There is a blackout. Should you call an local electrician, or perhaps your electricity company?
In reality, if yours is the only house that is blacked out, then you probably need to check your breaker or call an electrician. Here is our advice on what to do when you are having a blackout at your home.
Checking for a Flipped Breaker
Your house has a circuit breaker somewhere. It may have flipped due to a power surge, or maybe a bad connection in your house.
They are supposed to stop people from getting electrocuted.
It may have flipped and turned off your power, so check it to see if the problem only exists in your house.
Don’t Open Your Fridge or Freezer
The cold air in your fridge will disappear very quickly if you open the fridge door.
Keep your fridge closed, and the cold air will last a lot longer and reduce spoilage.
The same is true, albeit to a lesser extent, with your freezer.
Food spoilage only becomes a problem if you have frequent and/or long blackouts.
If that is the case, you probably need to start setting up some redundancies like having your own generator.
Have an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for Your Computer
It is no fun having your computer pop off whenever there is a power cut.
You have no idea how much damage it does to your computer.
A UPS is a small battery that you plug your computer into.
It switches on whenever your power goes out, and it gives you a few minutes to close down your computer properly.
Flashlights and Candles
If there is a power cut at night, it is handy to have flashlights and candles.
However, you probably have a phone that has enough charge so that you may use its light.
If there is a power cut at night, use it as an excuse for an early night.
The power will probably be back by the morning unless it is a problem within just your house.
Is this a Localised Problem?
In other words, is it a problem in your house?
If it is a problem in your house, then contact an electrician like Coughran Electrical as soon as possible and find out what is causing the issue.
If it is a common problem in your area, then you need to start setting up redundancies to keep things like your fridge and freezer running, and maybe even an air conditioning system if blackouts are regular.
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