I’ve been thinking about getting a generator as part of my disaster preparation. I’ve also thought about the fact that gas would be in short supply, and we might have to drive a long distance to safety. I started looking up how to store gasoline long term. I’m concerned about things like vapors, and the possibility of spillage. I know there are additives to keep the gasoline stabilized for long term storage, so that part is easy.
I’m going to do more research, but in the meantime I’ve found an excellent way to store extra gasoline long term. There’s virtually no risk of spillage, no vapor issues, and no additives required.
Most families (and many singles) have more than one vehicle. We have a minivan to fit the whole family, and a car. In the event we’d need to evacuate our home, we’d only take the minivan. The solution is simple – always keep both vehicles topped off with gasoline! It’s the safest way to store 14 extra gallons of gasoline, and if we need to evacuate we can siphon it out of the car to take with us. In the meantime, it stays fresh (constantly cycled) and stored in the safest, most spillproof way.
I think a good plan would be to top off the tank once a week, or whenever you hit 3/4 tank. Try to shoot for the same day(s) of the week, to make it a convenient, regular habit. I’ll still have to buy containers, but they can stay empty until needed.
I welcome any thoughts on this idea. I didn’t read it anywhere, even though I’m sure it’s probably well-known to many. So if there’s a way to improve on this idea, please leave a comment.
Tags: gasoline storage, survival
July 20, 2009 at 11:54 am |
[...] previously tackled part of this problem in my post about long term gasoline storage, where I recommend keeping your vehicles’ gas tanks topped off so you always have gas to [...]