Winter storms in the Greater Charlotte area have been known to knock out power and leave homeowners stranded in their homes for days at a time, until local crews can get roads cleared and power back up and running. Being ready for a power outage, therefore, is an essential step homeowners should take to make the experience as pleasant as possible.
Here’s a list of some basic preparations homeowners should make for potential power outages:
- Keep at least one flashlight on hand, or ideally one for every family member, along with replacement batteries.
- Get a battery-operated radio so you can keep up with reports on weather, road conditions, and so forth. This should also have replacement batteries.
- Have a backup heating source in the form of a fireplace or wood-burning stove to provide warmth, and be sure keep wood in stock.
- Tightly seal your home. This step should be done regardless of whether or not a power outage occurs, but if you are without power, the last thing you want to happen when you’re trying to stay warm is to have air leaks in your home. So take the time to seal leaks with caulk.
- Insulate the water pipes in your home. You can use specially designed insulation for pipes, but if there’s an imminent storm ahead and you haven’t performed this action, you can do a quick insulating job by wrapping pipes with newspaper, sealed with plastic to keep moisture at bay.
- Locate your home’s water supply shut-off valve so you can turn that supply off during a storm.
- Keep reserve water on hand. If you don’t keep a supply of gallon water jugs already filled, a good alternative is to fill a clean bathtub with water, and fill any and all containers you can find with water. Remember that you’ll need some extra water for flushing the toilet.
Is your power outage toolbox filled with the appropriate materials? Take a few minutes and prep your home. For help with all of your home heating and cooling needs, contact the experts at Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical, serving the Greater Charlotte Area since 1972.