Winter Power Outage Guide: Heat, Pipes, Food, and the Decision to Leave

A winter outage combines several problems: falling indoor temperature, frozen plumbing, unsafe heating shortcuts, reduced travel, and limited communications. The useful plan separates those problems and gives each one a safe response.

This page is the winter-specific companion to the Power Outage Home Resilience Manual and the broader Winter Storm Preparedness Guide.

Before winter

• Have the primary heating system and any chimney or flue inspected and maintained.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace expired units.
• Learn where the main water shutoff is and make sure the correct tool is accessible.
• Insulate vulnerable pipes according to local utility or plumbing guidance.
• Store water, familiar no-cook food, medication, light, and phone power.
• Identify a safe heated location and more than one way to reach it.
• Sign up for local alerts and save the utility outage page offline or on paper.
• Review the exact manuals for any generator, heater, power station, transfer equipment, and medical device in the plan.

The National Weather Service winter safety page and Ready.gov winter weather guidance provide current public-safety checklists.

The first hour of an outage

1. Check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, damaged wiring, gas odor, flooding, and other immediate hazards.
2. Confirm the outage through the utility or local emergency management if a connection is available.
3. Gather household members and check anyone who depends on medication, powered equipment, mobility support, or temperature control.
4. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
5. Send the agreed short status message and preserve phone battery.
6. Start the safe heat-conservation plan before the home becomes very cold.

Use the Outage Readiness Planner to prepare this sequence in advance.

Keep people warm without improvising combustion

Choose one occupied room that can be closed without blocking an exit. Wear dry layers, use bedding, close curtains after sunset, and reduce drafts while preserving required appliance ventilation.

Use only an installed, maintained heating system or a portable heater that the manufacturer permits in that exact location. Follow its fuel, clearance, ventilation, supervision, and sleeping restrictions.

Never use a generator, grill, camp stove, vehicle, or other outdoor combustion equipment in a home, garage, basement, crawl space, shed, porch enclosure, or near an opening. Do not heat a room with a cooking oven, homemade alcohol burner, candle-and-flowerpot device, hot bricks, or temporary stove. A carbon monoxide alarm is a warning layer, not permission to use prohibited equipment.

Read Indoor Heating Safety During a Power Outage before choosing or operating emergency heat. Follow the CDC generator safety rule: outside, at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents, with exhaust pointed away.

Protect plumbing

Frozen-pipe risk depends on pipe location, insulation, air leakage, heating, and weather. Use guidance from the local utility or a qualified plumber for the home.

• Keep garage doors closed when water lines run through the garage.
• Open sink cabinet doors only when doing so is safe for children and pets and helps warm air reach the pipes.
• Follow local utility guidance on whether and how much to let a faucet drip.
• Never use an open flame to thaw a pipe.
• If a pipe is frozen, shut off water when appropriate and contact a qualified plumber.
• If a pipe bursts, avoid standing water near electrical equipment.

The American Red Cross frozen-pipe guidance covers prevention and safe thawing.

Do not place a fuel heater in a crawl space, cabinet, or other confined area to protect pipes. Use insulation, approved electric heat cable installed as directed, conditioned air where appropriate, or professional repairs.

Food and water

Keep appliance doors closed and use a thermometer when available. Follow USDA emergency food safety guidance rather than judging food by smell or appearance.

Outdoor cold is not automatically a safe refrigerator. Sun, animals, contamination, and temperature swings can make outside storage unreliable. If using coolers, monitor temperature and protect food from contamination.

Use the Water Storage Calculator and Food Storage Calculator before the season. Store water away from freezing locations and separate potable water from water reserved for cleaning or flushing.

Backup power

Prioritize only loads that affect health, temperature, water, food, or communication. Record real watts and starting requirements from labels and manuals.

The Generator Runtime Calculator can estimate fuel and runtime. The Solar Power Calculator can help compare battery and charging assumptions. Neither tool approves an electrical connection or generator location.

Never backfeed a home through a receptacle. Use manufacturer-approved cords and connections or a transfer method installed by a qualified electrician.

Decide whether to stay each day

At the same time each morning and evening, check:

• indoor conditions and cold-stress symptoms;
• water flow, leaks, and pipe condition;
• safe food and potable water remaining;
• medicine and medical-device support;
• battery and fuel reserves;
• alarm status;
• official weather, road, utility, and warming-center information;
• the safest time and route to leave.

Write the answers down. Do not wait for a crisis to discuss a backup location.

Leave or call for help

Leave for a safe heated location or call emergency services when a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm sounds, anyone has severe symptoms, the home cannot be kept at a safe temperature, a required medical plan fails, plumbing or structural damage creates a hazard, or officials order evacuation.

Continue with the Urban Preparedness hub, the 72-Hour Winter Kit, and Long Power Outage Planning.