When the lights go out in Collin County, whaddya gonna do? Are you prepared for the possibility of a long term power outage? The Northeast last year experienced weeks without electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy resulting in much suffering and several fatalities. Many of the survivors seemed to be amazed that it could happen to them. The lesson to be learned is it never hurts to be prepared, and that it really could happen to you. FEMA has advised Americans to have food and emergency supplies on hand to last at least two weeks and the Center for Disease Control has published an excellent guide to power outage preparedness.

But what about heating and cooling? Obviously it’s a good idea to have propane or kerosene powered heaters and fuel at the ready, and if you have a fireplace or wood stove you’re ahead of the game. But if not, well there are plenty of ingenious preparedness minded folks out there with some clever ideas. And once again the Fed.gov has some excellent tips for cooking and staying warm in a power outage.

NOAA also offers some tips for staying warm that include wearing layers of clothing, eating well to keep up metabolism, and eating hot foods like soup and hot chocolate to help maintain body heat.

Staying cool if the power goes out in hot weather is more challenging, but having a couple of battery-powered fans and plenty of batteries will be a Godsend. Hanging wet towels over open windows will lower indoor temperatures considerably through evaporation. Keeping the sun out as much as possible by keeping shades and blinds closed makes a world of difference. And be sure to make having plenty of water on hand, be it for drinking, cooking, washing or wetting towels, a priority.

And those lights that let you down? Hopefully you have a box of emergency candles, some oil lamps, and maybe a battery-powered lantern, as well as a flashlight in every room and plenty of batteries.

For more expert advice on power outage preparedness and other home comfort questions contact us at Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating. We’ve proudly served North Texas for more than 31 years.