Winter Storm Power Outage: Keeping Heat Running Safely

Space heaters and furnace blowers draw significant continuous wattage — a furnace fan alone is often 600-800W, and a space heater can add 1,200-1,500W more. This load profile usually needs a full generator, not a small power station.

Never run a fuel-powered generator indoors, in a garage, or near a window or vent — carbon monoxide from a generator can be fatal within minutes even outdoors near an opening. Keep it well away from the house and downwind.

Dual-fuel and standby generators are common choices for winter storm backup, since propane doesn't gel in cold temperatures the way some gasoline blends can.