Equipping Your Home For Emergency Power Outages: What You Need To Do
Posted on: 6 September 2017
Power outages are quite common, no matter where you live. Storms can blow down power lines or cause trees and tree limbs to land on the lines. Accumulations of ice and snow can also freeze lines and cause them to snap.
Excessive use of energy city-wide in really large cities like L.A. or New York drain the power companies and cause rolling black-outs or brown-outs. What would happen if you were stuck in the dark for longer than three days? Equip your home for emergency power outages and you will never have to find out.
Install an Electric Transfer Switch
Electric transfer switches can switch your home's power source over from the main power line coming into the home to a generator. You can choose to flip the transfer switch on manually to save power, or have the electric transfer switch the house to the generator automatically. You can also ask your electrician to connect only certain rooms of the house over to the generator via the transfer switch. This last option also allows you to conserve power for just the main creature comforts such as heat, power to your stove and refrigerator, and air conditioning.
Install a Generator and Connect It to the Transfer Switch(es)
You could have more than one transfer switch connected to a generator too. Either way, you will need to install a generator in order to have the amount of electrical power you need in an emergency. When you have the electrician install the transfer switch(es), have him/her connect the generator to the switch(es) right away. You never know when your home is going to need instant power.
Stockpile Batteries, Flashlights, Push-Button Lights, Etc.
Until the generator kicks on for emergency power (which should not take more than a few seconds for an automatic transfer switch, and a few minutes for a manual switch), you will need temporary lighting. Stockpile batteries in a cool dry place with flashlights, push-button lights, and whatever else you can use to create light. It is helpful to have these items if you are not going to connect the entire house to the generator. Then the battery-operated light sources can be used to go to the bathroom, read in your darkened bedrooms, etc.
Keep a Fully Charged Emergency Phone in with Your Emergency Supplies
Keep a fully charged throwaway cellphone in with your emergency supplies. Keep it turned off so that the power is not wasted. Check it monthly to make sure it still has enough power to make a few calls. Then either charge it again, or turn it off and put it back. Keep the charging cord close, and a manual crank power outlet close so that you can recharge the phone when needed in an emergency.
Invest in a Hand-Crank-Powered Radio
Radios offer you the ability to hear how bad a storm is, and have something to listen to in the dark when you cannot watch TV. Regular reports on the storm keep you abreast of when the storm is expected to end. The music can be quite soothing at times too, especially when your nerves are a little frazzled.
Make sure you buy a radio that is powered by a hand crank. Buying a radio with an electrical cord is not going to help during a power outage emergency! If you have the hand-crank model, you can be certain that it will work when you need it to, so long as you or someone else in your house is able to crank it up. Also make sure that the radio gets really good reception, or you will have bought it just for white noise.
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