The modern world runs on electronics. Whether it’s using the television or the Internet to unwind after work or using a work laptop to do our jobs, electronics are fundamental parts of daily life.
When a power outage occurs, it throws everything off balance. All the usual tools you rely on suddenly become useless. When that happens, do you know how to protect your home?
In many cases, power outages happen as a result of storm damage. Usually, storms give you some time to prepare your home in the event of a power outage. So, in this article, discover five vital tips on what to do when preparing your house for a power outage.
1. Surge Protectors Help Protect Your Home
People often throw around the term power surge but don’t fully comprehend what it means. A power surge occurs when electricity stops flowing, then resumes flowing again.
If it resumes too suddenly and with too much charge, it can damage your electronics. In a worst-case scenario, it could cause a fire. A hairdryer, for instance, might short circuit. A high voltage TV could cause damage with a surge.
To prevent these issues, consider protecting your house with a surge protector. These items help to mitigate any damage that a surge could cause.
2. Unplug Your Devices
When a storm comes through, one of the best things you can do in protecting your home is to turn off and unplug your electronics. Don’t leave anything plugged in that doesn’t need to be.
Lighting can enter your home through your electronic wiring. By disconnecting these devices, you rob lightning of its entry point into your home. Furthermore, you help spare your devices any potential damage.
3. Preparing Your House With a Disaster Kit
Long before a storm or other threat arises, it’s wise to have a disaster kit together just in case something should happen. You should keep kits for each person in the household, including your pets.
These kits should include essentials, such as non-perishable food, bottled water, first aid supplies, batteries, cash, blankets, and a flashlight. You can add other items as necessary, such as inhalers or epi-pens.
4. Protect Your House From Flooding
If a storm arrives that knocks out power; there’s a good chance it’s bringing heavy rain with it. If this happens, basements often suffer flooding. To prevent flooding, invest in a sump pump with a battery backup system.
5. Prevent Freezing Pipes
Winter storm outages bring with them the chance of your pipes freezing and bursting. To ward this off, shut off your water and open your faucets so they can run dry. While you won’t need this for short outages, those lasting longer than a day may require these measures.
Take The First Step To Protect Your Home Today
These precautions should help to prevent the worst from happening to your home. To protect your home more fully, consider having your wiring inspected. Faulty wiring can lead to tremendous dangers in a power outage, such as violent power surges.
To update your wiring, contact experienced electricians today!