How ready are you for the next power outage? With causes ranging from thunderstorms to natural disasters to electrical grid issues, power outages are common around the country, and they go on far longer than you might think. If it happens to you, and it will eventually, you need to know what to do when the electricity goes out. When the power goes out, don’t panic. Simple steps can keep your home running smoothly with (hopefully) little disruption. Here are the immediate steps you should take:
- 1. Confirm the power is out. While this may seem obvious, check to make sure you didn’t just trip the breaker or burn out a light bulb. Check with your neighbors to confirm if their power is out too.
- 2. Report the outage. You can do this by calling or submitting a report online or in your company’s dedicated app. That way, the company is aware of the situation and can send crews to fix the outage.
- 3. Unplug appliances. Unplugging appliances from the electric supply saves your appliances from the voltage spike when the power comes back on. Power surges can damage your sensitive electronics as well, so take the time to unplug those too. Make sure the knobs on your oven and range are set to off. Leave one light on so that it’s obvious when the power comes back on.
- 4. Keep your refrigerator/freezer doors closed. Your food will stay coldest and safest if you keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed while the power is off. This will keep the cool air insulated inside for as long as possible.
- 5. Find a light source. If a power outage happens at night, you might have to locate flashlights and candles. While the flashlight on your phone is great, you’ll want to reserve phone battery for emergencies, so it’s not a good long-term solution. Your best bet is a battery-operated candle, which uses much less energy, and you won’t have to worry about an open flame.
- 6. Choose a warming room. If the power goes out in the winter, it’s much easier to keep one room warm than multiple rooms. Pick a “warming room” where you will spend your time until the power comes back on. The best room is the one that’s small and has the fewest windows. Have everyone in your household bunker down in this room, including pets. Keep the door closed so your body heat will help keep the room warm.
- 7. Protect your pipes. To prevent pipes from freezing, turn on all the cold water faucets in the house so they’re barely dripping. Just this little bit of water flowing can prevent pipes from freezing solid.
- 8. Cook outside. If the power goes out in the summer, using a gas stove will just heat up your home, especially if you use the oven. Cook outside on a grill instead to keep your home as cool as possible.
- 9. Keep your water supply safe. Power outages don’t just affect your home. Power outages at water treatment plants could make your water unsafe. Check with local authorities to see if a boil order is in effect. If you have a gas stove, bring water to a full rolling boil for one minute.
