Preparing for Winter Power Outages | Teems Electric

While our area may not regularly get the massive snowstorms that can cripple some parts of the country, we do get smaller snowfalls and significant ice storms that can wreak havoc.

Included in the troubles they can cause are power outages, which can be especially problematic if they become protracted in the middle of deeply cold weather. They can leave us cold, put us in the dark during the longest nights of the year, and generally cause a lot of issues that aren’t just inconvenient, they can actually be life-threatening.

To help you prepare for those challenging circumstances, we’ve created this list of things you can do right now to prevent major issues when the weather cuts your power:

  • Put flashlights, a battery-powered portable radio and batteries somewhere you can find them easily. If the power goes out in the night or stays out after dark, flashlights will help ensure you stay safe as you move about your home. The radio will help you stay informed of changing conditions in the world around you.

  • Keep heating fuel on hand. If you use a heating source that doesn’t rely on electricity, such as a gas furnace or a wood stove, or you have a usable fireplace, ensure you have plenty of fuel on hand to warm your home when the power is off.

  • Know where extra blankets, warm clothes and sleeping bags are. If you don’t have a heating source, you’ll want to be able to keep yourself warm using body heat and insulators. You’ll want to have scarves for covering your face and mittens (preferable) or gloves in case it gets very cold in your home.

  • Get data-logging refrigerator and freezer thermometers. To ensure you don’t consume food that’s been in a temperature range at which bacterial growth can occur, keep recording thermometers in refrigerators and freezers and check them when the power comes back on. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service defines the food temperature danger zone as readings between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Prepare your home for the cold. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and weatherizing your home is the prevention in this case. Caulk around windows and doors, address air leaks, cover cold windows with plastic or heavy curtains and insulate your pipes. You should also be sure you now where water cutoff valves are so you can stop the flow if a pipe bursts.

  • Get an alternate power source. A gas-powered generator is a great way to keep your whole home running in the event of a power outage, but that option isn’t available to everyone. Barring that, it’s a good idea to keep a battery pack, either a rechargeable one you keep powered up or one that uses batteries you keep stocked, that can enable you to charge mobile devices for emergency uses.

The experts at Teems can help you prepare your home for winter storms. Call us today for a free quote on any project you need done.