HOUSTON, Texas – It’s about to get cold in Houston. Really cold.
When we hear those words, we’re often taken back to The Great Texas Freeze of 2021.
If you lived in Southeast Texas during that time, you probably have horror stories to share of days without power or heat, burst pipes and bare shelves at the grocery store.
This freeze isn’t going to be anywhere near the freeze that knocked the power grid offline.
However, it’s natural for some Houstonians to want to be more than prepared for the “what if” in life.
Hardware stores across the region have seen a steady flow of customers. Along with that, contractors are already ready to make sure you have a reliable source of power.
You can still get a whole-home generator
Believe it or not, you can still get a generator that powers your entire home installed before temperatures dip below freezing.
“We’ve got ten in stock right now with a zero wait time,” said Jonathon Weeks, owner of Weeks Electrical & HVAC.
If you called him in the morning, there’s a good chance you can have a backup source of power by the time you eat dinner that evening.
“You could have it knocked out in a couple of hours,” he said. “I mean, it’s possible to get it done as the freeze happens.”
Whole-home generators, or standby generators, are one of the most effective ways to ensure you don’t miss a beat of heat when it comes to power outages.
However, with convenience comes price. A rough estimate on an install is $13,000.
One thing to keep in mind, if you live in a municipality that requires permits and inspections, the install period could be longer.
Portable generators
They fit in the trunk of your car and are probably sitting outside of every hardware store in the region whenever the word “freeze” is passed around town.
Portable generators are great to power a few things at a time, like keeping the fridge cool and some space heaters.
However, they come with a bigger risk.
With portable generators especially, the safest place for them to be outside the house at least 20 feet away from any open window or vent that could be inside the house,” said Cpt. Michael Alaniz with Spring Fire Department. “They push off a lot of fumes, and those fumes are often times odorless. That’s what carbon monoxide is.”
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a real threat. Symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, weakness and nausea.
“Please do not use gas stoves to heat your home. That is a fire hazards in itself,” added Captain Alaniz.
Electric battery backups
The only type of power generator that’s safe to use inside is a battery bank.
This is a big battery that can hold a charge that can power all sorts of things, including your refrigerator or even a heater.
One model at Bering’s Hardware has a 600-watt power output.
“Now this will actually run a refrigerator. It’ll run lamps,” said Floor Manager Michael Taylor. “It’ll run, depending on what you put on it, six to eight hours.”
While they’re pricey, they also have another downside: they need to be recharged.
“It also has an accessory where you can put a solar panel on it so that in case you didn’t have power or you’re going to be out of power for several days,” he said.