There’s no question that losing power in Maine in the winter can have big implications to your water and heating systems. At my house, for example, we have a lot of solar gain and heat with wood, so we’re never cold even when the power’s out. Our water supply is a different story, since the pump is electric. The pipes won’t freeze, which is good, but we don’t have drinking, washing or flushing water. A small generator that powers only the water pump might be our next investment.

Meanwhile, the University of Georgia has written a great article on how to shut down different water-based systems in the event that you’ve lost power and your heat source, and you’re worried your pipes in your water or heating system will freeze.

The Red Cross also has a great article on preventing and thawing frozen pipes.

You might consider printing out the articles as referencez, since you won’t have electricity to read it on the blog!