Power outages can happen no matter where you are located in Canada. Fortunately, most are brief, but some last far longer. Twenty years have passed since a massive outage struck grids in Ontario, darkening Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Sudbury, Kitchener, London and Windsor for up to four days. Between increasingly violent weather and aging electrical infrastructure, every homeowner should prep for unexpected and inconvenient plunges into darkness.
“You never know how much you enjoy and expect electricity until you don’t have it,” says John Stoker, President of Paul Davis Restoration Central Nova Scotia, who notes that more than four in five power outages are due to weather. “Everyone, during outages, flips light switches unconsciously and is momentarily surprised when they don’t work. Electricity is that ubiquitous in our lives. Knowing what to plan for and do – long before, immediately before a storm and during an outage - lessens the pain and expense.”
Fun fact! Electricity travels at the speed of light.
Preparation steps to take at your leisure ahead of storm threats:
- Consider purchasing a generator. These systems are increasingly affordable and range from permanently installed models that power entire households to more compact mobile units that power essential appliances like refrigerators.
- If a generator isn’t possible, consider purchasing backup assistance for critical systems like sump pumps.
- Sign up for alerts from your power company. These services notify you of outages, estimated time of restoration and when the power returns.
Fun fact! Our brains use 20 watts of electricity daily, generated as sodium and potassium ions move across neural cell membranes.
Preparation steps to take when a storm threatens:
- Charge electronics – cell phones, radios, computers – fully.
- Station flashlights and candles in easily accessible locations.
- If using candles, ensure fire extinguishers are easily accessible.
- Unplug sensitive electronics. Power surges and dips, which can irreparably damage sensitive electronic innards, are common during storms.
Fun fact! When lightning strikes during a storm, the charge travels first from the cloud to the ground, but the part we see is the charge returning from the ground to the cloud.
What to do when the power goes out:
- Unplug appliances or turn the main breaker off to avoid power fluctuations as line work and restoration occurs.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers closed. If the power outage is extended, prepare perishable food on a gas stove or outdoor grill; share the bounty with neighbours. Unpowered refrigerators keep food at a safe temperature for about four hours. Full freezers stay cold for about two days without power while a half-full freezer maintains food safety for about 24 hours.
“Finally, connect with your neighbours until the outage resolves,” Stoker urges. “Sharing the pain and inconvenience with others helps us stay calm until the lights come back on.”