricity, is for them.  Permaculture Principles is a reputable website with starter information on these. There are many books and websites besides. 

 Firewood

This can sometimes be obtained free or low cost from a contractor (check theMountain Pages, similar publication, or do a little research); also check the local United States Forest Service Office, keep up with notices of firewood free to community in your local paper, or, of course, if you are handy with a chainsaw, cut it yourself. Neighbors who are long-time mountain residents are a good source for more info.

Furnaces? 

What if you have only a furnace or boiler, with no woodstove backup?  You might think, “I have gas (or propane) heat, I’m not dependent on electricity.”   But wait: chances are good your furnace or boiler requires electricity to run a fan or pumps to get the heat out.  One way to get around this—and have some electricity for your fridge and freezer—is to get a generator.

Generators

A generator, either a small portable one or a larger hard wired one, can supply electricity in an outage. Benefits: they provide electricity in the short term when the grid is down. 

Downsides: they require a continuous supply of fuel from a gas station or your propane tanks or a natural gas line. They are very noisy (nearby neighbors may complain), big ones are expensive, they use a lot of fuel and have carbon monoxide risks. NEVER run a generator in your garage even with the door open. If used incorrectly, portable generators can pose an electrocution risk to repairmen: never wire your generator into your circuit breaker box on a temporary/emergency basis. It must be done properly by an electrician, with an approved transfer switch. If generators are for you, you can get a whole-house backup generator installed by an electrician. For most people a generator is a short-term solution, a stopgap measure for a short period of time. They are a very expensive source of electricity long-term. That said, they are popular. 

Pellet Stoves

Some pellet stoves—very few—work without electricity. Most do not. One of these can keep you warm. However, you have to buy special pellets, you can’t just go outside and pick up sticks to fuel these specialized stoves.

Solar Panels and Wind Generators

Known as alternative energy systems, solar panels or wind generators with their associated equipment can work if you have enough sun and wind. Some communities have installed “solar gardens” to create low-cost solar power for many. Check in with your local mountain town or neighborhood to find out more.

If you have or are considering getting a solar or wind energy system as an emergency source of electricity, be sure to ask your installer if they are putting in a system which will produce electricity when the grid goes down. Not all systems do this; many do not. And unless your system has battery storage (see below), it will not produce electricity when the sun is down or the wind is not blowing.

Energy Storage Solutions

It is possible to replace the electricity we aren’t getting from the grid with electricity we generate. Energy storage solutions are useful on their own as a short-term solution. In conjunction with power generation from solar or wind, they are a key component in long-term solutions as well. 

Used on their own, they store power transmitted when the grid is up, and power your home when the grid is down–at least until they run out of power. Used with solar and wind, they can create a functional replacement for grid power over the long-term, allowing you to use power generated by the sun and wind at night and in calm weather.

The most well-known energy storage solutions are lithium-ion batteries. While these are popular, other battery chemistries are likely cheaper. Lithium-ion batteries are also evolving more rapidly than other chemistries due to significant investments in research from car companies.  

Costs here vary based on what batteries you buy, what work you are willing to do yourself, and how much storage capacity you want. Standard figures quoted are often around $15k-35k. This can offer a helpful starting point if you want to look into the topic more. 

Kerosene Heaters

Check out this website (and many more on the internet) Are Kerosene Heaters Safe to Use Indoors?  Decide for yourself. The link also discusses propane heaters, oscillating heaters and more.

Other Camp Stoves used Indoors

Google this topic with respect to your favorite camping stove and decide for yourself. Some people say the carbon monoxide risks of death are too great. Many websites say you can do it if you follow their safety guidelines. Do your research, talk to those you trust, and make up your own mind, be careful. 

Insulation and Weatherstripping!

Whether the power is on or off, insulate walls, doors  and windows! There are often grants for this; contact Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services for more info.

Make the Heated Area Smaller and Warmer

If caught off guard in an emergency in a cold, uninsulated cabin with no heating, do what you can to reduce the size of the area to be heated. In a small room even one candle (handled carefully) can help. 

Keep doors closed to rooms that don’t need to be warm. (If you can, drain the pipes to rooms that may freeze.) If you have a high ceiling, get creative and “drop the ceiling” by putting up blankets or other materials parallel to the real ceiling to create a lower one. This makes some people feel as if they are camping. 

And actually, for short-term warmth, people in this situation have set up real tents and crawled inside to snuggle with family members for warmth. Layer up with warm clothes until you start to feel like a balloon. Kids usually love all this. Then make a longer term plan. 

Draining Your Pipes

If you do decide to ditch the winter mountains for warmer climes when the power goes out, hopefully you will have a warm day for draining your pipes so they don’t freeze and burst before you come home (messy and expensive). If you are not handy, ask neighbors for advice on who to call for help or how to do it.

Conclusions and Comments 

Asking neighbors and mountain friends is the best advice for mountain residents on preparedness of any kind. Also stay current with what your mountain town, community, neighborhood, or organization is doing.  

What practical strategies can you share?  Contact us at mountainresiliencetoolkit@nullgmail.com.  Thank you and stay warm!