What to Do During a Power Cut

Power cuts aren’t a regular occurrence but when they do happen it is always best to be prepared. Here we will look at what to do during a power cut to make sure you are comfortable and safe.

Types of power cuts

The most common household power cuts happen when an electrical appliance blows a fuse causing the circuit breaker panel or fuse box to trip off power to the house as a safety precaution. These types of power cuts are easily fixed by flipping the breaker switch back up on the main fuse box.

A fault with an area’s electric grid can cause a whole local network of houses electricity to fail. These particular types of power cuts are unable to be fixed by yourself and the only option is to wait until the issue is resolved by your energy provider.

In the event of a power cut you should check your fuse box to see if this is what has caused the loss of power; if not, go and check with a neighbour to see if anyone else in your area has been affected, meaning it is a power issue with your local grid network.

Being Prepared

It’s important to always be prepared for a power cut and the best way to do this is designate a drawer in your house to keep supplies to use in the event of a blackout.

Here are some items to make sure you have to hand in case a power cut does occur:

• A torch
• Batteries
• Contact details of your energy provider
• A watch or clock
• Cheap pay as you go mobile phone fully charged
• Portable radio (if you don’t already have one)

What To Do Next

Once you have established your power cut has been caused by a grid problem and can’t be fixed yourself, these are the necessary steps you should take.

First of all, go to your power cut safety supply and find the number to ring your energy provider. Many house phones today are powered by electric, that is why it’s important to always keep a spare phone charged in the event of a power cut. Once you are through to the emergency line they will be able to arrange someone to come out and fix the problem if they are not aware of it or let you know an expected duration for the power cut to be fixed.

Next go around and turn off all appliances and power sources, although it’s a good idea to leave one light switched on in the room you are in so you know when the power has come back on.

Safety During a Power Cut

It’s important to always take care during a power cut, so here are some general safety tips to make sure you don’t have any unnecessary accidents or become ill:

Fire Hazards

• It’s advised that during a blackout you should use a torch for lighting, however, if you want to use candles be cautious and don’t leave them on overnight.
• Be careful when using a portable or gas heater as these can be a fire hazard, don’t put them close to other objects and turn them off before you go to bed.
• If you have an electric oven or stove always turn it off at the switch so it doesn’t automatically turn back on when the power is restored.

Food

• Food in the freezer can last up to eight hours after a power cut as long as the door remains shut. If a power cut is ever longer than this then all food most be disposed of to prevent the risk of food poisoning. If this does happen you may be able to claim the cost of the food back on your insurance policy.
• Always eat the most perishable food first such as fruit, vegetables, bread and save longer shelf life foods for last.
• Be careful when heating water on the stove, always face the pan handle inwards and use caution when pouring.

Most power cuts only last a few hours but it is always best to be prepared in case there is a bigger issue with your local electricity supply. Following these tips should help you get through a power cut as easily as possible.