Tips for Power Outage Safety: Before, During, and After
More severe weather events bring more frequent and more lengthy power outages. Accidents, earthquakes, and equipment problems also trigger blackouts. Fortunately, you can minimize the harmful effects by taking the right precautions.
Before the Outage
Prepare for power outages by gathering supplies that will help you stay safe and healthy. You can benefit from keeping flashlights, a radio, unexpired batteries, hand sanitizer and bottled water in a convenient place. Make sure that you always have some ready-to-eat food in your pantry.
Keep plenty of ice in your freezer at all times; you can use it to prevent food from spoiling quickly. A corded landline telephone might still work when cordless and cellular units fail. Consider investing in battery-powered fans, a manual can opener and a refrigerator thermometer.
During the Outage
Turn off any equipment that is running when an outage occurs. For example, it’s wise to switch off cooking appliances, hair dryers and space heaters. Unattended appliances sometimes spark fires when power is restored.
Open the refrigerator and freezer as little as possible. Try to eat refrigerated foods that don’t require cooking. They usually spoil sooner than frozen items, so it makes sense to consume them first.
Don’t try to heat your home by burning fuel or wood in equipment that lacks an outdoor exhaust vent. A gas cooktop may still work during power outages, but it could produce harmful amounts of carbon monoxide if you overuse it. Battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors can help protect you from these risks.
Consider going elsewhere when indoor temperatures reach dangerous levels. You could visit a cooling center, hotel, shopping mall or library that still has electricity.
After the Outage
When electrical power returns, remember to take a few steps to ensure safety and prepare for the next outage. Replenish your stockpile of blackout supplies. Thoroughly check your home for storm damage and call an electrical services, roofing, plumbing or siding professional if necessary.
When a blackout lasts no longer than four hours, you probably don’t need to throw away any food. Otherwise, some ingredients may be unsafe to eat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a helpful list of foods with advice on whether to keep or discard each item.
You can avoid many of these problems by purchasing a reliable generator from Divine Electric and Plumbing. Homeowners needn’t worry about spoiled food, extreme temperatures or inadequate lighting when they use this equipment. Our licensed technicians know how to evaluate your electrical needs and provide safe generator installation services.