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Power outage whether it's a thunderstorm, a heatwave, or only some curious animal or a bird. No matter who or what’s to blame, quickly bam! You don't have electricity anymore. And it’s dark. What are you gonna do now? Some things can make this situation even worse, so keep them in mind.
Power Outage
1. Don't touch your circuit breaker panel
Of course, you need to check it to make sure that the problem isn't limited to just your house. Look for any damage on the panel, just be careful and don't touch it, just in case. If the difficulty isn't the breaker, check the service wires leading to the house. If they’re on the ground or damaged, stay away from them and call your electric supply company. You can also call your neighbors and ask if their power is off too. However, if the whole street is dark, that’s a big clue.
2. Don't keep electronics plugged in
Unplugging electronic appliances, such as microwaves, computers, washing machines, and so on, will save them from any possible damage from an electrical surge when the power comes back. If you see a storm coming and think it might lead to a blackout, it's better to just go ahead and unplug your equipment to protect it. But leave one lamp plugged in and switched on just so you know when the power comes back on.
3. Don't open the fridge
When it is closed, the cold air will stay inside, preventing your food from spoiling. So open it only when it's necessary. A closed fridge can maintain the proper temperature for about 4 hours. As for the freezer, your food is safe there for up to two days. But if your freezer is half-empty this period is shorter. You can make it a habit of keeping a few bottles in the freezer. This way your freezer will stay cold longer and you'll have drinking water just in case severe weather conditions leave you without running water at home.
4. Don't use candles
Lighting them isn't the best choice since they don't give off much light. Yet the main problem is that candles can cause a fire. Burning candles is especially dangerous if you have kids or pets who could accidentally knock them down. It's better to put a few flashlights around the house. But don't forget to check them once in a while to make sure the batteries still work.
5. Don't forget about a CO2 detector.
If a power outage hits during cold seasons, you'll want to get warm somehow. Some crank up fireplaces and others use gas stoves for this purpose. But everything that burns produces carbon monoxide. To avoid the risk of being poisoned by this odorless, colorless gas, get a battery-powered CO2 detector.
6. Don't leave your car tank empty
During severe weather, you never know when you’ll have to leave your house because of an emergency evacuation. Besides, it might be the only heated space you'll have. But if your whole neighborhood doesn't have electricity, then gas stations probably won't be an option since they need the power to pump gas from their tanks to yours. That's how? It is important to keep the tank full before a storm hits. Also, you can keep filled gas cans in your garage.
7. Don't forget about security gates
If your neighborhood has subdivision security gates, you should be aware of the fact that many of them are powered by electricity. So, you won't be able to open them just by pressing a button. But many people have no idea how to open them manually. Contact the security office to find out. That way you can plan to leave your neighborhood easily if need be.
8. Don’t waste your phone’s battery
Playing games, listening to music, or checking social media on your cell phone seems like a good idea when the power is out since there’s nothing else to do. But it’s better to close all your apps and dim the backlight to save the battery. When there’s no way to charge the phone, you don’t want to be left without the option to make a call in an emergency. If you still can’t resist surfing the Internet, make sure you have a portable charger.
9. Don’t take a long shower
If you have a tank-style water heater then consider yourself lucky – you still have an opportunity to get clean during a blackout. Though you’ll have hot water in resources, its temperature will keep dropping. So if you want to take a shower do it as soon as possible. However, if the blackout is caused by a storm, then never take a shower till the storm ends. It is possible to get struck by lightning while in the shower. Which would be a shocking thing.
10. Don’t ignore traffic rules
If traffic lights stop working in your area because of a power failure, and you happen to be at the wheel, it doesn’t mean you can blow through intersections. Does any think that broken traffic lights serve as a four-way stop? However, they work the same way as a four-way yield. This means that if two cars come to an intersection on different roads at the same time, the driver of the car on the left should yield to the other vehicle.
11. Don’t forget about cash
Through a neighborhood-wide blackout, your credit cards will be pretty useless. That’s why it’s important to have some cash at home. You might need different supplies if you’re faced with a long-term blackout and the only way to pay for them will be in cash. Also, it’s better to have some cash with you in case of an emergency evacuation.
12. Don’t let your pipes get cold
If you’re left without heating during the winter months, there’s a possibility that your pipes might burst because the water inside them expands when it freezes. Usually, pipes are properly insulated in newer or recently updated houses. But if your house is rather old, look for uninsulated pipes in your basement, garage, or outside the building. If you find them, protect them with old blankets or towels. And keep a small stream of tap water running in your kitchen or bathroom to avoid freezing.
13. Don’t come close to pooling water
As I’ve already mentioned, many power outages are caused by storms. Sometimes you’ll even find a new lake right in your backyard, or any other place near your house. But be careful and stay away from pooling water, because it can hide not only fallen tree branches but also power lines. It’s sufficient to stay inside till authorized work crews clear the area safely.
14. Don’t grill indoors
When the power goes out, one of the biggest issues is cooking, since electric stoves are getting more and more popular. This is when bringing the grill inside to enjoy your favorite burgers or veggies during severe weather seems like a perfect solution. But it’hazardousus since gas and charcoal grills produce fumes that are harmful in poorly ventilated areas. Keep the grills outside.
15. Don’t keep a generator at home
If you have a gasoline-powered generator, then your possibility of feeling pretty comfortable during a blackout rises. However, it emits toxic carbon monoxide, so it should stay away from the house. However, keeping it in your garage is also a mistake. The garage is still a confined space and too close to your home, even if its door is open. To be safe from the fumes, the generator is at least 20 feet from your home in the open air.
Also, don’t forget to protect it from rain or snow using a tent or some other covering. OK, now you know what you shouldn’t do when the power goes out. But what about useful tips that can help you survive the blackout? Here is my list! Bust out board games. This is the best way to have fun if you have to stay at home without electricity. Do you know any other ways to entertain yourself during a power outage?
If the power outage caught you off guard, manage your car to charge your phone or any other mobile device. Cook the food you know might go bad soon without a properly working fridge. Have a dozen or so of these small solar-powered garden and sidewalk lights planted around the outside of your house.
Once the power goes off, you can pull them up and bring them inside to provide light at night, and return them outside to recharge them the next day! Keep a battery-powered radio at home. Cell phones might not last large enough during a long-term blackout. But with a radio, you’ll be able to get updates about local news and weather conditions.
If you live in a hot climate (or just have a particularly hot summer) a battery-powered fan will save you from the unbearable heat. It works best when placed in open windows to help circulate the air. If your main issue is to stay warm, then choose one room in the house where you’re going to use alternative heating and close off all the others. And wear several layers of clothes to preserve body temperature.
