What to Do During a Power Outage

When a storm, heavy amounts of rain, snow, or fallen trees cause your home to lose power, what would you do? Treacherous forecasts and storm related damage can cause homes to lose power for hours, days, and sometimes even weeks. In this article you may find information to help you prepare, sustain, and recover from a power outage.

Prepare for a Power Outage

Preparing for a power outage before it happens will set you ahead in the event it occurs. Many individuals and families may wait to take the necessary steps until it happens, which can leave you and your family with inadequate resources and traveling in dangerous situations. The following non exhaustive list is some of the steps to take in preparation for a power outage.

• Stock up on Essentials

Stocking up on food, water, batteries, and other essentials before a storm is one of the most important steps to take before an outage. Having nonperishable foods, an adequate water supply, and batteries all on hand can save you aggravation and from going out in bad weather.

• Prepare Your Fridge

Prepare your fridge by taking advantage of appliance thermometers to monitor the temperatures inside. Guessing if your food has dropped below a certain temperature and/or if it is still safe to eat is a dangerous gamble. Also, moving food items that you plan to not use in the near future to the freezer can help to preserve them.

• Charge Your Devices

It’s hard to predict when you may lose power, but taking advantage of knowing about a forecasted storm ahead of time by charging your cell phone and other devices that you will need is recommended.

• Get Gas

Depending on the severity of the storm gas stations may be closed or out of commission, so filling your vehicle’s tank and getting the adequate amount for your generator is always recommended.

• Gather Equipment You May Need

Gathering equipment and supplies like flashlights, blankets, sleeping bags, first aid kits, batteries, lanterns, cleaning supplies, etc., is important to do before the power goes out. Looking for supplies when the lights go out is not only stressful but hard to do.

• Prepare Your Generator

Once again, taking the necessary steps before a storm will make your life and the situation of losing power that much easier. Maintaining your generator by changing the oil, filters, spark plugs, and determining if any other parts need to be repaired or replaced can help the transition. In the event of a loss in power, having an operable generator can be a tremendous benefit.  Doing what you can ahead of time to ease the transition between a power outage and getting your generator up and running makes a big difference.

• Do Laundry in Advance

While a typical power outage can result in minimal time without the use of your washer and dryer, when facing a more severe storm that could leave you in your home without power for days, or worse, you may want to do laundry ahead of time.

• Review Your Insurance

Another preemptive measure to take before the possibility of losing power or experiencing a severe storm is making sure you have adequate insurance to protect your home and your other assets such as your vehicle, ATV, RV, boat, etc. A power outage and the weather that typically comes with it can wreak havoc and cause damage to a variety of your belongings in a variety of different ways. Requesting an insurance quote through Cross Insurance is as simple as filling out our form. If you prefer to call someone to start the quoting process, you can find a list of our offices as well as phone numbers here. 

During a Power Outage

During a power outage, your main goal should be to stay safe and to do your best to make do with the supplies that you have gathered prior to the outage. The following are some suggestions on what to do during a power outage.

• Preserve Food

Do your best to keep both your refrigerator and freezer shut in an attempt to keep your food preserved throughout the duration of the power outage.

• Monitor Your Generator

It is recommended that you never run your generator inside your home or your garage as carbon monoxide levels will rise from the gases emitted during use. Using a gas stove or oven to help heat your home will also result in the harmful emission of carbon monoxide.

• Disconnect Electronics

Unplugging all of your appliances and electronics can help protect not only the appliances and electronics themselves but also the electrical system in your home from spiking or surging. Leaving these electronics plugged in can result in them being damaged or short circuiting when the power is later restored.

When the Power is Back

When the power to your home is eventually restored, this gives you the opportunity to plug back in your electronics and appliances. The next step is to go through your food inventory and throw out any suspicious items that look, smell, or feel unusual. Finally, begin to prepare once again. Storm season is typically a known time in whatever area you may live in, but the possibility of a fallen tree or branch, flash rainstorm, or other weather-related incident is unpredictable, so restocking your supplies and preparing for a power outage will help for in the future.

 

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.