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Power outages occur when the electrical power is interrupted and inoperable. Power outages happen for a variety of reasons, from equipment failures to overloaded power grids to natural hazards like extreme weather. Outages can last for a few hours, days, or sometimes even longer. They often disrupt communications, transportation, and utility services in a community, impacting home heating and cooling, food and medicine storage (i.e., refrigeration), and more. Plan now to be prepared for power outages.

 

Before a power outage occurs, you should make every effort to be prepared. First, take an inventory of what you need that relies on electrical power, and get enough batteries and/or portable chargers/power banks for backup use. Make sure you have surge protectors for your household electronics, and flashlights for each family member as well. 

 

A vital thing to consider is the medical needs of your family. Plan for keeping necessary medical devices operational and refrigerated medicines fresh, getting specific guidance from your doctors regarding any medications that are critical for life. Also, make sure to have a stocked first aid kit ready for emergencies and keep extra cleaning products on hand.

 

Food storage is another concern during power outages. You should keep your refrigerator and freezer closed during the outage, to maintain the cold temperatures for as long as possible. If you have ice chests/coolers, have them ready in case your refrigerator/freezer fails and some things can be saved. Further, you should keep non-perishable food items to eat in case of food spoilage.

 

Making sure you have safe, potable water is important, too. When there is a power outage, it might also be out for the municipal water treatment center, so you may not have water for long. Stock up on water ahead of time; and if you expect to have a long outage, fill a bathtub in case you run out of bottled water. Relatedly, during cold weather, your heating could fail which could cause your pipes to freeze and burst. Turn on all your water faucets to cold and allow a slow drip to prevent frozen pipes.

 

Also, consider the effects of power outages on your home heating and cooling system. Power outages can seriously impact HVAC equipment. You should take some basic steps to protect your valuable HVAC system in the event of a power outage. If your HVAC won’t turn on after an outage, wait for the power to be restored and check to see if you need to restart it. Restart by first making sure the system has been turned off at the thermostat. Then, check your circuit breakers and reset any that were tripped by the power outage. After a few minutes, you can reset the thermostat for your HVAC system to your preferred temperature. You can always call a professional to help you with this process if you prefer.

 

A power outage can happen anywhere, at any time. Make sure you are prepared in case your electricity goes out for any reason. And keep contact information for your professional HVAC maintenance company at hand, in case you need your home heating and cooling system checked for damage or to have it reset after a power outage.

The Coolest LLC is a professional HVAC installation and maintenance company located in Austin, Texas. Specializing in installing and servicing heating and cooling systems in residential and commercial settings, The Coolest is committed to providing the best possible customer care. Contact The Coolest for more information and a free quote for services available from the experienced team of skilled HVAC technicians.