Six Ways to Prepare for a Power Outage

 

So much of our daily lives depend on the use of electricity that we often take it for granted. When we lose power, it doesn’t take long for us to miss the conveniences we’re used to. Losing power can be more than losing Wi-Fi though – it can even be dangerous in certain situations. With storm season upon us, it’s important to be prepared. Here are a few things to keep in mind to prepare for a power outage.

1. Keep emergency supplies on hand.

Gather a box of emergency power outage supplies to keep on hand during a power outage. Items you might need include flashlights or lanterns with extra batteries, self-powered radios and non-perishable food and water.

2. Make sure you have means of communication.

Landline telephone are becoming obsolete, and many of us carry cellphones, but that doesn’t mean that our communication problems are solved, should the power go out. Cell phone batteries don’t last forever, so make sure you’d have a way to charge your cell phone, even without access to power at your home.

3. Make sure you can still heat or cool your home if necessary.

Depending on the time of year, not being able to heat or cool your home could mean dangerous living conditions. Make sure you have a way to make living conditions safe if the power would go out during extreme weather.

4. Make sure you still have access to water.

If your water is supplied by a well with an electric pump, be sure you have a secondary source of water. Even if you have city or county water, if the power is out for long enough, it could affect your water supply.

5. Make sure you can still power any necessary medical equipment.

If your or anyone living in your home depends on medical equipment that uses power to operate or charge batteries, make sure you have a backup plan for powering these items.

6. Consider installing a backup generator.

A backup generator is permanently installed outside your home and automatically generates power to the home during a power outage. Choosing to have a backup generator installed can give you the peace of mind that your home and family are safe when the power goes out.

Give Midwest Generator Solutions a call today to see how we can help you weather the next storm.