Blizzards and wood stoves, or when the power goes out we stay warm.

[huauqui]

This blizzard has been a bit of a dud so far were we are (20 miles south of Omaha NE.). However the wind took out the power about 5 hours ago. So while I enjoy reading a book next to the warm wood stove while drinking coffee made on the wood stove having just eaten pancakes cooked, yes you guessed it, on the wood stove. I wondered what kind of stories you all have about the wonderful wood stove that got you through a winters day, or three, without power.

 

[bioman]

We installed an Ideal steel last spring for that very reason.

 

[Squisher]

We rarely to never lose power here. I don't recall ever losing power overnight at my current home. People more rurally are at higher risk even though I live fifteen minutes out of town on a farm, to me rural is 45min plus from town. So no stovetop cooking for me. If the power where to go out for an evening, SOP is to stoke the fire and go out for dinner. Lol.

 

[huauqui]

Second pot is now idling on the trivet beckoning me to come have a cup.

 

[countybrown]

View attachment 173805

Second pot is now idling on the trivet beckoning me to come have a cup.

Nice! I use my French press instead of a percolator, but the soapstone top on mine does make a hell of a good warmer for my cup.

 

[Squirrel]

Two years before the ICE STORM OF '98 I had a wood stove installed. The dealer/installer told me I should go with a gas furnace.
When the storm hit three neighbor families moved in with us for warmth and we cooked for an entire street in our village, that lasted a week.

 

[Simonkenton]

In the blizzard in December '09 our power was out for 6 days. We are way up in the mountains and we are the last to get power restored. Thank God for the little Waterford.

 

[moresnow]

Same dud blizzard arrived here at 8 am. Nothing like the predictions. Looks like we recieved 4 inches of wet stuff. Plenty of east wind however. Mail lady just delivered here in her late 90's Buick! We are 2 miles off the pavement. Not much of a storm. I need to get my camp coffee setup out and try it! Maybe purchase a trivet as well.

 

[countybrown]

Not a dud here. Started snowing about 3 hours ago and we already have a solid 4 inches. Still going strong and supposed to go throughout the evening. I'm betting we get close a foot. Already had to clear the driveway once for the wife to get to work. Thankfully no patrol for me tonight!

 

[venator260]

For a few years back in the 90's when I lived at home, my parents would lose power for a few days every winter. Their Alaska Kodiak was a lifesaver during those times. We didn't have water either, but a bucket of snow by the stove was water in a few hours. Of course, we could cook on it as well.

After one of the storms, either my sister or myself made the comment that we wished that the electricity would go out so that we could have mountain pies and hot dogs over the fire. We then thought of the fact that the power didn't need to go out for us to use the stove in such a way. So, every few weeks in the winter, we would have a "campfire" dinner in the basement from the stove.

I lived in Pittsburgh for 6 years, and I worried about the lack of a stove every winter. We never lost power for more than a few hours during that time though, and I think that happened only once.

 

[heavy hammer]

Only lost power for an extended time once three years age when it was real cold. I was working the storm but my wife stayed warm with our stove. It is a very nice thing to have.

 

[English BoB]

Never cold when the power is out, if the forecast is a long outage I revert to fossil fuel and start the genny. Being prepared is the key, everything on hand just in case.

bob

 

[nola mike]

I've been waiting to use my little HF generator for 3 years now after Sandy knocked out our power for 3 days. We have gas though, so don't need to cook on the wood stove.

 

[toddnic]

We've lost power many times and have made numerous meals in the Dutch Oven on the woodstove. It's great being warm and cared for even when the weather is dishing out its fury....

 

[three feathers]

Always have Coleman lanterns and cook stoves for power outages. Kerosene heaters stored with fuel in the shed. We heat with natural gas but everyone needs at least 2 forms of heat.

 

[crater22]

Not a stove I can cook on but the Buck will keep me warm. Just bought two generators just in case. For cooking I can use one for the microwave/toaster, etc. Also have charcoal grill and a large propane grill with two full tanks (20 gal ea). 25 gallons of gas for the generators. With all of this on standby I can guarantee we will not have an outages..LOL. Seriously thinking of putting in a stove for my down stairs family rooms since the chimney is already installed.

 

[RFarm]

We are on a standalone solar system with a battery bank and only deal with power interruptions when we are performing maintenance and have to shut down for a few minutes. We did have a bad ice storm last winter that knocked out the local power for 4 days. Night time lows were in the single digits and we had plenty of neighbors stopping by to warm up by the stove, use the Wifi, and take a warm shower. It was nice being able to help out when my neighbors needed it.

 

[Knots]

My father bought a wood/coal stove after the blizzard of '78 in CT. I won't live without one now.

When the ice storms and blizzards come now, nothing changes heat-wise in the house. Just another day...