Apartment Grid Down Concerns and Strategies

[CG]

Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE

They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.

I have two that I use in winter!

I still want a stone pig after hearing a British lady's explanation of it - basically a stoneware "pot" shaped like a pig that they poured hot water in, then corked.  It then radiated heat until the water was cool.

[sheddi]

Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE

They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.

I have two that I use in winter!

I still want a stone pig after hearing a British lady's explanation of it - basically a stoneware "pot" shaped like a pig that they poured hot water in, then corked.  It then radiated heat until the water was cool.

Oh, one of these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/362608419146

Edit: the image doesn't want to embed, so I've attached it instead.

[CG]

Are hot water bottles a thing in the US? Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GR88TRE

They are a great British tradition; my grandparents had them, and my parents, and we've got three in the house now. Historically they were made of rubber and after a decade or so would perish and you'd wake up with wet feet. These days they're a synthetic polymer and last forever.

I have two that I use in winter!

I still want a stone pig after hearing a British lady's explanation of it - basically a stoneware "pot" shaped like a pig that they poured hot water in, then corked.  It then radiated heat until the water was cool.

Oh, one of these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/362608419146

Edit: the image doesn't want to embed, so I've attached it instead.

Yup, 'cept she had one that was actually shaped like a pig with the legs, head, and tail!  And not £300 to ship it!

ETA: I think hers was larger, and actually designed to help heat a room, not just your feet or bed.

[Raptor]

How about these?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/823965293/antique-english-water-bottle?ref=sold_out_ad-1&plkey=4b1f72ee512cd2c2ee27bd1d0a3a4ee8fceaf86b%3A823965293

https://www.etsy.com/listing/753566599/antique-copper-foot-bed-warmer?ref=sold_out-8

https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/

[CG]

https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/

Those are kind of interesting, but a fireproof brick wrapped in a towel would be a lot cheaper. 

[Raptor]

https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/

Those are kind of interesting, but a fireproof brick wrapped in a towel would be a lot cheaper. 

Good point here are some ceramic fire bricks for $20.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200325974_200325974?cm_mmc=Bing-pla&utm_source=Bing_PLA&utm_medium=Heaters%20%26%20Stoves%20%2B%20Fireplaces%20%3E%20Wood%20Stoves&utm_campaign=US%20Stove%20Company&utm_content=173618&cmpid=53403385&agid=3200075897&tgtid=pla-4577473067240905&prdid=173618&gclsrc=ds

[superduder]

Alrighty, I live in Former air base housing.
All the apartments are uniform, from the layout, to the tile on the floors,
This is an itemized list (with links if I can find the item)
of how I have dealt with the power going out for up to 36hrs before (it snowed in Tucson a couple years ago and this happened.)
First things first..

1) Food/Cooking/Water
We usually have 3-4x 32 pack "cases" of bottled water from Sam's Club on hand.
We usually keep (on hand) 6 months of food (pasta, rice, canned foods, canned meats)
And one of the Coleman butane stoves, but bought one last fall that also has a propane hook up.

2) Sanitation
I have a "Blueberry Bucket" but it has to be emptied daily.
Luckily the power outage was localized and the sewers kept functioning, but just in case...

3) Temperature Concerns
We put up moving blankets over the hallway opening in the living room, and that cut us (4 kids 2 adults) down to about 350sqft.
A couple (3, walmart 1/2 in wick and a Dietz Jupiter 3/4 in wick) kerosene lanterns (not lamps, lanterns)
kept the living room/kitchen area at about 55-60 degrees.

4) Lighting
Like I said, kerosene lanterns, and Dollar tree touch lights that take AAA batteries.
And a single pedestal lamp in the living room.

5) Security
We live in (not the best part of) Tucson, we're pretty much always on medium alert.

6) Communication
If they weren't within earshot, I have some Motorola gmrs/frs handhelds.

As far as the fridge, and Entertainment, I did the "Steven Harris" battery bank in my car at the time (95 corolla)
and ran an extension cord into the apt through one of the living room windows (also covered with moving blankets.
I had a HF 1K/1.5K inverter in the car running from a Minn Kota 50amp trolling motor circuit breaker
so if there was a problem it would throw the breaker instead of frying the inverter.
The inverter ran my laptop for entertainment, and the fridge and chest freezer, and 1 pedestal lamp with a 5W led bulb.

Bucket toilet seat lid
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Zone-Brand-Bucket-Toilet/dp/B004KLY5CE/ref=sr_1_24?keywords=emergency+toilet+kit&qid=1648499836&sr=8-24

Gas One dual propane/butane stove
https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO

Moving Blankets
https://www.harborfreight.com/40-inch-x-72-inch-movers-blanket-47262.html

Kerosene lanterns
https://www.amazon.com/Stansport-Hurricane-High-Lantern-12-Inch/dp/B000K6FI7E/ref=sr_1_20?keywords=kerosene+lantern&qid=1648500032&sr=8-20

Dietz Jupiter
https://www.amazon.com/Dietz-2500-Jupiter-Lantern-Black/dp/B00MAFPNJG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1K5ROG4KJM239&keywords=dietz+jupiter+kerosene+lantern&qid=1648500243&sprefix=dietz+jupiter+kerosene+lantern%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1

"Pedestal" Floor lamp
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-71-Floor-Lamp-Black-made-of-Metal-with-a-Plastic-Shade/12173437?athbdg=L1600

5w led bulbs
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-LED-5-Watt-40W-Equivalent-Daylight-Color-Frosted-Light-Bulbs-4pk/503317791?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0

Touch lights
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Operated-Cabinets-Alkaline-Batteries/dp/B07TF4VMCR

HF inverter (or better)
https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-watt-continuous2000-watt-peak-modified-sine-wave-power-inverter-63522.html

Circuit breaker
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/minn-kota-circuit-breaker


The laptop, deep cycle batteries, and other stuff is easily enough found locally, or no longer available new, so no links.
J

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

How do I cut a roll of toilet paper in half? What does each half look like look like?

Gonna have to find you some pictures! Or do it myself and take a picture.
To cut, I've seen suggestions for using a band saw or a paper cutter, but I have done it with a large and (very) sharp knife.

I 'think' I've solved my sharing toilet paper if approached by neighbors. (if I'm off base tell me)

I have begun changing rolls when it's 4/5ths used, saving those small ones for requests if approached. And since it would be a time when I'm also supposed to not have enough to share 'that much' I will make sure my roll on the spindle is also that low for appearance, always working from a sequestered roll myself.

[Crosscut]

How do I cut a roll of toilet paper in half? What does each half look like look like?

Gonna have to find you some pictures! Or do it myself and take a picture.
To cut, I've seen suggestions for using a band saw or a paper cutter, but I have done it with a large and (very) sharp knife.

I 'think' I've solved my sharing toilet paper if approached by neighbors. (if I'm off base tell me)

I have begun changing rolls when it's 4/5ths used, saving those small ones for requests if approached. And since it would be a time when I'm also supposed to not have enough to share 'that much' I will make sure my roll on the spindle is also that low for appearance, always working from a sequestered roll myself.

Sounds like a good plan to me.  When we last filled some food buckets (from mostly 1-5 pound pasta, rice, and bean plastic bags) I saved some of the empty bags for this purpose, "sorry, but this half bag of rice is all I can spare".

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

When we last filled some food buckets (from mostly 1-5 pound pasta, rice, and bean plastic bags) I saved some of the empty bags for this purpose, "sorry, but this half bag of rice is all I can spare".

Ah hah! 💡 Don't know if I'd of ever come around to thinking of this before I 'needed' the cover story.

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

ack!!! There's more of this Weather Event for looks like a week. It's getting ready to be strainedpowergrid cold and all the dangerous, scary, deadly even, side effects to prepare for.

Must review this thread then pull to the ready the necessary or just handy items packed in this small urban apartment. And run through some possible scenarios and items needed to maybe reduce impact in worse case.
Electricity being a looming 'What if....." and all.

[Lambykins]

Living in a trailer now.
Since this in the North Country, there are certain strategies used to  keep warm in what is basically a metal box.
It snowed, so we *banked* the trailer, i.e., snow was shoveled around the base of the trailer to block wind/cold air from getting under the trailer. It really does help.
In my bedroom, when I make my bed, here's how I do it.
Mattress, then a warm blanket, then my fitted bottom sheet, then my top sheet, then my comforters and my quilt. I sleep toasty warm. That bottom blanket under the sheet makes a world of difference!
Also, I know a lot of folks eschew the top sheet these days, but in cold weather it really does help as well.