Winter is coming, as the famous quote says. If you’re sitting in the sunshine right now sipping a mojito and wondering what all the fuss is about, lucky you! Others won’t aren’t so lucky, and winter is quickly approaching.
Why Are Winter Power Outages Worse?
Power outages happen, and it’s always a daunting task to keep your family safe and warm during these times.
So what do you need to do?
The first thing is to follow the experts and make sure you’re prepared with items like water, food, and emergency supplies. Then, you can help your whole family stay safe by taking some steps that’ll reduce your power outage risk.
By following these simple steps you can help to protect your home during a power outage.
Clear The Snow
If there’s snow on the ground, it will be much harder to reach your home. If that means shoveling with a 2 stage snow blower, do it. If you haven’t got the kit or the snowfall is quite light, take your broom and get rid of the snow.
Having a safe route into the house will make all the difference by reducing the risks and helping you and your family to stay warm and safe.
Make sure you clear your driveway and sidewalk if possible, too.
Check Your Fuses And Circuit Breakers
If you have a gas appliance like a water heater or furnace, it’s important to check your circuit breakers and fuses.
Check all of the breakers that supply that appliance with power, and make sure they’re not tripped. If they are tripped, check them for damage (punctured wires) and reset them if possible.
Inspect the Electrics
Make sure all electrics are clean and function properly, and make sure circuit breakers are reset if needed.
If you have extension cords in the house, make sure they’re tied together securely so nothing comes loose during an outage.
Avoid Excessive Running Of Appliances
If you have a gas or oil furnace, it’s important to avoid excessive running because that can lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide in the home.
As well as this, if you run your appliances during a power outage excessively, they may overheat which could cause a fire. Make sure you have them all turned off before leaving the house or going to bed if a storm is a forecast.
When An Outage Does Happen
Power outages are sadly quite common, and it’s likely that they will get worse throughout this winter thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact. Here are a few tips on how to deal with an outage in your home.
Shut Down Your Water Heater – If you have a gas or oil heating system, shut it off in the event of an outage.
Install A Surge Protector – Install a surge protector in your home.
Keep Items Handy (Flashlights, Candles) – Keep flashlights and candles handy and use flashlights in lieu of candles as much as possible to reduce the fire risk.
