Fuel is one of those things that we all use/need on a daily basis and, more than likely, take for granted that it will always be there when we need it. Aside from a major event it most likely will be, but with all the unrest in our world right now it would be fool hearted to take anything for granted.
How much fuel should you have on hand and what types of fuels? Well it would be great if we could all have a year's worth and I'm sure that seems unrealistic, but if you are wise and use conservatively and plan accordingly it really is quite realistic. Just start small like you would with your food and definitely diversify the types of fuels you have on hand and you will see it can be done. Not all fuels will store indefinitely, just like food, fuel also needs to be rotated and stored properly. In this post we will be giving an overview to help us get ready for the upcoming weeks where we will be focusing on cooking without power. We will delve into more specifics about each fuel type during those weeks.
1. WOOD- While most of us probably don't have wood burning fireplaces in our homes, it is still a good idea to have wood on hand. Get yourself a fire pit and use it there or, if necessity dictates, dig a deep enough hole in the ground to make a fire in. There are many different types of wood out there so how do you know which ones to have on hand. Well there are the woods from conifers (pine trees, firs, etc.) that are great to use for kindling because they start on fire quickly but will burn quick. Then there are the woods from deciduous trees (maple, oak, etc.) that don't ignite as quickly but burn longer and have higher BTUs so they produce more heat. Make sure you have both on hand to make it easier to get that fire going and keep it going. Be sure to store your wood up off the ground to keep it from absorbing moisture and keep some of the bugs out too. Try not to use freshly cut wood as it will have more moisture in it, put that on the bottom of the pile and let it cure for a few months. The dryer the wood the better it will burn.
2.CHARCOAL/COAL- Most of us have probably never actually used or seen coal, unless your parents or grandparents had an old coal stove, which my grandparents did. They even had an old coal bin in their basement by the stove and we loved to sit by the stove during the winter. But we've all probably used charcoal. Charcoal is one of those things that you probably only use during the summer when you are camping and doing dutch oven cooking, but it also works great in fire pits to make some hobo dinners. Charcoal and coal (unless you have a specific coal stove) should never be used indoors as it consumes a lot of oxygen and produces carbon monoxide. Make sure you also store some lighter fluid with the charcoal, even if the bag says it already has some on it, if you store it for a long time then you will still need the fluid to get them going. Also make sure to have some newspaper or other tinder to burn to help them get going.
3. CANISTER FUEL- The ones we are talking about aren't propane ones, but butane, alcohol, and the ones that most people use when backpacking. Each of these requires a stove that will need to be purchased separately. These are great alternative fuels to have on hand for cooking, not necessarily for heating. They will also need to be used in well ventilated areas as they also produce carbon monoxide.
4. LIGHT- Obviously we would like to see what we are doing in an emergency, it is a good idea to keep a few things on hand for such occasions. Batteries are the general standard to put in flashlights and what not, but who wants to always be changing them out. Alternatives include: candles, which can also be used to heat food in a pinch. Solar light/lanterns-these can charge during the day and be used for hours at night. 100 hr. candle-these candles have a wick inside of a bottle of liquid fuel and as the name implies can be used for up to 100 hrs. These are all really good things to store in your emergency kits. Don't forget matches or some sort of lighter as most fuel sources require something to ignite them.
1. WOOD- While most of us probably don't have wood burning fireplaces in our homes, it is still a good idea to have wood on hand. Get yourself a fire pit and use it there or, if necessity dictates, dig a deep enough hole in the ground to make a fire in. There are many different types of wood out there so how do you know which ones to have on hand. Well there are the woods from conifers (pine trees, firs, etc.) that are great to use for kindling because they start on fire quickly but will burn quick. Then there are the woods from deciduous trees (maple, oak, etc.) that don't ignite as quickly but burn longer and have higher BTUs so they produce more heat. Make sure you have both on hand to make it easier to get that fire going and keep it going. Be sure to store your wood up off the ground to keep it from absorbing moisture and keep some of the bugs out too. Try not to use freshly cut wood as it will have more moisture in it, put that on the bottom of the pile and let it cure for a few months. The dryer the wood the better it will burn.
2.CHARCOAL/COAL- Most of us have probably never actually used or seen coal, unless your parents or grandparents had an old coal stove, which my grandparents did. They even had an old coal bin in their basement by the stove and we loved to sit by the stove during the winter. But we've all probably used charcoal. Charcoal is one of those things that you probably only use during the summer when you are camping and doing dutch oven cooking, but it also works great in fire pits to make some hobo dinners. Charcoal and coal (unless you have a specific coal stove) should never be used indoors as it consumes a lot of oxygen and produces carbon monoxide. Make sure you also store some lighter fluid with the charcoal, even if the bag says it already has some on it, if you store it for a long time then you will still need the fluid to get them going. Also make sure to have some newspaper or other tinder to burn to help them get going.
3. CANISTER FUEL- The ones we are talking about aren't propane ones, but butane, alcohol, and the ones that most people use when backpacking. Each of these requires a stove that will need to be purchased separately. These are great alternative fuels to have on hand for cooking, not necessarily for heating. They will also need to be used in well ventilated areas as they also produce carbon monoxide.
4. LIGHT- Obviously we would like to see what we are doing in an emergency, it is a good idea to keep a few things on hand for such occasions. Batteries are the general standard to put in flashlights and what not, but who wants to always be changing them out. Alternatives include: candles, which can also be used to heat food in a pinch. Solar light/lanterns-these can charge during the day and be used for hours at night. 100 hr. candle-these candles have a wick inside of a bottle of liquid fuel and as the name implies can be used for up to 100 hrs. These are all really good things to store in your emergency kits. Don't forget matches or some sort of lighter as most fuel sources require something to ignite them.
As for the rest of the other common types of fuel (gas, propane,etc.) I did a little research to make sure how much you could legally store on your property. While I couldn't find anything specific for Farmington, I did find this PDF from Kaysville City Fire Dept. with some rules and regulations as to how much of each type you can store at your home. Flammable liquids (gas/white gas) is 25 gallons, combustible liquids (diesel/kersoene) is 25 gallons, and flammable gas (propane) is 5 gallons, which is the equivalent of about five 20lb tanks. This is more than a sufficient amount of all these if you are conservative in your use of it.
If you plan on running a generator, just remember that you shouldn't be running it constantly, only intermittently. On a full tank you can easily run it anywhere from 9-12 hours, depending on the size and type of generator you own. If you are wise and never let your vehicles gas tank get below half full then you will always have enough gas to get where you need or to siphon out if you really need it for other uses.
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