(BPT) - Winter is in full swing. It's a beautiful season, but as the temperature drops and the snow, ice and cold approach, there's always the possibility of a power outage. When it's cold outside and your home is plunged into darkness, it can be more than just an inconvenience. It can mean not being able to keep your family warm, to work if your power is out, even to get water if your pipes freeze.

The best way to get through a winter power outage? Be prepared. A little forethought can save a lot of headaches later. Here are some tips for handling a winter power outage from Anker SOLIX, the experts in whole-home backup power solutions.

Assemble an emergency kit. Make sure you have all the things on hand that your family needs to get through a power outage. You'll be home, so you've already got warm blankets and clothes covered. You'll also want several gallons of bottled water and food that doesn't have to be heated up like granola bars, fruit and nuts. Pop some new batteries into your flashlights before you need them, and get a weather radio if you don't already have one. Also think about getting solar chargers for your phones, some battery-powered candles and hand warmers.

Invest in backup power. When the lights and heat go out, you need backup. The Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station is an accessible whole-home power backup. It's the first power station to feature AC coupling and support home solar power cycling when paired with the Anker SOLIX Home Power Panel. Easy installation only takes a few hours by a professional electrician, and with a cost-effective price point, the F3800 is the most accessible home power solution available on the market.

The F3800 can provide back-up power for the entire home. It offers 6000W AC power output and 120V/240V dual voltage output, enabling it to simultaneously power high-energy devices. The AC output power can even be elevated up to 12,000W when two F3800s are combined. At the same time, it boasts a massive 3.84kWh internal battery for extended backup power. With its expandable form factor, users can customize their power storage needs with up to 53.76kWh when combining two F3800s and up to 12 additional batteries, providing up to a week of home backup power. You can also charge your EVs!

For a more compact solution, the Anker SOLIX C300 DC, is a new compact-but-mighty power station. It can power seven devices at once, a space heater and more for shorter periods of time. It recharges via solar energy, so you can power it up again and again. And it comes with a built-in light, which is handy during those dark nights when power goes out.

Make sure the pipes don't freeze. When the power goes out, open the cabinet doors under your kitchen and bathroom sinks and turn on the faucets, just a trickle. That will help ensure the pipes don't freeze in the cold.

Keep your refrigerator door closed. This will help keep the cold air in, preserving your food. General safety guidelines say your fridge will keep food cold for four hours during an outage. If the outage lasts longer than that, it's best to throw away things like dairy, meats, eggs and leftovers.

Don't be tempted to heat with your gas stove. This can cause a backup of carbon monoxide gas, which can be deadly.

Thinking about investing in backup power? Contact Anker SOLIX at https://www.anker.com/.