Storm season is here as we all well know, and I have been looking in the storm cellar here at home...Every year I know we need to have the kerosene lamps cleaned, purchase Kerosene oil, and make sure we have the cloth wicks you can purchase separately to place there to light the lamp..those need to be clean and able to burn..
CLEANING LAMPS--I wash the lamp glass top every year to prevent any contaminants before storm season...We have an antique Kerosene lamp from Great-Grandma and it is used in the cellar and at home for light when the electricity goes out, and when we have to stay in the dark storm cellar during tornados we just light this Kerosene lamp and wait for tornado alerts to pass by....
Change the Kerosene oil in your lamps every month, they will smell nasty if you just let the old oil set and you burn your lamp, fresh/clean Kerosene oil works best I think!...I pour the oil down into the bottom half of the lamp, slowly, so it will not overfill and make a mess!..Be careful with the kerosene oil it is hazardous, so Keep away from children and pets.....always clean up a mess you may make with the Kerosene..
Placing the cloth wick down into the lamp oil and then twisting it back up with the side roller and getting it through the holder just right can be a challenge!...
Lighting the kerosene lamps before placing the glass top back on is what we should all do right...Just light the cloth wick with lighters, or long-stemmed matches!....Always be careful lighting these in your home and storm cellar....NEVER leave them and forget they are burning, monitor them at all times they are burning!...DO NOT burn yourself...
DIFFERENT LAMPS---I have seen solar powered/charged lamps, and the LED lamps are also nice..i like them all!...I just already have there to use the old style Kerosene lamps...I appreciate the soft glow of lamps and candles....it is comforting....and an old way to have light when the electricity goes out....
CLEANING THE CELLAR---I know I need to clean my storm cellar today, it is always good to sweep it(use broom/dust pan), place the nastiness in a trash can/trash bag you take down with you, and wear a dust mask!...I get so many allergies when I clean the storm cellar!...You should always waterproof paint the interior of your cellar(any will do), a light color(so you can see better down there in the storm cellar), and seal any of the crevices in the floor or wall with a waterproof caulking, to prevent leaks.....let dry, I like to work on all this on a very dry, warm, day so the interior will dry....you should actually work on these repairs before storm season, but I am late working on this!...lol...been too busy! no time!
ABLE TO GET OUT OF CELLAR---this storm cellar we have has a kick-out screen and that way if a tree or something falls on your door you can climb up to the kick out screen and get out that way....just take a cell phone with you down into the storm cellar always, so you can call for Help if your cellar door is unable to open properly!....NEVER happened to me, I hope it won't ever do that!
PORTABLE WATER PUMP--so now I am working on the cellar repair/clean-up, and I know that I may probably have to take a portable water pump, and it will pull all of the water out of the cellar that may be leftover from recent rains..it is leaky....nasty water!...icky gross!...You attach the small water pump to a water hose and it will pull water out of your storm cellar, our portable cellar pump is old, you may find them at hardware stores...I suppose.
RID CELLAR OF PESTS---all kinds of pests are in the cellar---Scorpions, Black Widow spiders, Brown Recluse Spiders, Centipedes, bugs, watch out for snakes sometimes!...nasty gross!...
MOLDS/ALLERGIES--- grow in these storm cellars, allergies everywhere, that's why we need to clean this all to keep ourselves safe from the pest bites, and allergy/contaminants!...
PLASTIC TABLE / CHAIRS---you need plastic chairs and one plastic table for placing your lamps and weather radio on when you have to go to the storm cellar for tornado alerts....
TAKE PETS WITH YOU TO CELLAR---Making VERY sure you have your pets ready to go down into the storm cellar BEFORE the tornado gets to you is serious...they need to be contained in their pet taxis/portable cages and latched very good...they need to be placed in their containments cages/pet taxis and then place them on a table down in the cellar before a tornado gets to you...I have always made very sure I have my pets ready to go down into the cellar at least forty minutes before a tornado gets close to my home..watch the tv for the storm warnings and listen to your weather alert radio closely....when the storm has passed by just take your pets, family, friends back up to your home...You are safe now! ;)
this just helps to ease the stress of making it down to the cellar safely in time with your family/friends and pets!..i am always prepared...being prepared in advance is GOOD...and less stressful.
julie
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