While it’s impossible to know when the lights will go out in your home, there are some steps you can take to prepare for power outages. A blackout can happen for many reasons. It may be weather-related, due to equipment failure, and sometimes even people or animals can cause a blackout.
Below are 5 tips to prepare yourself and your home for an electrical blackout.
1. Invest in a Quality Generator
Think about all the appliances that run on electricity in your home. From your fridge to your A/C unit, your home relies heavily on electricity. When the lights go out, you need a backup solution, and a quality generator is perhaps the best one out there. Some generators are even powerful enough to power your whole home. Backup Generac generators can be the difference between a night in the cold and dark and a well-prepared storm plan.
2. Stock Up on Water
If there’s no power, there’s no water running through your home. If you know a strong storm is on its way that could lead to a power outage, stock up on water. Fill up your bathtub with water. You can use this water for flushing the toilets and showering if necessary. You shouldn’t use this water for drinking or cleaning as it could be contaminated. Stop by the store and grab some drinking water. You could also use this water for cooking, brushing your teeth, or washing dishes.
3. Don’t Forget the First Aid Kit
Do you or anyone in your household have medical needs? If you want to prepare your home for blackout you want to be sure you have medication or necessary items for any health conditions or personal needs.
Your first aid kit should include:
- Bandaids
- Gauze
- Scissors
- Gloves
- Medical tape
- Tweezers
- Antiseptic wipes
- Antibiotic ointments
- A thermometer
- Anything else specific to your medical needs
If you already have a first aid kit, double check you’re not out of anything. If you are, be sure to replace whatever is missing or running out of as soon as possible to avoid adding unnecessary stress to an already stressful situation.
4. Prepare Home for Blackout and Make Your Food Last
Have nonperishable food and water stored in your home’s freezer or a large container. If anything needs to be refrigerated, avoid opening your refrigerator door as much as possible. Depending on how often cold air is released when opening the door, food can stay safe for up to 4 hours. In a freezer, they can last anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, depending on the freezer size. Place canned goods or any items that don’t need to be refrigerated in a large container. This will avoid the items being used unless there is a power outage. Ready-to-eat canned fruits, vegetables, cereal, peanut butter, non-perishable pasteurized milk, dried fruit, protein bars, and comfort food are just some items you could store.
5. Consider Other Forms of Light
Solar lights provide hours of low-level lighting, but you will have to remember to set them outside to recharge. Candles are another option that doesn’t require batteries but can be dangerous if left unattended or if you have little ones running around. Having window curtains open will also help bring light in throughout the day. Keep flashlights with good lifespan with packs of batteries stored in case the solar lights or candles don’t provide enough lighting. This is important as not having proper lighting can be a hazard. You also should only have the areas you’re in lit. This will save your batteries and candle life.
Final Thoughts
A power outage can feel stressful, but being prepared can take the majority of that stress away. Power outages can last for days or longer, which disrupts transportation, stores, banks, communications, water, and other services. Therefore, it’s important to prepare your home for blackout and to be safe and prepared for situations like these!
