Storing Gasoline and Diesel: How Long It Lasts
How long stored gas and diesel stay usable, what stabilizer adds, how ethanol changes things, and how to store and rotate fuel cans safely.
All articles
Small Solar for Backup: What 400–800 Watts Can Actually Run
What 400 or 800 watts of portable solar refills in a day, June vs. December, and which outage loads it can keep running.
Standby Generator Costs in 2026 (and Where the Wait Really Comes From)
What a standby generator really costs installed in 2026 ($7,000–$20,000), what the money pays for, and why fall installs take 4–8 weeks or longer.
Bookmark Your Utility's Outage Map Before the Storm
When the lights go out, the first question is how long. Your electric company's outage map is the best answer you'll get. How to find it, sign up for alerts, and report…
Hose Bib Covers Before the First Hard Freeze
An outside faucet left connected to a hose is one of the most common frozen-pipe leaks. How to shut off and drain outdoor faucets, when a cover helps, and how to check…
Home Oxygen, CPAP and Other Medical Devices: Call Before the Storm
If someone in your home depends on a powered medical device, a power outage is a medical problem. Who to call before the storm, how long batteries last, and when to leave.
Insulin When the Fridge Is Off: An Outage Plan
How long insulin is good out of the fridge, how to keep it cool in an outage without freezing it, and what to have ready before the storm. Talk to your pharmacist…
When the Toilet Won't Flush: Sanitation in an Outage
No water pressure means no flush. How to flush with a bucket, when to stop flushing entirely, and the simple bucket-and-bag setup that keeps a house sanitary.
Well Pump and No Power: The Water You Still Have, and How to Get More
No power means no well pump, and no water. How much is left in the pressure tank and pipes, how to stretch it, and what it takes to run a well pump…
What a Power Station Won't Run: Space Heaters, Well Pumps, Central Air
Battery power stations are great for phones, lights, routers and medical devices. They're the wrong tool for heat, wells and big appliances. What they will and won't do, in plain numbers.
Generator Fuel: How Much for a Day, and How to Store It
How to estimate how much gas your generator burns in an outage, how much to keep on hand for a multi-day Midwest storm, and how to store and rotate it safely.
Extension Cord Gauge for a Generator and a Fridge
A thin cord on a big load overheats and starves the motor. How to pick the right extension cord gauge and length for a fridge, freezer or sump pump on a generator.