When the Power Goes Out...
Posted on 12/22/2023 by Steve Robbins
WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT
As I write this, the power is out at my home in Moretown, again! This is the 3rd week in a row with a power outage to begin on Monday.
Over my thirty-plus years living in the Mad River Valley, I have come to expect sporadic power outages. On average, it is 1 – 3 per year, so it’s not a question of if, but rather when.
So, what to do when the power goes out?
I think the most important concept is to make the appropriate change in attitude.
It’s not going to be business as usual. Let your co-workers as well as family and friends know.
Make accommodation and changes to schedule accordingly. Shoveling takes time.
The plow guy might be running late. Try to enjoy it!
As surely you have heard on weather statements from the National Weather Service
there are some basic precautions to undertake:
* We fill pots and pans with water for cooking and cleaning as well as the tub & buckets for each bathroom.
* Keep plenty of batteries for flashlights, headlamps and radios.
* Stoke the wood stove.
When we know it’s coming, we take a shower, do laundry, clean the kitchen and also grind plenty of coffee ahead of time! Because the refrigerator loses the cold with every open of the door, I set up a cooler with some snow & ice to store the most commonly needed items.
It can get exhausting, but unless it is frigid, we can make do for up to 3 days without too much pain.
More recently, we keep a 2nd freezer full of meat and bulk items and without power there is a risk of loss.
So, after investigating large back-up battery systems (Tesla is the most popular, but there are other options), as well as backup generators, we are taking the plunge on a whole house generator.
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Both batteries and generators are expensive, but I hope it buys me a few more ski days!