Is your home ready for winter? How to be prepared for unexpected outages

(BPT) - When winter power outages hit, older adults face the highest risk. They rely on electricity to power their homes, including everything they need to help keep them safe, healthy and comfortable no matter what the weather is doing.

In fact, over 3 million Medicare beneficiaries rely on electricity-dependent medical and assistive equipment at home, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services emPOWER program. Cold temperatures hit older adults hardest. As people age, it can be harder for them to tell when they are dangerously cold, which may increase their risk for hypothermia.

The winter calls for extra planning. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects a very strong El Nino, which means wetter-than-average conditions will be most likely across the Southwest, the South and the East Coast. Americans are also spending more time without power: U.S. electricity customers averaged about 11 hours of interruptions in 2024, nearly double the average of the previous decade, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Families aren't waiting for the first storm. Jackery saw sold-out demand for its home backup solutions in late October and early November, as more households look for power that doesn't depend on the grid or the gas pump.

Before the holidays, take stock of what your household would need if the power stayed out. Water, food and electricity are the three essentials, and electricity is the easiest to overlook. Start with seven days, and consider building to 30. Here's how you can make sure that you, and the people you love, are covered all winter long.

Give the gift of power, warmth and self-reliance

One of the best additions to your holiday gift list this year is a home that can keep running on its own power, no matter what the weather or the grid dishes out. Jackery, the world's No. 1 solar generator brand by volume and revenue, according to Frost & Sullivan, offers ideas for lighter, easier-to-move solar-powered solutions to help give you and your loved ones peace of mind this winter.

A traditional generator runs on gas, and gas has averaged more than $4 a gallon this fall, according to AAA. That means trips to the pump and storage cans, often right when a storm is coming. It also has to stay outside. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns never to run a portable generator inside a home or garage, and reports that nearly 100 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning linked to portable generators.

Jackery's solar generator solutions work differently. There's no gas to buy, nothing to pour or pull-start and no exhaust, so they're quiet, fume-free and safe to use indoors. Frost & Sullivan recognized Jackery as the Most Trusted Safety-First Solar Generator Brand. Paired with solar panels, they recharge on free sunlight, even while the grid is down. That matters especially for older adults who may be living alone.

Here are some of the options to choose from that can help you and your family members be better prepared for an outage.

• HomePower 1000 v2 is about 23.4 pounds and comes with a convenient carry handle. This model offers 1024 Watt Hours (Wh) capacity and 1500W output, with 3kV surge protection to ensure that the power station and your devices remain unharmed during power spikes, lightning strikes or sudden restarts. And thanks to Jackery Priority Routing™ you can decide what stays powered: When the battery reaches your preset level, it automatically shuts down less critical devices and keeps essentials like your refrigerator, router, lights and other appliances running as long as possible.
  
  
• HomePower 2000 Plus v2 also comes with a carry handle for ease of use, and it weighs just 41.45 pounds. This unit has a 2048Wh capacity and 2400W output, expandable up to 12kWh. Smart Energy Management and Jackery Priority Routing™ seamlessly keeps essential circuits running during shortages, based on your priority. With 6,000+ LFP battery cycles, you'll enjoy peace of mind for years to come.
  
  
• HomePower 3600 Plus has built-in wheels and a pull handle to let you roll it wherever power is needed: indoors, outdoors or to your vehicle. You can keep your home running on its own even in extended outages thanks to its 3584Wh capacity and 3600W output; 7.2kWh when paired with a Battery Pack, expandable up to 21.6kWh. It's built to last up to 16 years and connects directly to a home's circuits through a Manual Transfer Switch. Best yet, there's no complicated setup: Just plug in, press start and your home is protected.

A single unit runs 120V appliances like refrigerators, portable AC units, coffee makers and more. You can also connect two units to power larger appliances such as well pumps and dryers with 240V output. At just 30dB, which is about as quiet as a library, the HomePower 3600 Plus runs in the background without disturbing your sleep or your household.

When the lights go out, the last thing you or your loved ones need is more to worry about. A prepared home doesn't wait for the grid to come back. If you're looking for a meaningful, practical present for the people you love this holiday season, visit Jackery.com.

This story was produced by Jackery and reviewed and distributed by Brandpoint.