Getting Ready Before a Storm: Your Pre-Storm Fridge and Freezer Checklist
Last verified: September 2026
Everything you need to get your fridge and freezer storm-ready before the power ever goes out — colder settings, frozen jugs, ice, and a tested generator. Rather have a hand? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Getting Ready Before a Storm, at a Glance
When a storm's in the forecast, a little prep the day before can double how long your food stays safe if the power does go out. Turning the fridge and freezer a notch colder, freezing a few water jugs, and having a cooler iced and ready are simple, free habits that pay off for hours. This guide covers what to do days ahead and what to do the day of, for town and rural homes alike. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 How far ahead should I start getting ready for a storm?
A day or two ahead is ideal. Water takes hours to freeze solid, and a generator needs time to fuel and test, so starting early means you'll actually finish the list.
2 Should I really turn the fridge and freezer colder before a storm?
Yes. Setting both a notch colder the day before gives you a deeper reserve of cold to draw on if the power goes out, and it costs nothing to try.
3 How many water jugs do I need to freeze?
Enough to fill the empty space in your freezer, plus a few extra for a cooler. A full freezer holds cold far longer than a half-empty one.
4 Do I need to test my generator before the storm arrives?
Yes. Fuel it, run it briefly, and check the cords a day or two ahead, so the first time it's asked to start isn't in the middle of an outage.
5 What if I don't have a generator or battery station?
Coolers, ice, and keeping the doors closed carry most households through most outages just fine — see our guide on a food-safety plan without backup power.
6 Is all this worth doing if the storm might not even knock out the power?
Yes — it costs almost nothing either way. The same hour of prep works whether the power stays on the whole time or goes out for two days.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Storm prep is one of my favorite kinds of calls, because there's still time to help before anything's actually at stake. I'll help you set up thermometers, plan a cooler, and get a generator or battery station sized and tested, with nothing to sell you. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).