How to Prepare Your Home for a Power Outage

Build a practical outage plan around critical loads, communications, lighting, refrigeration, charging, and safe backup power.

An outage plan is more useful when it starts with priorities rather than equipment. Identify what must keep running, what can wait, how long you want coverage, and what safe charging or fuel options remain available if the outage lasts longer than expected.

Prioritize critical loads

Typical planning categories include refrigeration, communications, lighting, essential medical or accessibility equipment, and limited device charging. Heating, cooling, pumps, cooking appliances, and other large loads can change system requirements dramatically.

Layer resilience

A practical plan can combine conservation, stored energy, renewable charging, and—where appropriate—fuel-based generation. DOE notes that solar paired with storage can improve resilience because stored solar energy can be used when generation is unavailable.

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