Storm & Power-Outage Backup for a Florida Home
If you're new to coastal Volusia, your first hurricane season is a wake-up call: the storm passes in a day, but the power can be out for three. After living here a while you learn the move is to be ready before the cone shows up, because the shelves are empty the second a storm has a name. Here's the backup gear I'd have on hand — from a simple battery for your phones up to enough power to ride out a multi-day outage with the fridge running.
Heads up: some links below are affiliate links — if you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only point to gear I'd actually tell a neighbor to buy.
Portable power stations — quiet, indoor-safe backup
A power station is a big battery you charge ahead of the storm. No fumes, no noise — run it inside to keep phones, a fan, CPAP, and the router going. This is where most homeowners should start.
- Jackery Explorer 1000 portable power station — the popular middle-ground — runs phones, fans, a CPAP, and small appliances for a day or two on a charge.
- EcoFlow DELTA 2 power station — fast-recharging and expandable — steps up to running a full-size fridge in short stretches.
- Jackery SolarSaga 100W solar panel — recharge the power station from the sun when the grid's down for days — the part people forget to buy.
Generators — when you need to run the whole house
For a multi-day outage with the AC or a big fridge, you need a real generator. Run it outside, well away from windows — carbon monoxide is the real danger here, not the storm.
- Westinghouse WGen9500DF dual-fuel generator — runs on gas or propane and powers most of a house through an outage — the workhorse choice for Florida.
- Champion 2500-watt inverter generator — quiet and light if you just need the essentials — fridge, fans, lights, and devices.
- Carbon monoxide alarm (battery) — non-negotiable if you run a generator — never start one in a garage or near an open window without one.
The essentials kit — light, air, and information
Whatever else you have, these are the small things that make a powerless Florida night bearable when it's 85 degrees inside.
- Rechargeable LED lanterns (2-pack) — brighter and safer than candles — charge them before the storm and they last for nights.
- Battery-powered clip fan — moving air is the difference between sleeping and not sleeping when the AC's off.
- Anker portable charger (high-capacity) — keeps phones alive for days — your lifeline for storm updates and reaching family.
- Midland emergency NOAA weather radio — hand-crank and solar — gets you real storm updates when cell towers and Wi-Fi are down.
Frequently asked questions
Power station or generator — which do I need in Florida?
Both serve different jobs. A power station is quiet, fume-free, and safe indoors — perfect for phones, fans, a CPAP, and the router. A generator is louder and runs outside only, but it's the only way to power a full fridge or AC through a multi-day outage. Many coastal homeowners keep a power station for convenience and a generator for the long outages.
Is it safe to run a generator during a hurricane?
Only outdoors, at least 20 feet from the house, never in a garage or near windows — carbon monoxide from generators kills people after storms every year. Always pair one with a battery CO alarm inside. Keep it dry and elevated, and never refuel it while it's running.
How much backup power do I actually need?
Add up what you truly need running at once. Phones, a couple of fans, lights, and a router might total a few hundred watts — a 1,000Wh power station covers that for a day-plus. A full-size refrigerator needs a generator. Start with your must-haves, not the whole house.
Keep going
- Moving to Volusia: first-week home essentials
- New Florida homeowner starter kit
- Coastal Florida humidity & mold defense
- Smart-home upgrades for a Florida home
- Florida lawn & yard starter kit
- Home staging on a budget: sell for more
- Hurricane prep checklist for your coastal Volusia home