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A sudden loss of power in your home or neighborhood can leave you scrambling over what to do. To avoid panicking, plan ahead. Homeowners can prepare for storms, electrical issues, and other causes of outages to ensure everyone stays safe while the electricians restore power. Below are a few steps to take after losing power.

What to Do When You Lose Power

1. Find Your Emergency Bag

While a power outage isn’t always an immediate emergency, you still need to be prepared. You never know how long the power may be out, so create an emergency bag. This should include flashlights and candles, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, and a power cell to keep your smartphone charged. In case of long-term outages, include some nonperishable food items and bottled water. Also, purchase a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarm, so they will continue to work in an outage. Use the flashlight to navigate your house, and bring your family to a central location.

2. Check the Breaker Box

electrician-rm-electricalOnce everyone is safe, go to the breaker box. Check all of the fuses and see if circuits were tripped. If so, reset them. If the power doesn’t return, you’re likely dealing with a neighborhood-wide outage. Don’t attempt to alter the box without an electrician’s help. You may damage the wiring and create a shock or fire risk when the power returns.

3. Stick to Food Safety Guidelines

Do your best to keep the refrigerator and freezer closed so cool air stays in, and food stays fresh. After a 4-hour outage, refrigerated meat, most cheeses, eggs, dairy, cooked pasta and grains, and many vegetables should be discarded to avoid illness. Never taste food to see if it’s still fresh. Check with your physician or pharmacist about refrigerated medication. If you have ice and a cooler on hand, you can move food items for longer storage during extended outages.

 

Whether you’re experiencing an outage or need general electrical repairs, always work with the professionals. RM Electrical has served clients throughout St. Clair, Monroe, and Madison Counties in Illinois since 2008. They offer comprehensive repair and installation services. Their licensed and bonded electricians will troubleshoot the issue and take every step to prevent repeat problems. Call (618) 939-0422 to speak with an electrician, and visit their website to explore their services.

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