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[@CityPrepping] How to Prepare Your Home for Winter 2026 (Before It’s Too Late)

· 6 min read
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@CityPrepping - "How to Prepare Your Home for Winter 2026 (Before It’s Too Late)"

Link: https://youtu.be/-8sQZNGRh1o

Short Summary​

To prepare for potential power outages during the winter of 2026, the video outlines ten steps including sealing drafts, insulating pipes, staging a warm room, and having backup power and a stocked winter bin. The guide emphasizes the importance of safety, warmth, and having essential supplies readily available to ensure your home remains a safe haven during cold weather emergencies.

Key Quotes​

Here are four quotes that I found particularly insightful or impactful from the video transcript:

  1. "Your home, the place that should protect you, can turn dangerous faster than you think." - This emphasizes the urgency and importance of preparedness.

  2. "When the grit fails, your backup plan has to work." - This highlights the need to have a backup plan that is reliable when your power grid fails, so you are always covered.

  3. "Calories are fuel for your body's furnace." - A simple yet crucial reminder about the importance of food for maintaining body temperature in a cold situation.

  4. "Think of backup power as insurance. It bridges the gap until the grid is back online, ensuring your household can function safely in the meantime." - This frames the concept of backup power in a way that emphasizes its vital role in maintaining safety and functionality during outages.

Detailed Summary​

Here's a detailed summary of the YouTube video transcript, using bullet points to highlight key topics, arguments, and information:

Overall Theme: Preparing your home for winter, specifically focusing on power outages and how to stay safe.

Introduction:

  • Millions of Americans experience weather-related power outages annually, straining the aging power grid.
  • Examples: Texas freeze, California wildfires, Gulf Coast hurricanes.
  • Homes can become dangerous quickly during outages due to loss of heat, cooling, and water.
  • The video outlines 10 steps to winterize your home and prepare for power grid failures.
  • Download the free Start Preparing Survival Guide at cityprepping.com/getstarted

10 Steps to Winterize Your Home and Prepare for Power Outages:

  • Step 1: Seal Leaks and Drafts:

    • Heat loss is costly. Seal windows, doors, and gaps.
    • Use weather stripping, door sweeps, or towels.
    • Cover windows with plastic or contractor bags (black bags absorb heat).
    • Renters: Use removable plastic film or draft stoppers.
    • Sealing drafts keeps a room warmer and extends fuel/battery life.

  • Step 2: Insulate Pipes and Find Shut-Off Valve:

    • Frozen pipes burst, causing flooding and water loss.
    • Insulate exposed pipes (garages, crawl spaces, attics) with foam insulation, towels, or blankets.
    • Know the location of the main water shut-off valve.
    • Practice turning off the water before an emergency.
    • Shut off water to prevent contamination from broken lines/flooding.

  • (Ad) Jackary Home Backup Lineup:

    • Featured the HomePowered 3600 Plus and the Explorer 5000 Plus.
    • HomePowered 3600 Plus delivers 3600 watts of output with 3600 watt hours of capacity.
    • Explorer 5000 Plus has an output of up to 14,400 watts and an expandable capacity of up to 60 kilowatt hours.
    • Both qualify for the 30% federal battery tax credit.

  • Step 3: Stage a Warm Room:

    • Focus on heating one small room with few windows.
    • Hang blankets or tarps over doorways for insulation.
    • Pitch a small tent inside the room for extra insulation.
    • Use sleeping bags and mats.
    • Creates a microclimate within a microclimate for efficient heating.

  • Step 4: Heat Sources and Safety:

    • Not all heat sources are safe indoors.
    • Propane heaters need proper ventilation and a carbon monoxide detector.
    • Heating pads/blankets powered by solar generators are safe.
    • Hot water bottles in sleeping bags provide warmth.
    • Keep smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in the warm room.
    • Keep a fire extinguisher within reach.

  • Step 5: Lighting Without Risk:

    • Candles are a fire hazard.
    • Use LED lanterns, headlamps, and rechargeable flashlights.
    • Recharge using solar panels or battery packs.
    • Lanterns provide light and comfort.

  • Step 6: Layer Up with Clothing:

    • Clothing is the first layer of insulation.
    • Start with a moisture-wicking base layer.
    • Add a fleece middle layer and an insulating jacket/blanket.
    • Cover head, hands, and feet.
    • Multiple thin layers are more effective than one bulky coat.
    • Avoid sweating, adjust layers based on activity.

  • Step 7: Food and Hot Drinks:

    • Calories fuel the body's furnace.
    • Keep easy-to-heat, high-calorie meals ready (soups, ramen, freeze-dried meals, MREs).
    • Hot drinks (tea, coffee) provide comfort and maintain core temperature.
    • Use a camp stove or propane burner for heating food/water, ensuring ventilation.
    • Eat warm meals early in the evening.

  • Step 8: Water Management:

    • Municipal pumps may fail, or pipes may freeze.
    • Fill bathtubs and sinks with water before storms for washing and flushing.
    • Leave taps slightly dripping to prevent freezing.
    • Store drinking water in sealed containers and insulate them.
    • Purify melted snow by boiling, filtering, or using purification tablets.
    • Dehydration is a risk in cold, dry conditions.

  • Step 9: Backup Power:

    • A small solar generator can power essentials (lights, phones, radio, heating pad).
    • Gas generators must be run outdoors and away from windows/doors.
    • Focus on powering essential lights, communication, and small heating devices.
    • Backup power is critical for those dependent on medical equipment (CPAP, oxygen, mobility).
    • Backup power bridges the gap until the grid is back.

  • Step 10: Prep a Winter Bin:

    • Store emergency supplies in a labeled tote ("Winter Power Outage").
    • Include: blankets, gloves, duct tape, plastic sheeting, flashlights, batteries, first aid kit, emergency food/water.
    • Tape a checklist to the lid.
    • Add: emergency radio, charging cables, power bank, safe light sources (lanterns).
    • Pack: waterproof matches, lighter, comfort items (cards, games).
    • Include: wipes, toilet paper, heavy-duty trash bags.
    • Finish with: spare warm clothes, thick socks, hat, cash (small bills).

Conclusion:

  • Preparedness is essential for home safety during winter power outages.
  • Acting before the storm is key.
  • Encourages viewers to watch other videos: "30 affordable winter survival items to get now" and "9 easy hacks to save energy this winter."