- What a Power Outage Means for Tiny Homes
- Backup Power Options for Tiny Homes
- Cooling and Comfort Without Grid Power
- Stocking Up for Extended Outages
- Staying Informed and Connected During Blackouts
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ready To Stay Powered and Cool During Summer Blackouts With Portable Power Stations?
Summer Blackouts in Tiny Homes: Staying Cool and Powered with Portable Power Stations
- What a Power Outage Means for Tiny Homes
- Backup Power Options for Tiny Homes
- Cooling and Comfort Without Grid Power
- Stocking Up for Extended Outages
- Staying Informed and Connected During Blackouts
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ready To Stay Powered and Cool During Summer Blackouts With Portable Power Stations?
A summer blackout is more than just an inconvenience; it can mean sweltering temperatures and discomfort for hours or even days. If you’re a tiny home dweller, losing power in the summer should be a serious concern. Because, in a limited space, the challenges of heat buildup and restricted ventilation are only exacerbated.
Portable power stations can be a practical solution that scales with your energy needs, allowing you to use backup power even when the grid fails during summer heatwaves.
What a Power Outage Means for Tiny Homes
A rolling blackout may not result in significant downtime for your tiny home, but extended outages can leave you uncomfortable and potentially put you at risk. The loss of electricity results in an immediate shutdown of the HVAC system, which is particularly hazardous in extreme heat. You may notice the heat increases faster than in a traditional home because of your tiny home’s poor thermal mass.
Without refrigeration, you face rapid food spoilage, and water pumps, lighting, and communication devices will also fail.
Tiny home living often means remote living, making it more challenging for you to access resources and support elsewhere. While others may be able to make a quick trip to a local home improvement store, you may find yourself stuck where you are without power, creating a sense of urgency.
Backup Power Options for Tiny Homes
Finding a backup power solution for your tiny home is crucial. You have a few options available: portable power stations, home solar systems, and traditional fuel generators. These can all make excellent energy reserves for times when the power gets cut, but portable power stations and solar generators uniquely align with the limitations and needs of tiny home owners.
A portable power station, such as the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus, is scalable, quiet, and emission-free, making it ideal for easy indoor operation. You’ll need to charge it prior to an outage, so remembering to do so when you have grid power is essential.
These work well for tiny homes because they have much lower energy demands than traditional homes, so you don’t need to spend a fortune on the initial investment while still meeting your needs.
If you’re worried about extended outages beyond the capacity of your PPS, a solar generator offers a resourceful way to recharge using the power of the sun. You can connect EcoFlow PPS to the appropriate solar panels and get indefinite runtime for peace of mind.
Fuel generators are reliable, but they require fuel storage, and that’s space that most tiny homes don’t have. They must also be used outdoors, produce toxic fumes, and are noisy when in operation.
PPS and solar generators require zero maintenance, zero fuel storage, and operate silently and safely indoors. To select the right size, calculate your essential load, including fans, refrigerators, lights, HVAC systems, and other devices, and ensure the output and capacity can meet all your needs.
Cooling and Comfort Without Grid Power
If you don’t have grid power and it’s hot out, you’ll quickly feel the impact. If your PPS can operate your HVAC unit or a fan, that’s one option to stay cool. Other options include portable AC units that have their own battery storage or battery-powered fans.
You can also take steps to minimize the heat coming into your home and getting trapped around your body. Use blackout curtains to limit light indoors and change into breathable clothing to prevent excessive sweating.
If the temperatures typically drop at night, consider cracking your windows to allow airflow in while the sun is gone.
Stocking Up for Extended Outages
Even in a tiny home, you should have critical emergency supplies on hand in the event of an extended outage, no matter the season. These include:
Water: A three-day supply of drinking water, accounting for one gallon per person per day.
Non-Perishable Food: Canned goods and a can opener, protein bars, dried fruit and meat, and nuts.
Medications: Full prescriptions, over-the-counter basics, first aid supplies, and any medical devices like CPAP machines or asthma nebulizers.
Backup Power: A fully charged power station with solar panels.
Clean Clothes: An extra change of clean clothes while laundry facilities are unavailable.
Hygiene: Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, toothbrush and toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, toiletries, and trash bags.
Lighting: Battery-powered lanterns, flashlights, and headlamps with fresh batteries.
Communication: A charged power bank, a hand-crank or battery-powered radio, and local emergency numbers written down.
Staying Informed and Connected During Blackouts
The best way to stay empowered during blackouts is to stay informed and connected. Sign up in advance for utility company outage alerts via text, email, or phone. Follow local authorities on social media, such as local news stations or utility providers.
Additionally, consider downloading community emergency apps for neighborhood updates and coordination of mutual aid efforts. Preserve your phone battery by using it only for emergencies and essential communication. Use a portable power station or power bank to recharge it as needed.
If cell service is down, use a battery-powered NOAA weather radio for emergency broadcasts and weather updates.
DELTA 3 Max Plus Portable Power Station
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Stay Cool When Power Goes Out in Summer?
Stay cool by using fans or portable AC units. Reduce heat and light in the house by using blackout curtains, change into lightweight and breathable clothing, and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Use cool showers, baths, or cold compresses to help cool down.
How To Sleep During a Power Outage in the Summer?
Use moisture-wicking sheets and a portable fan running on a PPS throughout the night. Try a cold water bottle under the sheets at the foot of the bed or even dampen a lightweight sheet for evaporative cooling. If the air cools at night, consider opening your windows slightly.
Ready To Stay Powered and Cool During Summer Blackouts With Portable Power Stations?
Summer blackouts don’t have to leave you suffering in your tiny home. Prepare strategically ahead of time to maintain your own comfort and safety regardless of how long the outage lasts.
Don’t live in sweltering heat; invest in the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus to backup your tiny home with enough power to cool down until your electricity is restored.