What to Do When Power Goes Out
Be Prepared for When the Power Goes Out
Do you know what to do when the power goes out? Do you have an emergency preparedness plan for a blackout?
Talk to our electricians if you emergency generator sales or service.
British Columbia is not only a coastal province but also a very mountainous one. That means weather patterns can change quickly and bring extreme weather conditions. Because of this, a power outage in Abbotsford and the Vancouver Lower Mainland is quite common.
A power failure can occur due to a wide range of natural causes, from heavy snowfall and high winds to excessive rain and flooding. Occasionally, there are accidents that damage poles and transformers causing a failure. In some cases, the outage may be local or a natural disaster could affect the grid of an entire region of the province.
In this post, Premium Electric has prepared some helpful tips and advice on what to do in a power outage.
1. Create An Emergency Preparedness Plan
This is something that should be done before an outage occurs. When the power goes out, it could be a short term outage or it could be out for a long time. It is important that everyone in your home is aware of the contingency plan. BC Hydro suggests that you prepare an emergency kit that will sustain you for up to 72 hours in the event of an outage. Find out more about how to create an emergency preparedness plan here. If you operate a business, BC Hydro also suggests that you prepare your business for an outage.
2. Who Do You Call if the Power Goes Out?
If you have a mobile phone you can view current outages on the BC Hydro website. Call the BC Hydro phone number at 1-800-224-9376 to report an outage. You can also text BC Hydro at *HYDRO (*49376).
3. Downed Power Line Safety
BC Hydro says, “If it’s down, it’s a danger. Stay back and dial 911.” They also recommend that you keep a safe distance from downed lines; a minimum of 10 meters or 33 feet. For more information, see our recent blog entitled, Downed Power Line Safety Tips.
4. Disconnect Devices and Use Surge Protectors
While you wait for the electricity to be restored, disconnect your appliances and other electrical devices to avoid a surge once the power is restored. Our Abbotsford electricians recommend that you use surge protection devices for sensitive electronic devices.
How to Heat A House When the Power Goes Out
If it is a local outage, BC Hydro will send out a lineman to repair the problem fairly quickly. If a larger, regional outage occurs, be prepared to wait up to 72 hours or more before your electricity is restored. If you live in a rural area, you may also want to consider getting a backup generator to heat your home.
Check out this article if you are unsure whether you need a portable or a whole-house generator.
About Premium Electric
Along with residential and commercial electrical services, our Abbotsford electricians at Premium Electric also offer 24-hour emergency electrical services.
Premium Electric’s service areas include all communities within the Fraser Valley and the Vancouver area.
If you need a certified electrician in Chilliwack, Mission, Abbotsford, Surrey, Langley, or and Poco/ Coquitlam please give us a call.
Call Premium Electric at 1-604-308-6195, send us an email, or contact us online if you require electrical services for your home or business.
