Irrespective of where you reside, you must sometimes experience one to two yearly power outages on the average. In majority of instances, these outages are short-lived with power being restored within a couple of hours or less. As predicting how long any power outage could last may be impossible, follow these steps anytime the power in your neighborhood unexpectedly goes out –  and be prepared with the right know-how and tools like the best lineman pliers…

 

Report

Irrespective of when it occurred, how it occurred, or where it occurred, never approach any power line that is downed and has caused the outage. Just call your area’s emergency number to report it immediately.

 

Check with neighbors

Check with your immediate neighbors to verify routine outages. If you have no power and they do, then check your fuse/circuit box and replace any blown fuses or reset any breakers that might be tripped. Turn your electric devices or lights on to verify whether this move has corrected the problem. If it did not, report the outage to your utility company using their website or the phone number provided on your bill.

Unplug or turn off powered devices

To decrease immediate demand whenever power gets restored, turn off as many powered elements as possible including ceiling fans, furnaces, lights, air conditioners and heaters. Unplug electronic devices like computers, televisions and other appliances too. This is to prevent them from being damaged by a voltage surge when power is eventually restored.

 

Retrieve emergency kit

If you’ve actually planned ahead, you will certainly have a basic emergency electrical kit. Maybe you’ve bought the best lineman pliers online, a battery-operated radio at your neighborhood’s electrician shop, flashlight and so on, get the kit handy as you do not know what will be required when your utility company sends a representative to take a look at your issue.

 

Disconnect power to certain parts

If there’s any risk of flooding, you should ensure that you disconnect power to all electric devices and the basement sump pumps. Unless you are sure that power has been disconnected, you should never wade in any basement that is flooded after a power outage. Submerged electrical components put you at a very high risk of electrocution when primary power eventually gets restored.

 

Relocate within the house

You should relocate to any room that happens to be the most comfortable in the house. If the outage occurs in the summer, select the coolest room that has the best ventilation. If it’s during winter, go for the warmest room that has few windows, or a room that has a heat stove or fireplace.

 

In concluding, after taking all these steps, you should then check on your neighbors, specifically, the disabled, ill or elderly amongst them. This is because they are at much greater risk during a power outage. Then monitor your utility provider’s website or the local news to learn more concerning the situation. What you will learn from such monitoring includes the extensiveness of the outage and when your power is probably going to be restored. This will go a long way in helping you adjust your own plans accordingly. Such adjustments could include getting your best lineman pliers from your emergency electrician kit ready to be used when experts arrive to restore your power.