A power outage is the loss of the electrical power network supply to an end-user; it may be a short or longterm state of electric power loss. The blackout can be due to many reasons, and it can affect a single house, building or an entire city. Besides its duration depends on the cause and extent of the power failure in a particular area. Some of the power loss is caused by rain, sleet storms, strong breezes, heat waves, or a power breakdown due to technical issues. In such cases, it becomes pretty difficult to manage things since its dark and complicated around. As you face the major challenges during the power outages, there are some things you can do in order to counter them and make that time worthwhile despite having a loss of electrical supply. Therefore, you can take out some time to prepare yourself and your surroundings in advance in order to have less adverse effects of power failure. It is advised that you devise a family emergency plan so that each of your family members is aware of their role during the outage. Besides, you must arrange an emergency kit, so that you are well-prepared and self-sustaining during the crisis. Moreover, you should always have the contact number of a reliable Sydney electrician so that you can connect with them and ask for assistance in cases of emergency power breakdown.
If you think power outage is a challenging situation that requires a lot of preparation in order to be dealt with wisely, then don’t worry.
We have compiled a list of things to guide you on the ways of making your power failure circumstances easier to handle, so you know the risks already, get prepared and avoid fretting whenever there is a blackout.
Here are the necessary measures which need to be taken if you suffer from a power outage, so you can deal with it smartly!
GRAB THE LIGHTS
As soon as you dwell into the darkness due to a power failure, the first thing you must do is to get a hold of the light. Whether you have a flashlight, batteries, candles, or an emergency lamp, make it lit. This will help you see the situation clearly, and you won’t bump or hurt anyone due to the blackout. Lightening up the situation will also help you get a hold of your most necessary items, keep your kids near you, so they don’t get injured due to any collision in the dark, and it will help you grab your emergency kits to make the vital measures to assist yourself and your family during the time of crisis.
UNPLUG YOUR APPLIANCES
Subsequently, after you have gotten a clear view of the situation with a light in your hands, you can now disconnect your electronic items from the power supply that is no longer available. The appliances that you must unplug include PCs, charging laptops, gaming systems, cell phones, microwave, iron, refrigerator, and television, to name a few. Especially if your appliance has any sensitive electronic components, you must immediately unplug it to protect it from a power surge after an outage whenever the electricity supply resumes.
CONTACT THE POWER COMPANY
There are times when only your house has a power breakdown, whereas the others in our vicinity have a normal supply. This is the time you may feel confused as to what led to the cause of the outage in your house. In such circumstances, it is advised that you contact the power company. If you call them, they will give you the details regarding the power failure that includes the causes as well as the estimated restoration time. Moreover, you may check the powerhouse’s website in order to get the information regarding blackouts in your area.
GET A BACKUP POWER SOURCE
After you call the power company and acquire the details of the cause and approximate time of power return, you now need to take measures to restore the power temporarily in your house so you can function appropriately. For this, you require a backup power source, basically an independent source of electrical power that maintains the proper functioning of important electrical systems on the loss of power supply. These additional power sources for emergency purposes include an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), electricity generator, or a bank of batteries. These will keep you going until the power is restored. However, these substitutes provide only the amount of energy required for a particular appliance since they are small scale power generating machines. Moreover, it is important to notice that generators are only supposed to be operated outside the house since they release harmful fumes that have proved to be fatal.
USE SURGE PROTECTING POWERBAR
Powers outages can cause a spike in voltage which can damage your appliances, especially when the surge is high, mutilating the wires or even burning them. This often harms the electronic appliances in your house, due to the power on and off. The electronic devices are expensive items which include television, Pcs, refrigerators, iron, and microwave, to name a few. Therefore, it is very important to safeguard them from any short circuits or power surges. This can be prevented with the usage of a Surge Protector. Surge protectors identify the excess voltage and provide only suitable power to your appliances and transfer the excess to grounding wires. Thus, using surge protecting power bars is a prerequisite if you suffer from a power outage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several ways that you can adopt to deal with power outages. From getting your hands on the lights to acquiring a backup power source, there are so many convenient things you can do if you suffer from power breakdown. Power failure is a major critical situation that requires immediate action on the part of those who are suffering from it. It requires some preparations to get an understanding of the risks and consequences of the crisis a blackout creates.