By NANCY JANE KERN
THIS PAST SUMMER there were frequent power outages. No worry, it was warm, and the automatic generator was there. One night, the lights went out, several seconds passed waiting for the generator to start, and nothing happened. It was serviced and there was plenty of propane for it. Four hours later the power came back on after the camp lantern, extra batteries, extra flashlights, a battery-powered radio, and a book to read had been found. A cell phone was used to report the power outage to New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG). The phone could be charged from the car battery, and the car’s gas tank was kept full.
The next day the serviceman came and found that all the generator needed was a new battery.
NYSEG has a list of how to prepare for the loss of power which was a reminder to have backups to the backups. Our neighborhood had complained for years about losing power and finally a pole was replaced. Then, in October, the fiber optic line came through and it was discovered that a nearby power pole they needed to use had rotted off at the bottom and was wobbly in the hole drilled in the rock 70+ years ago. That old pole was replaced and got extra support. On a recent Saturday night the outside temperature was dropping, the house was cold, there was no hot water and no sound of the furnace running. The on-call service number for the oil company was called. They said it was $205 per hour on weekends, the “premium service contract” wouldn’t cover it and a man would come from Troy in an hour. A kind relative came and checked the basement and furnace and found the oil tank empty!
This is the first time this has happened in 18 years with this company and with an automated delivery schedule and usual usage. At this point the service tech would bring oil to last until Monday, and the only charge would be for the 20 gallons of fuel oil. An additive was used to break up the possible sludge in the bottom of the basement oil tank.
Part of the normal winter prep is a talk with the snowplow man. He was waiting for a part for his plow truck due to this fall’s auto strike and related manufacturing delays. For now there is a new hot water bottle on order, water can be heated on the old gas stove and the warm cat likes to snuggle when it’s cold.
