What to do with appliances

Mornin Cup of Tea. (P365-158)

Power outages can ruin appliances. (Photo Credits)

When unexpected power outages take place, homeowners are caught off-guard. More often than not they forget to unplug a certain appliance, or check on other fixtures to ensure their home safety once power is restored. Builders and Contractors   

The website Safe Electricity put up in its website, reminders on how homeowners should go about protecting their household during emergency and long-term power disruptions. According to the article, all appliances should be unplugged during a long-term outage to protect these household items from possible power surges.

“Unplug everything in your home. Turn off breakers or remove fuses. If there is an extended power outage, you may want to leave one lighting circuit on so you will know when the electricity comes back on. Winterize your water supply system completely. Be sure to disconnect the electrical supply to the water heater before draining. If the power is not off there can be damage to the elements in the heater. Drain the water system from the lowest possible point so there will be as little water as possible left in the pipes.”

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Take a look at the rest of their tips here.

Refrigerators and Freezers

The US Food and Drug Safety Administration or FDA meanwhile posted guidelines on what should be done to food-storage appliances during power interruptions. They emphasized that such outages have a big impact on food safety and so homeowners should be aware of the safety guidelines during emergency situations. Electricians  

“Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.”

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The whole guideline can be downloaded here.

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The Canadian government also shared precautionary measures homeowners should take to protect their appliances during power outages. The safety measures they discussed have been grouped into categories, one of which is what to do after the power has been restored.

“Switch on the main electric switch (before, check to ensure appliances, electric heaters, TVs, microwaves computers, etc. were unplugged to prevent damage from a power surge). Give the electrical system a chance to stabilize before reconnecting tools and appliances. Turn the heating-system thermostats up first, followed in a couple of minutes by reconnection of the fridge and freezer. Wait 10 to 15 minutes before reconnecting all other tools and appliances.”

Take a look at the rest of the advice here.

Protecting appliances from power surges that may ruin it should always be a priority during outages.

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