Part 1 – Thinking about what to do before the power goes out can eliminate a lot of aggravation and increase the comfort and safety of you and your family.
Unfortunately the loss of power is a reality for many people Power outages can last anywhere from an hour to weeks. The key to dealing with outages is to prepare beforehand.
Assessment and Inventory
The first order of business is to take a look at how you would be impacted in the event of a power outage.
Health
One of the tragic stories that came out when California started shutting power off in October-November 2019 was a man who died within a few short hours because his oxygen system didn’t work. Does anyone in the household depend on things such as chairlifts or power assisted chairs?
Climate
Of course, a power failure in a moderate climate will have far less impact than a failure in an extremely cold or hot climate.
Location
Your location will determine, to a large extent, what options you have for preparing. If you are in a condo, HOA rules may prohibit generators. You need to tailor your plans to your specific situation.
Pain points
Power failures can go far beyond just being a major annoyance. Take an inventory of your home to determine how a power failure of a couple of days would affect you
Imagine that the power is out. What will cause issues? With the increase of “Smart Homes” today, power loss can cause major problems if you are unprepared. There are stories of people who find themselves locked out because they don’t know how to override their smart locks. .
An elderly person who depends on a power assist chair might find themselves stuck in that chair during a power failure if there is no backup system
Do you have a sump pump? What will happen if you are without power for a week?
Is your hot water heated by electricity? If so, plan on some cold showers during an extended outage.
The next article, part 2, covers two critical aspects of planning: Heat and Light. .