Why you need to own — and know how to operate — a generator before the storm hits
In a winter storm, the greatest risk is often not snow itself — it’s the loss of heat. When electricity goes out, most modern home heating systems stop working. Gas and oil furnaces require electric ignition and blowers. Heat pumps are fully electric. Even many pellet and boiler systems rely on electric controls.
If the power is out for hours — or days — your home can become uninhabitable quickly.
Leaving Isn’t Always an Option
For many families, abandoning home and staying in a hotel sounds reasonable — until everyone else has the same plan. During widespread outages, hotel rooms fill quickly. Roads may be unsafe. Gas stations may be closed.
There’s also the problem of your house itself. If you leave without properly winterizing:
- Radiators can freeze and burst
- Water pipes can crack
- Toilets and traps can freeze
- Water damage can destroy walls, floors, and ceilings
Anyone with water-filled plumbing should learn how to winterize their home before an emergency. That means knowing how to:
- Shut off the main water supply
- Drain pipes and radiators
- Add antifreeze (where appropriate)
- Protect vulnerable plumbing in crawlspaces or exterior walls
Practice this in advance. Emergencies are not the time to read instructions for the first time.
If You Stay: Practice, Practice, Practice
If your plan is to remain at home during a winter outage, the most essential piece of equipment is a generator.
And here’s the rule:
Never purchase survival equipment during a crisis. Buy ahead of time and learn how to use it safely.
Every winter, there are reports of preventable deaths caused by improper generator use. The danger is not hypothetical — it is real and recurring.
Practice Under Real Conditions
Don’t just start your generator once on a sunny afternoon in October. Practice:
- Starting it in subfreezing temperatures
- Starting it at night
- Operating it in the dark
- Connecting loads safely
- Refueling it properly
Cold weather changes everything — fuel flow, oil viscosity, battery performance (if electric start), and your own dexterity while wearing gloves.
Generator Safety: Non-Negotiable Rules
- Always operate a generator outside.
Never in a garage. Not even with the door open.
Not under a porch. Not near windows. - Keep it at least 20 feet from your home, with exhaust directed away from doors and windows.
- Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors on every level of your home and near sleeping areas. Test them regularly and keep spare batteries.
Carbon monoxide is odorless and invisible. It can kill in minutes.
Size Matters — But So Does Portability
Purchase a generator that is:
- Small enough for you to move safely
- Large enough to power critical heating systems
- Capable of running for at least 8 hours on a tank
Many smaller portable generators cannot power large 240-volt loads such as:
- Central electric furnaces
- Large electric baseboard heating systems
- Central air systems
TThough most properly sized portable generators can power essential heating components such as:
- Gas or oil furnace ignition systems
- Furnace or boiler blower motors
- Circulation pumps for hydronic heat
They are not easily connected directly to these systems. Safe operation typically requires a professionally installed transfer switch or interlock system. Pre-wiring by a licensed electrician ensures the generator can supply these components without risking backfeed, equipment damage, or injury.
Beyond heat, prioritize:
- One refrigerator (if needed)
- Minimal lighting
- Phone and device charging
Be cautious with space heaters. While some portable generators can run one small electric space heater, running multiple heaters quickly exceeds capacity. Electric resistance heaters draw significant wattage and are usually an inefficient use of generator power compared to running your primary heating system’s blower or pump.
Before a storm, calculate the startup and running wattage of each device and test your setup safely. The goal isn’t comfort — it’s preventing frozen pipes and maintaining safe indoor temperatures.
A smaller generator is often safer, easier to manage, and more fuel-efficient.
About Solar and Battery Generators
Battery and solar generators have their place, but in prolonged freezing conditions, they are often inadequate for whole-home heat. Cold temperatures reduce battery efficiency significantly. If you rely on one, test its performance in winter conditions — not just in theory.
Proper Electrical Connection
If possible, install a transfer switch or interlock system professionally. This allows you to power circuits safely without risking backfeeding into utility lines — which can kill utility workers.
If using extension cords:
- Use heavy-duty outdoor-rated cords
- Avoid overloading circuits
- Keep connections dry and elevated from snow
Never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet.
Fuel Storage and Readiness
Fuel planning is part of survival planning.
- Store fuel in approved containers
- Keep it in a safe, ventilated location
- Rotate fuel every few months
- Use fuel stabilizer
- Keep extra oil for maintenance
Cold weather thickens oil. Your generator may require winter-grade oil for easier starting.
Store Smart
Store your generator somewhere accessible but protected. A warm storage area can make cold starts easier — but never run it indoors to “warm it up.”
Clear snow from the area where you will place it before you need it. Think ahead about:
- Where it will sit
- How cords will run
- How you will access it in deep snow
Heating Strategy Beyond Electricity
Even with a generator, think in layers:
- Dress in thermal layers indoors
- Close off unused rooms
- Insulate windows with plastic film kits
- Use heavy curtains
- Seal drafts
If you have a fireplace or wood stove, maintain it properly and keep a supply of dry wood. Never use outdoor propane heaters or grills inside.
Food Strategy in Winter
In freezing temperatures, nature becomes your freezer.
If the power is out:
- Move frozen food to a garage or sealed cooler outdoors
- Use snow or ice in sealed containers inside your refrigerator
- Open refrigerator doors sparingly
Treat your refrigerator like an old-fashioned icebox.
Protecting Your Plumbing While Staying
If interior temperatures drop:
- Let faucets drip slightly
- Open cabinet doors under sinks
- Keep interior doors open for airflow
- Focus heat on areas with plumbing
If temperatures approach freezing indoors and you cannot maintain heat, winterize before pipes burst.
Final Thought
Winter survival is less about gear and more about preparation and competence. The difference between inconvenience and catastrophe is often practice.
Buy early. Test often. Respect the risks.
And when the storm comes, you’ll be responding — not improvising.
BONUS QUESTION
Another serious risk from this storm is roof collapse. I specifically looked into whether intentionally melting snow from the inside — by increasing interior heat — would help reduce that risk.
The answer is no.
Reduce Internal Heat Loss (Counterintuitive but Critical)
When heat escapes into the attic, it:
- Melts snow unevenly
- Causes meltwater to refreeze at the eaves
- Builds ice dams
- Adds concentrated ice weight along roof edges
Trying to “melt it off” from inside actually increases structural stress rather than relieving it.
Instead:
- Keep attic access doors tightly closed
- Avoid excessively raising indoor temperatures
- Seal obvious attic air leaks if they are safely accessible
The goal is a uniformly cold roof surface, not partial melting. Consistent cold prevents uneven melt–refreeze cycles and reduces the formation of heavy ice concentrations.