During storm time, power outages can be common.  Power outages for short periods of time are generally not harmful to your home or family, it is when these outages occur for days or even weeks that you need to take extra care and caution.

Power Outages Tips during Storm Season

There are certain things that need to happen immediately after your power goes out:

• Keep freezers and refrigerators closed as long as possible to keep cool air inside.  The less you have to throw out later the better.
• Keep a power outage emergency kit that includes flashlights, candles, extra batteries, battery-operated radio, blankets, and a first aid kit.
• Make sure all appliances and light switches are in the off position, once the power comes back on you want to make sure there is no power surge and damage to appliances.
• This goes along with electronics as well.  Many electronics today come with surge protectors, if you want to play it safe plug your electronics into an outside surge protector so you can unplug them all at once in times of emergencies.

Power Outages and Emergency Plans

These are just a few things to remember when you have a short-term power outage.

In cases like hurricanes or tornadoes where the power was out for weeks for many residents, there are some extra steps that should be taken to help prepare yourself.

•  Unplug all appliances, even refrigerators, washers, dryers, and other large objects.  You will not need these if power is not available.
•  Make sure to keep your property clean of hanging branches and debris. If a storm hits with high wind, you want to make sure fires aren’t created from falling tree limbs on electrical wires.
•  Ensure any elderly family members or friends are close by or with you.
•  Dry canned goods should always be in storage for any emergency.  They are cheap and easy to keep in the home for long periods of time without spoiling.  You won’t be able to keep food fresh without power; soup, beans, cereal, crackers and anything else that doesn’t require refrigeration should be kept on standby.
• Landlines may be more reliable at this point.  Cell phone circuits may be overloaded or cell towers downed.  Landlines can be a lot more reliable if you need to contact an emergency crew or family members.
•  Keep a look out for basement floods and leaks, sub pumps won’t be working without electricity, you will need to have a plan on how to remove any water if you do happen to flood.
• -Keep plenty of blankets and dry clothes on higher shelves or attics.  If your home does flood, you need a backup set of dry clothing.
• STAY TOGETHER.  If you need to leave home travel in groups.
• Keep in mind any pets, and keep dry food with your emergency food kits as well.

Power outages should never be taken lightly.  Summer storms can bring an hour of darkness but larger storms such as hurricanes and tornados can bring weeks of blackness.

You should always be prepared against storm damage no matter where you live.  If you set up an emergency plan now you can rest assured you will be prepared in case of a storm.

If you experience damage to your home such as flooding, sewage backup, or water damage, call your local restoration company to ensure your home is restored as soon as possible.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.