Winter blizzards and summer storms in Canton and Northeast Ohio areas tend to cause a power outage. A power outage may leave your family in a risky position. As you go through the extreme temperatures in the winter or summer, you are also likely to experience blackouts even though the local utilities tried their best to ensure stability. Here is what to do if there is a power outage.
Prepare
Before a power outage occurs, it is important to ensure that you are prepared to fight any challenge caused by electricity loss. For instance, you might have a flashlight, but do you know where it is in case of a power outage? Is the flashlight fully charged, and do you have some extra batteries? If you have candles as your backup strategy, do you know where they are? It is important to place these things strategically, in positions where you can easily find them even if your home is completely dark.
Assemble a Power Outage Kit
Having a power outage kit is an excellent way of ensuring that you’re prepared if an outage occurs. In this kit, you should have the following items:
- Spare flashlight
- Battery-operated radio
- Other new batteries
- Bottled water
- Ready-to-eat and non-perishable foods
- Blankets if it is during cold weather
Find Out Why the Power Is Out
If there was no planned rolling blackout and your lights suddenly went off, it could be an issue with your circuit breaker. Ensure you check whether the main electric panel is in good condition. If a breaker tripped, turn off one or more switches and then turn it back. Your power should get restored.
If the issue is not the breaker, check whether your neighbors’ power is also out. This is because there could be a blackout in a localized area. For instance, if a transformer has an issue, the homes served by that particular transformer might face a power outage.
Once you have confirmed it’s an outage, contact the utility company and report it. Give them time to work on the issue, and your lights will soon be back on.
Stay Connected
Extension phones or cordless phones that need a connection to the electric outlet may not work during a power outage. The only phones that will work efficiently are those that plug directly into the phone jack. A battery radio is also a good way of updating you with the things taking place. Ensure you have some extra batteries since you don’t know how long the outage will last for.
Turn Your Appliances Off
It’s always advisable to turn off all your electrical appliances. This is because the power may return with a surge, damaging your equipment such as laptops, televisions, and computers.
If you were using an iron or a stove burner when the power blackout occurred, the chances of forgetting to turn it off are high. If you’re away from your house when the power is restored, you might face serious safety dangers.
Also, leaving the appliances on may increase your energy bill. This is because when appliances restart abnormally, they use double the normal electricity amount.
Practice Generator Safety
You may opt to install a standby generator. In case of a power outage, the generator can be very useful. If you opt to have a backup generator in your home, contact our certified electricians, and they will install it for you. Avoid operating a generator from inside the garage, basement, or home. Also, if your generator is portable, do not connect it to your home’s electrical system. Instead, let the experts connect it to the appliances and devices directly.
Keep Your Family Safe
During a prolonged power outage, temperatures are likely to go high. This makes the home very uncomfortable, and it is dangerous for the elderly, infants, and those with medical conditions. Ensure that you have climate-controlled spaces where these people can stay until the power issue is resolved. While tempting, do not run extension cords to your neighbor’s property since that can result in a fire hazard.
Contact Professional Electricians
Power outages are not difficult to manage if you’re ready. At Beck Electric, Generators & Plumbing, we offer quality electrical services in Waynesburg, OH, to ensure that your home is comfortable. We install residential generators and commercial generators. We also have skilled electricians who can offer all the electrical services your home or commercial building might need. Feel free to contact us today if your home has an electric issue.
