Most outages are measured in hours. But it's worth asking a bigger question, calmly and in advance: what would my household need if the power stayed off for a whole season? Thinking it through now turns an unknown into a plan, and it shows which preparations matter most.
Ready.gov notes that extended outages can disrupt communications, water, and transportation, close stores, gas stations, ATMs, and banks, and cause food spoilage and water contamination. Here's how a prepared household works through each stage.
The First Hours: Stay Calm and Protect Your Food
What changes: lights, internet, and appliances stop. Your refrigerator starts warming.
What to do: - Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed. Ready.gov says an unopened fridge keeps food cold for about four hours, and a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours. - Unplug sensitive electronics to protect them from surges when power returns. - Check on neighbors, especially older adults. - Tune a battery or hand-crank radio to local news.
How a solar generator helps: a power station can keep a router, phones, and lights running from the first minute. Some, like the Jackery Solar Generator 300 v2, list UPS switching of 0.01 seconds or less, so connected devices stay on when the grid drops.
Days 2–7: Settling Into a Routine
What changes: perishable food needs to be eaten or discarded. Water pressure may become unreliable in some areas. Stores may be closed or limited.
What to do: - Eat perishables first, then move to shelf-stable food. Throw out food that's been above 40°F for two hours or more. "When in doubt, throw it out." - Start a daily power routine: charge devices and run appliances during sunny hours when your panels are producing. - Set up your water station and begin tracking how much you use each day.
ReadyPantry pick: Ready Pantry 3 Day Food Supply and One Week Food Supply: shelf-stable meals that need no refrigeration, stored for up to 25 years.
Weeks 2–4: Food, Water, and Power Become the Daily Rhythm
What changes: your stored supplies become your main supply. Daily life centers on cooking, water, recharging, and hygiene.
What matters most:
Water. At Ready.gov's guideline of one gallon per person per day, a family of four uses about 28 gallons a week. A sealed reserve plus a way to filter more keeps you comfortable.
ReadyPantry picks: Ready Pantry 12 oz Emergency Water, canned with a 50-year shelf life and sold by the case, or in 25-case (1/4 pallet), 50-case (1/2 pallet), and 100-case (full pallet) packs. Quarter, half, and full pallets ship by freight, plus the Sentry Portable System with spare replacement filters to extend your supply.
Food. Your long-term supply now carries most meals. A one-month supply per person makes this stage feel routine instead of stressful.
ReadyPantry pick: Ready Pantry One Month Supply, available in 1, 3, 6, and 12 month options. Best-by dates vary by lot, so check your package.
Power. This is where recharging matters. A larger station with solar panels can keep a refrigerator, lights, and devices running, as long as what your panels bring in each day covers what you use.
ReadyPantry picks: the Solar Generator 1500 Ultra (1,536 Wh, 1,800 W output) or HomePower 3000 (3,072 Wh, 3,600 W output), paired with SolarSaga 200W panels.
Cooking. Use an outdoor camp stove for hot meals. Ready.gov and the CDC are clear that camp stoves and grills are for outdoor use only, and you should never heat your home with a gas stove or oven.
ReadyPantry pick: BOXIO Cook Premium Camp Stove, a stainless steel, wind-shielded stove for outdoor cooking.
Months 2–3: Sustaining Comfort and Health
What changes: the novelty is gone. Now it's about steady routines, keeping everyone healthy, and keeping spirits up.
Sanitation. If water service is limited, a dry toilet and handwashing station keep your home healthy. The CDC emphasizes handwashing with soap for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
ReadyPantry picks: BOXIO Toilet Plus with the Toilet Up Refill Bundle, and the BOXIO Wash XL Camping Sink for hand-pumped running water.
Health. Keep first aid supplies stocked, keep small wounds clean and covered, and maintain your medication plan.
ReadyPantry picks: First Aid Plus and First Aid Pro.
Morale. Routines, shared meals, games, and books make a real difference. Ready.gov even lists comfort foods and children's activities in its recommendations.
Whole-home power. For households that want to keep more running, larger expandable systems can power selected home circuits through a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
ReadyPantry picks: HomePower 3600 Plus (expandable to 21 kWh) and Solar Generator 5000 Plus (expandable to 60 kWh).
Safety Throughout
- Never run a fuel-burning generator indoors or in a garage. The CDC says to keep it outside, more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents.
- Install battery-backup carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas.
- If someone depends on powered medical equipment or refrigerated medicine, Ready.gov advises making a plan with your medical provider ahead of time.
- Know where community heating and cooling locations are, and go if temperatures become extreme.
The Takeaway: Build It in Layers
A 90-day outage isn't something you prepare for in one shopping trip. It's the sum of simple layers:
- Water: a sealed reserve plus filtration.
- Food: a 3-day kit, then a month, then three.
- Power: start small for lights and phones, then scale to the fridge.
- Sanitation: a dry toilet, handwashing, and hygiene supplies.
- Gear: first aid, lighting, and an outdoor stove.
Each layer you add makes the next outage, short or long, easier on your family.
Start Your Plan
See how it all fits together on our 90-Day Ready hub, explore Backup Power, or read Backup Power 101 to size a system for your home.
Sources: Ready.gov: Power Outages; Ready.gov: Water; Ready.gov: Food; CDC: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics; CDC: Guidelines for Personal Hygiene During an Emergency. Product specifications are from ReadyPantry product listings.