It can be quite alarming if the power suddenly goes out at your home and the property is plunged into darkness. In most cases the power cut is a temporary blip and normal service is resumed within a short space of time.
In some cases power supplies can be out for quite a while though and emergency measures are required such as backup generators from companies like Generator Power. If you face a blackout situation though, try not to panic, make these checks before you do anything else.
1.) Your fuses/circuit breaker
First port of call is to check the fuse box at your property. Has the circuit breaker tripped? Something as simple as a blown light bulb might have caused the problem. Reset the switch and see if the power is restored.
2.) Neighbouring properties
A good indication there’s a wider spread problem is to check the neighbouring properties on your street. If the power goes out at night and the whole street is plunged into darkness you know there’s a larger scale issue and the problem is widespread throughout area.
3.) Utility services
If it appears there’s a bigger problem in the area see if there’s an emergency helpline number you can ring for updates or information. Utility companies provide contact numbers for power outages, give them a call and see how long it’s likely to be until the electricity is working once more.
4.) Appliances
Were you using an electrical appliance the moment before the power went out? If the circuit breaker has tripped there could be a fault with one of your domestic appliances, you might want to see if any of them have stopped working and whether a fuse has blown in the plug.
5.) Cupboards
One other thing you’ll definitely want to check during a blackout is your ‘emergency’ cupboard. This is the place to store torches, candles and matches. Pay a visit to the cupboard. Dig out temporary lighting and make use of this until the mains power is restored. Hopefully this shouldn’t be too long.
Of course, if you are facing an extended problem and it looks like your home or business might be without electricity for quite some time we have a range of emergency solutions available at Generator Power.
