When the power goes out, you want to stay on (within reason) so that you don’t waste electricity. You won’t be able to use your appliances or light them up, but you can still use your computer and phone. In a worst-case scenario, if there is an outage for a long period of time, staying on will help the power company come back to restore service faster. If you follow these steps, it’s easy to stay on power during a blackout:
Don’t use your garage door opener if you have one. It’ll take a while to get your power back, and you don’t want to waste that time.
One of the biggest mistakes people make during a power outage is turning on their garage door opener when the lights are out. It’s a quick fix, but you don’t want to do it and then get stuck without power for a long period of time. You can avoid this by using an electrical outlet instead.
Turn off all the lights except for the one you want to keep on
This one is important, so pay attention. While you’re waiting for the power to come back on, you don’t want any lights on inside your house or outside. This includes your garage lights, your kitchen lights, and your lights outside. If you want to keep your garage lights on so you can see where your car is, that’s perfectly fine. Just turn them off when the lights go out.
Don’t turn your air conditioner or heat on without first being told
This is probably the most important step. After you turn off the power, head inside and make sure you have all your lights off, as well as any heaters or A/C. If you have no power and/or heat for a long period of time, you’re going to stay uncomfortable. Even if you have an air conditioner, it’s going to take time for it to warm up, and you don’t want to be inside with a chilly head in a couple of hours.
Make sure your water is turned off before going to bed
You don’t want to waste water while the power is out, so turn off your water while you’re sleeping. If you wake up to a cold shower, that’s not the end of the world. Just turn off the water while you’re asleep so the water isn’t running while you’re awake.
Stay in touch with anyone who might be able to help out during an outage
This may seem like a no-brainer, but people forget. Everyone is going to be out of their homes because of an outage. Even if you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have a power outage, you should still keep your house and yard lights on so you can be visible during an emergency. In case you do have a power problem, you should be accessible to help during an emergency. Whether it’s a neighbor offering to come over and use their light or a family member or friend watching your back, staying in touch will help you stay connected during an outage.
Don’t assume the outage is over just because it’s dark outside. Check again in a few hours
At first, you’re going to be really disoriented and unsure where you are. Once you get your bearings, you’ll start to realize how long an outage has been. The outage could be as little as three hours or as long as six. At that point, you should check back in with your neighbors to see if they also want the same information. In a worst-case scenario, you might want to call the city so they can put out a Waze-like message so other people can find their location.
Final thoughts
Even during an outage, it’s important to stay connected to the power grid. The longer you are without power, the harder it will be for the power company to come back and restore service. Keeping your house, garage, or other buildings connected to the grid will help avoid expensive and unnecessary repairs.
