Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [emergency-preparedness]

24 questions
37
votes
11 answers

How can I allow 911 first responders to access a locked residence?

What if I live alone and cannot unlock the door during an emergency? What can I do to enable 911 responders to enter my residence without tearing down the door?
gatorback
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18
votes
13 answers

How do I prepare my home for a power outage?

With several storms in the Northeast United States and more storms predicted this week, there have been lots of extended power outages. What are things to do to prepare your house for a power outage especially in the winter. What are things you…
SchwartzE
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15
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6 answers

How to prepare home to prevent pipe leaks during a severe winter storm?

The news has shown much footage of homes in Texas being destroyed by pipe leaks after a storm hit in February 2021. I live at a similar latitude to the places impacted by the storm, though it did not cause such destruction where I live. What should…
Village
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13
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7 answers

Can I plug a generator into a dryer outlet

I have an electric dryer with a 30 amp circuit running to it. If I had a male-male plug to run from a portable generator to this outlet, would it be safe to run essential appliances (water pump, refridgerator, sump pump, etc) during a power outage…
Lucas
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8
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3 answers

How can I ensure portable generator success during a long natural disaster?

I live in the SF Bay Area. My house is blocks from the Hayward Fault, where a large earthquake is likely during my lifetime. Along with the usual disaster-prep things (water, food, etc.) I'm considering buying a portable generator to power critical…
Justin Grant
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8
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1 answer

Is it reasonable to create a 30amp branch circuit for the purpose of feeding the panel from a generator?

I recently purchased an 8kW generator (Briggs and Stratton). It has a 4-wire twist lock outlet that can handle 30 amps. Suppose I were to: Run a 10/3 NM cable from the panel in the basement out to the garage. Not actually connecting anything, just…
thedudeabides
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7
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2 answers

Who do you call when there is actually carbon monoxide in your home?

The CO detector goes off. Probably bad batteries, but let's get everyone outside just to be safe. Then you put brand new batteries in, and it still goes off. You have a carbon monoxide leak. Again, you make sure everyone is out of the house, pets…
smeeb
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6
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3 answers

What is a good generator for emergency backup?

So recently, during Irene, I learned that my car's lighter outlet was insufficient to power a sump-pump (hello, two inches of water in the master bedroom) Thankfully, the car's circuitry was fine but I don't think the adapter works anymore c'est la…
cwallenpoole
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5
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3 answers

Should I pursue building my own wind turbine?

The area where I live suffers heavy power outages (in fact the whole country does!!) so I am considering building one of those wind turbines (with PVC pipes) but am not sure whether it's windy enough here for it to run (A Google result says its just…
user1649
4
votes
3 answers

Why won't my portable generator start?

With a storm bearing down on the mid-Atlantic US and robocalls from the local power utility warning of the possibility of extended power outages, I figured tonight would be a good time to check the status of my 5700W portable generator. After…
Caleb
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3
votes
3 answers

How to determine (not estimate) starting amperage of a motor?

I want to buy an inverter-generator to run my Trane heating system in case of a power outage. The Trane is on a 20 amp circuit. The sticker says it needs a minimum of a 15.2 amp circuit. My question is, how do I determine (not estimate) the surge…
Yehuda_NYC
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3
votes
1 answer

Should a generator transfer switch have continuity between all contacts in the "Gen" position?

I am finishing up installing my generator transfer switch today and I think I have a wiring problem... I have a six circuit transfer switch wired in with a power inlet box outside. Everything is wired in and I am doing the final check before hooking…
Dave Nay
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2
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1 answer

Seeking name of a small natural gas generator that will run in all weather

I want to run a small emergency generator on natural gas (NG). In the past few years, 3 fuel portable generators have become available. But the manuals say not to run them in the rain. "Whole house" NG generators are built to run in all…
Joel W
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2
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1 answer

Generator hookup

I am looking to install a portable generator for supplying some things when there is a power outage. I have my main panel outside and a sub panel inside. The breaker at the main panel suppling the sub is a 50amp but at the sub the largest breaker is…
xAaron14x
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1
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1 answer

What should I consider when boarding up windows for a storm?

What should be considered when boarding up windows for a storm (or for that manner, during construction, etc.)? What thickness plywood is required? Should it be sized to the size of the sash and fastened inside the frame, or should the framing…
TomG
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