You’re sitting at home, watching a movie, maybe reading a book, generally enjoying yourself in your leisure time. Then, all of a sudden, you’re in darkness. The power’s out. It’s likely not your first time without power, so you probably have a solid idea what to do: get some candles, break out the flashlights, grab a blanket, and wait it out. But as a homeowner, what do you want to do to make sure your electrical system is in good shape (and safe) during and after a blackout?
What Causes Power Outages?
Before you know what steps to take during a power outage, it’s important to know what the underlying cause is. Everyone knows that weather events like storms and blizzards are key culprits in physically knocking down power lines and disrupting service. But what else causes power outages?
- Natural Causes Things like high winds, heavy snow, lightening strikes and the like are liable to knock down power lines and leave entire city blocks without electricity. Though not as common, it’s not unheard of for poles to decay and breakdown overtime with rot, causing them to fall.
- Human Error While we have no way to control the randomness of the weather, human error can and should be minimized to the best of everyone’s ability. A common cause of power outages is an errant excavator tearing an underground powerline they didn’t know about or a technician who cut corners on an installation.
- Overload We’re more plugged in than ever, and until the power grid evolves in such a way to exponentially increase it’s bandwidth, overload is still possible. Problems at one part of the grid can quickly spread to another, and figuring out where it all began can be time-consuming work.
What to Do When the Power Goes Out?
When the power cuts in your house, the first thing to do from an electrical standpoint is to determine the exact cause of the outage and if there’s anything you can do about it. Things like storms and other random acts of God, you may be out of luck. But you may have just blown a fuse in your home. The first thing to do when the power goes out is to confirm that it’s not just your home. A blown fuse is a very common electrical fix, and nothing to sweat too much. If you check your service panel and everything appears to be in order, you may need to wait it out. But there are still steps you can take to stay safe and smart when the power comes back on.
- Make sure your surge protectors are in working order The last thing you want is for the power to come back on and fall victim to a surge. That’s just silly. Make sure your surge protectors are on-task.
- Be aware of carbon monoxide threats Many homeowners have the foresight to install backup generators for just such occasions. For them, power outages will seem like nothing at all. But it’s important to remember that these devices, while handy, give off a lot of carbon monoxide. It should be in a well ventilated area (if not outside) away from where the family is. In extended power outages, some may think to heat their home with a gas stove. Do not do this, as it is the best way to fill your home with carbon monoxide.
- Prevent Power Overloads Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid power overloads or damage from power surges. If any circuit breakers have been tripped, call an electrician ASAP to get them fixed.
- Monitor Alerts In the event of widespread outages, the local government will take steps to notify you with further information and how long you can expect to be without power. Radio and phone are the most reliable methods if you lack any sort of backup.
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