What does your homestead depend on power for?
Walk through a normal day and note every task that needs electricity: the well pump, water heater, furnace fans, refrigerator and freezer, lights, electric fence, incubators, brooder lamps, milking equipment, garage doors, phone chargers and medical devices. Add them up as a list.
This list shows you where an outage hurts first. Animals and medical needs come before convenience, and water often comes before everything else, since many private wells stop when the power goes out.
- Water pumping and heating
- Refrigeration and freezers
- Animal care equipment
- Medical devices and communication
How do you keep water flowing?
Think through the daily volumes too. Animals, cooking, hygiene and flushing toilets all use water. Many households find that toilets are the largest use, so ask a plumber about options that do not rely on pressure. A few buckets and a plan can make a long outage much easier.
If you rely on a well pump, store drinking water in advance and know how you would water animals without power. Hand pumps, gravity feed and stored water in clean containers are options, but each has limits. Ask a licensed well contractor what is possible for your system.
Never assume water from a stopped or flooded system is safe. If water looks, tastes or smells unusual after power returns, check with your local health office before drinking it.
How do you stay warm or cool safely?
Dress in layers and close off rooms you do not need so the space you use holds heat better. Keep curtains closed on the sunny side in summer. Be careful with candles and open flames, which cause fires, and keep a working smoke alarm with fresh batteries in every sleeping area.
Heat is a serious risk in both winter and summer. Choose heating methods designed for indoor use and follow manufacturer instructions. Carbon monoxide can kill without warning, so install working carbon monoxide alarms and never use outdoor cooking equipment, generators or fuel-burning heaters in ways they were not made for.
In hot weather, pick the coolest room, close curtains, drink water and check on older relatives and children often. Know the warning signs of heat illness and call a doctor or emergency services if someone has them.
How should you use a generator?
A generator can power key loads, but misuse kills people and starts fires. Never run one indoors, in a garage or near windows and vents. Keep it outside with plenty of open space around it, let it cool before refueling, and store fuel safely, away from living areas.
Do not connect a generator to household wiring without a properly installed transfer switch put in by a licensed electrician. Backfeeding can send power into lines and endanger utility workers. Ask your electrician what size you need and how to match it to your essential loads.
- Use outdoors only, with distance from openings
- Have a licensed electrician install a transfer switch
- Test the unit and keep fuel fresh
What about food and refrigeration?
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A full freezer holds its temperature longer than a half-empty one, so some people fill spare space with containers of water. Keep an appliance thermometer inside so you can judge food safety by actual temperature rather than guessing.
When in doubt, throw it out. For specific guidance about which foods are safe after an outage, check USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and your local health department. Never taste food to see if it is safe.
What should you do for animals?
Walk the barn at night with a flashlight and imagine the outage in January or July. Where would the animals get water? How would you see to feed them? A small headlamp for each adult in the household is a simple answer. Keep spare batteries stored with it.
Make sure animals have water, shelter and warmth or shade without power. Test backup lighting and heat sources before the season. Heat lamps cause many barn fires, so ask your extension office about safer arrangements and avoid improvised setups.
Electric fencing stops working, so check where animals might wander. Keep a battery-powered fence option if you depend on that kind of containment, and have a plan for checking fences by hand.
What should you ask your utility?
Ask how to report an outage, how long outages typically last in your area, and whether there is a priority list for medical needs. Keep the number in your phone and written down. Sign up for text alerts if available.
Stay far from downed lines, and never touch anything that may be energized.
Key takeaways
- List every thing that depends on power and put animals, water and medical needs first.
- Never run a generator indoors or connect it without a transfer switch from a licensed electrician.
- Install working carbon monoxide alarms and use only equipment made for indoor heating.
- Check with the health department or USDA before eating refrigerated or frozen food after an outage.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.