4 Ways To Stay Safe When Your Power Goes Out During A Winter Storm
When the power goes out due to a winter storm and you are at home, the primary thing you need to be concerned about is your safety. Here are a few steps you can take to stay safe before and after a storm hits.
#1 Make Sure That Your Security System Is Still Working Before The Storm Hits
The first thing you need to do is make sure that your security system is still working. The best home alarm systems all have battery back-up systems that should kick in when your power goes out. If your system is not working, the first thing you should do is check the batteries. You may need to change them out in order for your system to start working again, which is why you should always keep back-up batteries on hand. Talk with a professional, like Atlas Alarm Corporation, for more information on maintaining your alarm systems.
#2 Make Sure That Your Home Is Secure Before And During The Storm
The second thing you need to do is make sure that your home is secure. Go around, and make sure that all of your doors are locked. Check the locks on all of your windows as well. Don't forget about your garage door and any outside doors leading into your home. When everything is locked and your security system is on, it will make your home a little more difficult to break into.
#3 Make Sure That You Can Stay Warm
The third thing you need to do is make sure that you can stay warm somehow. If you have a fireplace, now is a great time to start a fire. If you don't have a fireplace, pick one or two rooms to hang out in, and close the windows and doors to those rooms. Place wrapped up towels or blankets around the windows and doors to keep the cold draft out and to keep the heat in for as long as possible. Then, bundle up and put on additional layers of clothing and pile on the blankets.
Do not use a gas-powered heating method unless you have a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector that you can use with it to ensure that you don't get poisoned while staying warm. Additionally, you should only operate gas-powered heaters in open areas where there is minimal fire risks.
#4 Keep Your Food Cold
The fourth thing you need to do is make sure that the food in your fridge and freezer stays cold. You can contain the coldness and keep the temperature down by restricting the amount of time that you open your fridge and freezer, and the length of time you keep them open. Only open them when you absolutely need something, and grab it right away.
If power outages tend to last multiple days in your area, eat the food in your fridge before you move to the food in your pantry. Additionally, if it is consistently below freezing during the nighttime and daytime, you may want to consider moving the food inside of your fridge and freezer into an ice-chest and placing in the snow outside in order to keep your food safe.
During a winter power outage, the first thing you need to do is make sure that your security system is still in place and working to keep you safe. Then, you need to make sure that you are able to stay warm and nourished without leaving your home. During severe winter weather that produces power outages, you should stay off the road whenever possible, and stay safe inside of your home.