Although malfunctioning furnaces and other gas-powered appliances can also lead to carbon monoxide poisonings, no consumer product studied by the CPSC has caused more CO deaths than portable generators.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/generators-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-rcna9027
According to that story, a portable generator "can emit as much carbon monoxide as 450 cars, according to federal figures."
Sounds like maybe disruption of some gas lines as well or pumping equipment offline. Seems like the added use of generators would be offset in part by people who evacuated and aren't there to run stoves or water heaters.
They don't always make such things known. After Harvey for example there was a TX official who said there's no gas shortage - it's just a logistical problem. Not a helpful distinction.
@Sr0bi @Agatha @Bix
Posted by another naut--
After Ida hit, people bought generators. Then Francine hit and this happened :
“Ida came, and we were nearly two weeks without power and so we made the decision, but it was in excess of $20,000 to purchase and install," Cundiff said.
Several neighborhoods in Thibodaux, including Acadia Woods, were unable to run their whole house generator after Hurricane Francine made landfall due to the high demand of natural gas causing a drop in pressure.
We've discussed a whole house gen, but we'll probably wait until we move into our final house. The one we got was about $1,300 and will run what we need.
My approach is to use battery to avoid consuming the propane, (more true in winter but I guess at any time propane could become temporarily difficult to replenish). I wouldn't be without the generator but people need to be extra careful using one.
This is where it pays to have a window AC or two. That way you don't need the generator to power the entire house.
@Sr0bi @Bix Got the last portable AC at Lowes after Beryl (couple days of no power). Enough for our bedroom.
A window unit won't work because windows are vertical. As it was the opening was too tall and we used cardboard and duct tape to improvise.
No casement window AC at Lowes. I could order one but now have the portable.
Side note: I have casement windows where I made brackets to accommodate a standard window AC. But it's not something easily done at the last minute.
@Sr0bi @Bix What does that look like? We have a large fixed pane in the middle with sliding windows on either side. I don't think they open wide enough for a even as small standard window unit. But the windows are over five feet high as well. So there would be a large opening to fill somehow, too.
Damned open floor plan limits my options for other rooms.
@S_r_stone @Bix
Mine have just one moving pane that's open to 28" wide. Then I put a horizontal metal bar above the AC for support. The space on top could eventually be plexi-glass but right now has an opaque filler panel. I have also used a floor AC with a duct. They're flexible in terms of the window style they work with and don't take a lot of floor space but they do use some inside air unless you get the kind with twin ducts.
NG pressure in extreme cold can be an issue but in the TX storm, vast numbers of furnaces were idle. So I had no problem with enough natural gas to run my furnace using the genset to power the blower motor.
@Bix @Sr0bi
Our problem is heat. People die in the type of endless heat we have. Running to a cooling shelter wasn't an option.
We don't WANT to use the generator, and will use it minimally, but it's now a necessity in Texas.
We got a tri-fuel gen so we don't have to use gasoline. But during Beryl propane was very difficult to get. Eventually we'll hook it up to our natural gas line.