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Home>The dos and don’ts when the power goes out at home

The dos and don’ts when the power goes out at home

  • emergency electricians in Melbourne

There is nothing more frustrating than an unexpected power outage, especially over the summer holidays. Just imagine no Wi-Fi, a hot and stuffy home without aircon, and food going off inside the freezer – no thanks!

Power outages may last for a day, or only a couple of minutes.

No matter how long it lasts however, there are certain things you need to do, as well as things that you must never do in order to stay safe during a blackout.

And our emergency electricians in Melbourne are here to explain what they are!

Causes of a power outage

A power outage doesn’t just happen without any reason – most unscheduled power interruptions can be chalked down to a couple of recurring issues…

Melbourne’s Wild Weather™

Storms, strong winds and lightning may often knock over electricity cables or damage infrastructure, knocking out electricity not just to your home, but to entire neighbourhoods.

As a Melbourne resident, you’re probably used to the image of fallen branches lying across roads and footpaths. You may even have had this exact issue affect you in the past. 

In such cases – that is, if the power outage is affecting multiple homes – you’ll need to leave the job to your power company.

Electrical failures

Sometimes, the weather has nothing to do with it – in some instances, faulty electrical fixtures may often cause electrical failure such as problems with:

  • Transformers
  • Switches
  • Connectors 
  • Cables

Just like the wiring and circuitry in your home, if not maintained properly, electrical equipment can cause a power outage. Since this is outside your home however, there isn’t much that can be done.

Appliance failure

Not all blackouts are the result of outside forces – sometimes, it’s an issue specifically with your home!

A problem with wiring or a faulty appliance can also cause a blackout. These issues may lead to power surges, which can be damaging (and not to mention, dangerous).

To prevent these, your electrical system features safety features that automatically cut off the flow of power, protecting your home and everyone in it.

Unfortunately, blackouts are a common side-effect of this.

One-offs aren’t major issues – if you have an ongoing history of blackouts that are localised entirely in your home however, it may be best to call an electrician to look at it for you.

Do’s and don’ts: what should you do if the power goes out at home?

Do: Prepare emergency supplies

Don’t worry, we aren’t talking about getting a generator or burying a year’s worth of canned beans in the backyard – rather, we’re talking about simple things you can to do prepare, like:

  • Making sure you have a torch and spare batteries on standby
  • Power banks and portable batteries for your devices

These are small things, but they can help you get through a prolonged blackout!

Do: be careful when using candles

Lighting candles may be the easiest and traditional solution for when the power goes out. 

Now, there’s nothing wrong with going old school – just make sure you do it safely.

That means setting them up away from:

  • Loose papers and pamphlets
  • Table cloths
  • Tissue boxes
  • Anything that could catch on fire easily

It’s also a good idea to use candle holders instead of just laying them on the table, as this offers more stability.

Don’t: Leave appliances plugged in

Once the power goes off, it is best not to leave any appliances plugged in – instead, try to turn everything off, especially the small ones as these appliances and devices often don’t have any inbuilt surge protection.

Doing so will protect your appliances from a sudden power surge, ensuring that you don’t have to replace them as well.

And while we’re on the topic of saving appliances…

emergency electricians in Melbourne

Do: Protect your computers and gadgets

While rare, these appliances are especially vulnerable to damage following an electrical blackout.

When the power goes off especially when you are working from home, it is best to unplug all your sensitive appliances – in particular, computers and gadgets along with any electronic equipment like UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply).

Don’t: Assume that everyone’s power is out

Many people assume that blackouts must be affecting the whole street, and thus delay taking the first steps to identifying the issue and finding a solution.

The first thing you should do is try to figure out who else is suffering from a power outage – and if the case is isolated, all bets are that it’s a problem within your own home!

Don’t: Open the fridge

The great thing about fridges is that they’re fully insulated – even when the power goes out, all the cold will still stay inside, keeping your food fresh for longer than you might think.

Of course, that’s assuming you don’t open it up unnecessarily!

If you want to reduce the chance that food will go off, make sure you keep your fringe shut.

Having said that however, this information is general advice only – it’s each individual’s discretion to determine whether food is safe to consume!  

Do: Call an emergency electrician in Melbourne

The best thing to do when there’s a power failure or blackout is to call an emergency electrician in Melbourne.

And that’s particularly important when the blackout is the result of an electrical issue in your home like a safety switch, faulty device or even a short circuit. 

Whatever reason there is for any power failure in your home, a Melbourne electrician can help you maximise safety and fix any hidden electrical problems that could unknowingly escalate.

A professional sparkie can identify the sources of these problems and more importantly, fix them for you, saving you from continuing blackouts.

Why call Briggs Electrical’s emergency electricians?

Your safety is our priority

Dealing with electricity is downright dangerous! A sudden power outage can be caused by a short circuit, an overloaded circuit and even a faulty appliance.

Our emergency electricians in Melbourne make sure any power failure is handled safely, and that your home is safe on the electrical front.

Get 24-hour emergency electrician service 

Blackouts can appear anytime in your home – and so too can our licensed electricians.

We work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Whenever you need us to swing by and fix something, you can be confident that we’ll be at your home or business.

And yes, that includes weekends, after-hours and public holidays!

With a service area that covers pretty much everything easy of the CBD, our emergency electrical team is ready to help you.

Comprehensive domestic and commercial electrical services

Power failure? No problem!

No matter how comprehensive your domestic and commercial electrical problems, our emergency electricians in Melbourne can work through a wide range of electrical emergencies.

And that goes beyond blackouts:

Power failure? You need an emergency electrician!

When a blackout – or any other electrical fault, for that matter – occurs, the last thing you want to do is waste time trying to find a sparkie to look after the problem for you.

That’s why you need to have a licensed emergency electrician in Melbourne saved to your phone – the moment something goes wrong, you can be calling for help instead of frantically scrolling Google.

Briggs Electrical offers fast and reliable electrical repairs in Melbourne, with comprehensive electrical services for your home or business.

Call us on 1300 300 222 or book a job online!