Top tips to survive a winter power outage

Temperatures can plummet fast in your house when power is knocked out, but there are other potential dangers to be aware of as well.

During winter, the chances of electricity going out are way higher than any other season. A power outage in winter can endanger lives or simply be a huge inconvenience. Being prepared can help you and your family stay safe and comfortable.

Right after the power goes out, make sure you have not blown a circuit by checking the breakers in your home's electrical panel. Turn faucets to a trickle helps prevent pipes from freezing. If needed, wrap pipes in insulation or newspaper. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.

Here are 7 simple steps to take in the event of a winter power outage:

1- Keep battery power ready

Communication could mean life or death in these situations. Keep all devices that use batteries charged just in case the power goes out. It’s a smart idea to keep flashlights in a safe place and ready to be used. Save the battery on your cell phone and keep an external battery on hand; communication is key in emergencies.

Keep a portable charger ready for use. If you don't have a portable charger, reduce the screen brightness and close apps not in use to conserve the battery.

2- Power generator

Owning a power generator is never a bad idea for times when you could be without electricity for a few days. Just remember not to run it inside the garage as you can be in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning, fire and electric shock are hazards during an outage. Place generators away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.

"Make sure generators are properly ventilated and operated in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Take time to read the owner's manual before you actually need to use the generator," said Steven Bair, fire director and chief of department at the Centre Region Council of Governments in Pennsylvania.

If you live in an area prone to blizzards, install carbon monoxide alarms. It's best to put one on every floor in central locations. If the alarm sounds, move quickly to fresh air either outdoors or by an open window. Call for help and remain there until emergency personnel arrive.

"A single-unit should be near the sleeping area so it can wake a sleeping person if activated," Bair said. "A second detector could be placed near an appliance likely to be a carbon monoxide source, such as the furnace or hot water heater."

3- Emergency food and water

During the winter months, its best to maintain a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food. Batteries, flash lights and a radio are also good backup supplies.

Items such as fruit bars, peanut butter, nuts and trail mixes, crackers and canned juices are great to stockpile.

Be aware of fuel fumes while trying to make a hot meal. Asphyxiation is a high risk when cooking during a power outage.

4- How to stay warm

If the power goes out in a winter weather event, temperatures can drop significantly. Make sure to keep all doors to the outside shut. Use towels to block drafts coming in from window and door cracks.

It's also possible to insulate windows with black blankets. The black draws heat from the sun. If the sun's beams are coming through the window, put the blankets on the floor where the sun is directly shining instead.

5- Don't plug in electronics

Think ahead and unplug electronics and appliances that use electric motors.

To protect your electronic devices from the damage, it is a good to unplug them when the power goes out. You can also install surge protectors and keep your electronics plugged into them to make sure you always have a safe power connection.

6- Don't go near pooling water

Remember that water conducts electricity; if there is a downed power line in a puddle, you are at risk of being electrocuted by merely stepping in the water.

7- Don't open the fridge or freezer

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. These appliances are well insulated, so food will keep for hours if opening the door is kept to a minimum. In the winter, a ready supply of snow or ice from outside can be placed in a plastic bag and put into the fridge or freezer to keep food cold.

Remember that if your freezer is 100% full, it will take a lot longer for all of the food to thaw compared to if it is only 50% full.

While you may be tempted to put frozen foods outside if the power goes out in the winter, foodsafety.gov recommends otherwise. “Even when there is still snow and ice, outside temperatures can vary, causing chilled food to enter the ‘danger zone’ of warmer than 40 degrees F and cooler than 140 degrees F and frozen food to begin thawing. Moreover, exposed food can be exposed to animals and unsanitary conditions."

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