Power outages are scary and inconvenient, especially when you have no idea why they have occurred or when they’re going to be fixed. Most of the time, you have no control over power cuts and you simply have to wait until the issue gets resolved.
Although there’s nothing that you can do about an issue with your main electrical supply, you can be proactive to keep your home well-lit and warm during power outages. Below, we have listed some of the best things that you can do when you’re experience a blackout at home.
What Causes Power Outages in Homes?
Before we cover the key steps to take in the middle of a power cut, let’s talk about some of the main reasons why they occur in the first place.
Common causes of power outages include:
- Natural disasters
- Power surges
- Issues with central electricity generators
- Poor installation of electrical wiring
- Damage to underground electrical cables and wires
Power outages generally only affect those who have a central supply of electricity. Buildings that rely on energy companies for their electricity are at the mercy of issues at any step of the electricity generation process. If a fault occurs in a main generator, a power line, an underground cable, or a circuit in their building itself, it can completely cut the electricity supply to the whole property.
10 Steps to Take in a Power Outage
Follow these 10 important steps to protect yourself and your home when the power supply cuts out:
- Switch off all of your plugs and unplug your electrical devices. When electrical suppliers are restoring the electricity supply to your property, it can cause power surges that can damage your devices if they are still plugged into sockets.
- Keep a single light on in your home so you know when the issue has been fixed.
- Light a candle or two for extra light but make sure to keep them away from flammable materials in your home.
- Turn your thermostat down to prevent damage to your HVAC system.
- Use a portable generator to keep your home or commercial property well-lit until the power supply is restored.
- Bring your solar lights inside to illuminate your home during the evenings and nights if the blackout continues over multiple days. Make sure to take them back outside in the sunlight during the day to recharge via solar energy.
- Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep them cool for as long as possible.
- Consume perishable foods before non-perishable foods to avoid them spoiling before you can eat them.
- Wear warm clothes to prevent yourself from getting too cold while you can’t turn your heating system on.
- Avoid using your oven for energy and heat, as this may cause the production of a poisonous molecule called carbon monoxide. Use a carbon monoxide monitor to check for the presence of this harmful gas.
