Americans have become so accustomed to a continuous, uninterrupted supply of electricity that we are usually unprepared when this supply is cut off by storms, weather, or other accidents.
When the power first goes off, don’t panic! Calmly check to see if your neighbors still have electricity. If they do, the problem could be inside your home. Check your main fuses or circuit breakers to see if they have blown or tripped. Replacing a fuse or resetting a circuit breaker may restore your electricity.
If you determine that the power failure has not been caused by a problem in the home, call your electric supplier. A repairperson will be dispatched as quickly as possible. Your supplier should also be able to tell you if it will be an extended outage.
Unplug appliances with electronic components, such as microwaves, televisions, and DVD players. This will help to eliminate damage to your appliances from voltage surges when the electricity is restored. Wait a few minutes before turning on these appliances when the electricity is restored. This will reduce demand on the power supplier’s electrical system.
If you use a standby generator, be sure it has been installed and wired properly. If improperly installed, a generator could cause dangerous conditions for the utility supplier’s employees working to restore the power. Your generator could be damaged when the power is restored if a double throw disconnect is not used and properly installed.
For more information on electrical safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.
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