Hurricane Milton Part 3

 PART 3

Arriving Home And Assessing the Aftermath

Oct 11, 2024 at 12:46pm  

I am back at home. We had some minimal roof and cage damage. Mostly tree limbs down across the area and not huge trees like with hurricane Ian. Several traffic signals out but not terrible.

Our power was on when we arrived yesterday at 6pm. Generator ran for 19 hours and did it's job. All food we stocked in fridge/freezer was good.

Generac whole house generator recommendation: Thumbs up - IF you can spare the $20k! For the normal short term outage that most experience - 2 to 5 hours - they work great. Just like in the commercials. Automatically powers up the entire house after a 2 second delay.

What the commercials don't show is the mandatory yearly maintenance cost. If you pay the local Generac dealer to perform it, it will run from $350 - $650 depending on the level of service you choose. The level is based on the quality of oil, spark plugs, and air filter.

However, for you shade tree mechanics like I was back in the day, you can easily do yourself. If you can change spark plugs, oil, oil filter, and air filter on a 1960's era car, you can do it on the generator. I bought a Generac brand service kit from Amazon for $75 and did it myself. I could probably get the individual components cheaper from the parts store, but I didn't want Generac bitching about the parts quality as is still under warranty.

Speaking of warranties, many fear doing the work yourself violates the warranty. Not true! Generac says you can DIY, but must update the maintenance schedule in the app to show it was done. Simple.

Now, for long term emergency/survival situations, I got an email from Generac that said to shut down the generator after 24 hours run time and check the oil level. There is a specific shut down procedure, but the oil check is just like for a car. Then you must restart using the reverse order. Not as complicated as it may sound. Simple!

Why the oil check? You shade tree mechanics will recall your hot rod started using oil when vales got out of adjustment. You had to keep adding oil until could do a valve job. Same thing here. After 24 hours continuous use, the valves may need adjusting. If it starts using oil and not replaced, it will auto shut off to prevent damage.

If oil is low, just add more till full again. Will need to do this every 24 hours of continuous use. However, after the emergency is over, it will need a valve adjustment in addition to the plugs, oil, and filters. Again, for all your hot rod mechanics, you can do this yourself. It the exact same procedure as on your old car.

It isn't complicated, but a real pain the ass to reach the back two valves. The Generac dealer will charge an additional $350-$400 for the valve job, so I will be doing myself, if needed. I haven't checked the oil level yet as we had power when we got back yesterday and the generator was already off. If I have to perform myself, it will probably involve a lot of cussin' and a couple of wrench throwing hissy fits, but I'll get it done. All the procedures are on You Tube if you need to see for yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJW_51a65sI

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH7BDaSr2sc

 Another factor to consider is Generac only warranties the generator for 5 years. They have a 10 year added warranty you can purchase. I got for free as part of a promotional deal.

So, for your $20k (give or take) you get a stand-by generator that will power your entire house......... for a while anyway!

You definitely need to check the oil every 24 hours minimum. The service maintenance after 24 hours and the valve adjustment after 36 hours of continuous use. If can't DIY, it gets expensive.  With the valve job, it will be $750-$1000 if you pay someone to do it for you. And I just did the annual maintenance in August, so now I will have to perform it again here in October thanks to Milton.

However, it DID keep our food from spoiling when we bugged out. I guess everyone will have to do their own cost-benefit analysis to see if it’s worth it.

Now, as to the solar "generator" (really a power bank that can be solar charged), I bought the Geneverse Home Power Two model. I added an additional solar panel and the splitter that allows charging in line, which is faster.

I did the research and supposed to be one of the better ones. I like it OK, with some caveats. First, must charge from the wall socket before needed. The good new is it retains a charge well. I charged to 100% when I purchased back in the summer and it still had 98% when I did my pre-hurricane check.

That charge should run your fridge/freezer for 2-3 days, plus maybe a minor appliance or two. The bad news is the solar recharge is verrry slow. And that is with two panels with the in-line splitter and FL sunshine. I would need to recharge every day, all day long, to keep charged.

Not that hard. Just put the panels out and plug the extension cord in. But would need to do every morning and re-position the panels every hour or so to keep in direct sunlight. And that is in FL - the sunshine state. For, more northern climates where the sun doesn't shine for days, I don't know.  All I can say is that solar charging doesn't work all that well here. I was disappointed in how slow it charged just using the sun. It does charge, but would have to charge all day, every day. And not run too many things. Just the fridge and maybe a few essentials from time to time as needed.

The good news is it needs no maintenance!

I don't have a portable gas generator, but I suspect not all gold there either. Aside from needing to store gasoline, they probably need some routine maintenance as well. And more of a pain to use unless hook up to a transfer switch. They are cheaper than a whole house or solar generator though.

That is it for generator 101. I'll be posting a list of lessons learned for Milton sometime soon. Stay tuned!



Oct 12, 2024 at 5:07pm  

We are still in clean up mode and dealing with insurance claims. When life gets more settled the wife and I are going to do an AAR. Then, I'll be able to post a more through Milton review.

The biggest thing, though, will be the "should I stay or should I go" decision point. All I can stay is it is not as easy as you would think watching on TV when it actually applies to you.


Oct 22, 2024 at 12:03pm   

The clean up mode is taking longer than I thought and the AAR is scheduled for tomorrow, but thought I would get started with lessons learned.

Before I get to #1, the general situation didn't first look as bad, but closer examination showed more damage. Our lanai cage (you probably don't know what that is unless from FL) will need to be completely replaced. I just thought a screen was ripped but the frame is bent. The roof showed more damage then first thought also. We are dealing with the insurance on these. More about that later.

The area around the beach sustained major damage which is no surprise. What makes it especially bad is coming less than 2 weeks after Helene which also damaged these areas. Business places and homes were just starting to get back to normal when Milton wiped them out again. Most do not have flood insurance (more about that in a moment also) and what they had saved to self-insure was spent on Helene. I don't know if many will ever come back.

Some homes will just be sold for the property value but owners will still be responsible for the clean up. Same for businesses. Many restaurants on the beach are completely filled with sand and were underwater. They would need to replace everything in side the 4 walls to reopen. After they dig out the mountain of sand.

FEMA trucks, utility trucks, etc. are still here. A big camp set up in a strip mall parking lot down the road. Portable trailers, kitchens, bathrooms. Not porta potties either. Serious stuff. And new. People are speculating who they are and why they are there. No govt logos, but a "private recovery company" one said. Hmmm!

Debris pick up is still an issue in older areas that had mature trees. The new build area look like nothing happened. A strange thing is the wind and salt spray turned all the oak leaves, and turned many pine trees and shrubs, brown. The air dried them out but we hope they come back.

With that general assessment lets get to some Lessons Learned:


*** 1. The "It can't happen here" syndrome.

Many, or most people never thought it would happen here. The area went decades with no big hurricanes. Then we had Ian in 2022, and in 2024, Debbie in Aug, Helene in Sept, and Milton in Oct. Each was a different storm with different results. I an and Milton forecasts were mostly wrong and we found ourselves suddenly in the cross hairs at the last minute.

Many here were still not prepared even after Ian. That was supposed to be our "1 in a 100" storm. It was not! Some still do not have generators or even storm shutters. Almost no one has flood insurance. Most did not understand the difference in a flood zone and a storm surge zone, although they do now.

The lesson learned is to realistically assess your risks (instead of living in denial) and prepare accordingly. Just because nothing happened for the last 75 years doesn't mean it won't tomorrow. We all know about the flooding in NC, but I've seen flooding in KY in the last several years in places that never flooded before. We seem to be in a cycle of events where the extraordinary is the norm today.

One big thing to check is insurance. Most people do not have flood insurance and if an unexpected flood damage occurs the normal homeowner policy won't cover it. And don't have to live in a flood zone to be flooded.

Also, photograph/video the home before anything happens and make a list of contents for insurance purposes. Some things like firearms and jewelry might require separate riders. Common sense but most don't do it.

*** 2. “Should I Stay, or Should I Go?”

This is THE biggest misconception I've found. It is MUCH harder to make the decision to evacuate than anyone realizes that has not been in that position. It is NOT easy to abandon one's home! Trust me!

Most will wait too long to decide and either be stuck in a huge traffic jam (and running out of gas), or will be forced to ride it out at home whether they want to or not due to deteriorating conditions. I can tell you that most of the people I know that were in a mandatory evacuation zone did not leave. They were lucky!  The storm lost strength from a CAT 5 to a CAT 3 at landfall. IMO, that was God's hand stilling the storm. If it has come ashore as a CAT 5 many of those people would have drown. The other factor was it was a fast moving storm and didn't have time to really push a lot of seawater on shore, or rain to cause flooding. Again, just a little different circumstances and it would have been body bag city.

I cannot provide an exact answer of exactly when to stay or leave. Too many factors and every situation will be different. I can provide some insights into evacuation, though. First, is leave early if you are going to do so. But few will.

Here is a general rule: By the time it becomes obvious you need to leave, it will already be too late. You will need to leave before the herd is out on the interstate and caught in a 50 miles traffic jam and running out of gas. If you wanted too long (and you will) it is better just to ride it out at home, or get to some type of local shelter, if possible. Leaving early is always better, if not easier.  People will laugh at you but you may get the last laugh.

Ask me how I know? Because it happened to me in Milton. Biggest evacuation order the west coast of FL ever experienced.  Some orders coming only hours before the storm arrived. Those that waited were frantically trying to find accommodations, or just had to ride it out.

We left at 10am Monday morning and traffic was already bad with lines at gas stations (keep your tank full). We had friends that left at 5am the same day and no traffic. We booked a hotel room Sunday morning and already rooms were scarce. Remember the hurricane arrived Wednesday evening ahead of the forecast time. Those that decided to leave Tuesday faced traffic jams and long gas lines. When some zones were evacuated late Tues/early Wed it was too late. Every hotel room in FL was already booked.

Check Lists. Have a check list for prepare the home to leave and another on what to bring with you. The reason is under SNS stress you won't think clearly. You forget important things. You do unimportant things. When have a checklist you just go down the checklist. Of course, every situation will be different. With hurricanes you get a little notice but still not a lot. I spent all day Sat/Sun putting stuff up on high and otherwise preparing the house. All per checklist. Same with preparing to leave. I had a checklist of what to bring and just went down the list.

Route Planning. One tip I learned was P.A.C.E. Stands for Primary/Alternate/Contingency/Emergency routes. These are rank ordered in terms of speed and efficiency. Primary routes will clog up first, so alternate and contingency routes may be better. In Milton, many here were heading north which was crazy because going right into the storm's projected path and every hotel room on I-75 from the GA border to Atlanta was booked. Ask me how I know!   

The reason SNS stress. The primary evacuation routes are I-75 and I-95 north so that is what people remembered under stress. We went south (opposite direction) and traffic was light once we left town. This would be an alternate route. I had topped off the tank on Saturday so no worries there and [passed up everyone lined up a gas stations along the way.

Some friends chose a contingency route being a two lane road running east-west. They also reported light traffic. An emergency route would be to the shelter. I had driven the route in June in my hurricane prep and had it programmed in my GPS, and well as on hard copy map. Alternate routes to the shelter are also advisable in case obvious routes are clogged or blocked.

Accommodations. I already mentioned having a reservation and getting it early. Can always cancel at no charge with 24 hours notice if not needed. Make that reservation early and have a location already in mind. Another lesson learned: hotel generators are not whole house generators. Even though they say they have a generator it may only be for emergency lighting. Don't necessarily expect the restaurant to be open and able to enjoy your TV, A/C, and wi-fi. Speaking of wi-fi, I have my pwn portable hot spot which is nice.

Communication/Navigation. Having a CB radio or scanner allows you to determine traffic delays and road conditions. One lesson learned for me was how valuable On-Star can be.  They provide emergency wi-fi even if didn't opt for the data plan. And the operator will provide direction on the best alternate routes, advise where gas can be found, and general emergency assistance. I upgraded to the primary plan after Milton.

I also have a non cell phone GPS in case cell towers are out. I have heard cell phone GPS will work without cell service but I didn't want to try it. Of course, GPS works off satellites and must be able to communicate with the satellite which it may not during stormy conditions. Emergency hard copy maps with PACE routes marked are always a good idea.

Of course, don't forget the recharge cord and a power bank or three to keep devises charged.


***3. Bugging Out

The first is be able to take "Fast, Decisive Action" (Jeff Anderson). Meaning have a bug out bag packed and ready. Store either in the vehicle or in garage where can just grab as you leave.

Bugging out has gotten a lot of bad press and rightly so. The only reasons to leave, IMO, is fire or water. If your home is going to be burned down, or under water, you don't want to be there. And, as I said, because you dallied in making the decision to leave, you will now not have time to pack. This is an emergency and  need to leave - like NOW!

I have two bug out bags packed just for the hurricane shelter which is a local school. Nothing there and you must bring everything you want/need. Including food and water. These are not hotels and a reason officials say it is a last resort. If one didn't leave early than a shelter is the only answer.

So evacuation and bugging out are two different things. One done early, the other a panicked emergency.