Untreated gasoline turns to varnish in 90 days, and the carb clogs
The outage number you cannot look up once the internet drops.
Issue #066 Saturday, October 24, 2026 Off Grid Living
Gasoline left alone starts turning to varnish in about three months. The varnish ends up in the carburetor of the generator you were saving for the outage.
Today’s Skill
Date the can, rotate the fuel
Gasoline without stabilizer starts breaking down in a couple of months. The residue gums up carburetors on generators, chainsaws, and pumps. Add stabilizer at the pump, then write the fill date on masking tape and stick it to the can. Store cans nearly full to cut condensation. Keep them in a detached shed or a cool garage corner, off the floor, far from water heaters, furnaces, and any pilot light.
On The Radar
First cold front, first big draw
October brings the first hard cold fronts, and the first heavy heating load lands on equipment that has been idle since last winter. Wind still finds branches holding leaves, and those branches find power lines. Top off propane and fuel now, before delivery schedules back up. Write your utility outage number on paper, because you cannot search for it with the internet down. Charge your power banks this weekend.
The Drill
Start every engine you own today
Generator, chainsaw, pressure washer, mower. Let the generator run fifteen minutes with a lamp and a box fan plugged in so it carries real load. While it runs, open every fuel can, add stabilizer, and label each one with today’s date. Move any can sitting near a water heater, furnace, or dryer out of that room before you sit down.
Stay ready. Rise.
- Survival Rise
P.S. Tomorrow: the three things in your pantry that quietly go bad before spring.