Build your plan in this order: know the hazard, protect the house, then buy the gear. A four-person household needs 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least 3 days, which is 1 x 4 x 3 = 12 gallons, according to CDC guidance (CDC suggests a 2-week supply if you can, and Ready.gov says 1 gallon per person per day for several days), and that single number shows how much of preparedness is arithmetic rather than shopping. Everything below points to a Yard & Grid guide that works through one piece of the plan, and our method is on its own page. We research and compare; we do not run our own product trials.
Power Outages and Storms
Start here if your main fear is a blackout, a hurricane, or an ice storm. The power outage essentials guide is the buying list, and how to prepare for a power outage gives the order to do things in. The number to remember is food: CDC says a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours, and a full freezer for about 48 hours (about 24 hours if half full), so the fridge timeline decides when you move to coolers. For the first day, the first 24 hours checklist keeps you from making it worse. Storm-specific pages: hurricane gear, winter storm prep, and power outage alarms that text you when the grid drops while you are away, as long as your home internet stays up. If you plan to run a fuel-burning generator, read carbon monoxide safety during outages first: CPSC says generators belong outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the home and far from windows, doors, and vents, with the exhaust pointed away from buildings. Never run one in the home, basement, garage, or shed, keep working carbon monoxide alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and local rules. To size stations, generators, or whole-home batteries, start with our home backup power guide.
Freeze Protection and Heat
Cold-weather risk has two parts: pipes and people. For pipes, what temperature pipes freeze explains the commonly cited 20°F rule of thumb for exposed or poorly insulated runs, and how to keep pipes from freezing covers the order of fixes. If a pipe has already locked up, use the thawing guide. For people, Ready.gov treats a body temperature below 95°F as an emergency, so heat matters when the power is out. The money page is best heaters for power outages, and because many options burn fuel, the propane heater safety guide comes first if you are weighing one. Pair either with keeping a house warm without power and a freeze alarm that warns you before the pipes do.
Water, Leaks, and Humidity
This cluster covers the slow disasters: a failed sump pump, a hidden leak, a damp basement. EPA’s WaterSense program estimates that the average family can waste about 9,400 gallons a year from household leaks, which is why water leak detectors are the entry point, with placement advice for the water heater, washer, and sump area. If you want the water shut off automatically, see smart shut-off valves. Basement owners should read battery backup sump pumps, since a storm that takes the power out is also the storm that fills the pit. For moisture, EPA suggests keeping indoor humidity below 60% and ideally between 30 and 50%, and the basement humidity guide and dehumidifier sizing turn that into a purchase.
Emergency Gear and Safety Devices
Build the kit around the list on Ready.gov, then fill gaps. Best emergency kits for home is the money page, and the home emergency kit checklist is the free version if you would rather assemble your own. Water is the first line item: how much water to store does the household math, and storage containers and water filters cover the hardware. For information, a NOAA weather radio receives alerts on seven VHF frequencies from 162.400 to 162.550 MHz. For fire and gas, carbon monoxide detectors go on every level per CPSC and Ready.gov, and outside sleeping areas per CPSC, and what level of carbon monoxide is dangerous explains what the numbers on the display mean. Add a fire extinguisher and a plan for emergency lighting.
Start Here by Home Situation
| Your situation | Read first | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment, no generator allowed | How to Prepare for a Power Outage in an Apartment | Best UPS Battery Backups for Modem and Router |
| House with a basement and sump pump | Best Battery Backup Sump Pumps | What Humidity Level Is Ideal for a Basement? |
| Hurricane or coastal storm zone | Hurricane Preparedness Gear Checklist | How to Prepare Your House for a Hurricane |
| Cold climate with exposed plumbing | How to Keep Pipes From Freezing | Best Freeze Alarms for Homes |
| First kit, nothing bought yet | What Should Be in a Home Emergency Kit? | Best Emergency Kits for Home |
| Plan to run a generator | Carbon Monoxide Safety During Power Outages | Best Carbon Monoxide Detectors |
Two checks apply to every row. First, match the plan to what you can control: renters usually cannot run a generator or plumb a shut-off valve, but they can store water, charge batteries before a storm, and keep a battery-backed radio. Second, price the gap before you buy. If your kit holds 12 gallons for four people and your household is six, the shortfall is 1 x 6 x 3 = 18 gallons minus 12, so you need 6 more. Doing that sum first keeps you from buying a product to solve a problem you have already solved.
A Printable Order of Operations
Do these in order: (1) put 12 gallons of water in storage for four people, (2) install a carbon monoxide detector on every level and outside sleeping areas, (3) learn where the main water shut-off is, (4) pick a plan for food and heat that does not involve burning fuel indoors, (5) buy the rest by season. Re-check the kit once a year, as Ready.gov advises.
Changelog: October 2026: first published.
