What to Do in a Power Outage Emergency

The weather around Troy and the entire Capital District of New York State has been hitting some wild extremes lately, and no matter what time of the year it is, bad weather can lead to power outages.

At Family Danz Heating & Cooling, we want you to be prepared for any electricity emergency with just a few precautions and pointers. It’s not just a matter of personal comfort — the loss of power during the summer heat can lead to safety threats as well.

First, if your power goes out don’t just assume someone else has already reported it … find the nearest working telephone and give your utility company a call. If it’s a hot day, dress loosely in lightweight clothes and move to the coolest part of the house, like the basement. Unless you have a generator, you won’t be able to use your air conditioning or fan, so keep your shades drawn and windows closed during the heat of the day. Open the windows at night to allow for natural ventilation. Eat light meals and drink plenty of water, but avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Keep the doors to your refrigerator and freezer closed. Freezers can keep your food frozen for a day or two, but the refrigerator will only preserve your food without power for a few hours. If the outage is expected to last longer than that, pack your perishables in an ice-filled cooler. If you can’t chill your food items in a cooler, don’t take chances — throw out anything perishable that was in the refrigerator unprotected.

Turn off and unplug all major appliances and electronic equipment like computers, air conditioners, and televisions. Likely you‘ve already got them on a surge protector, but this will give you some extra safety from any surge when the power comes back on. But leave one noticeable light or a radio on somewhere in the house that will come back to life to let you know when power resumes.

Look at the positive opportunities: power outages are great times for cookouts, and the loss of power means less time spent with electric distractions. Or maybe you can all jump in the car for a shopping trip to the air-conditioned mall or go to the movies. Sounds like good quality family time!

At Family Danz, we‘ve been experts in keeping you comfortable in your home and office throughout the Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs, and Troy area  all year long for nearly 40 years. We’ve seen power outages at all times of the year, and want to help you stay safe and secure even in the toughest times. Give us a call any time for more helpful heating and cooling safety tips.

Family Danz Heating & Cooling is a full-service heating and air conditioning contractor, offering sales and service all through the Capital District of New York State. If you would like more information on any of our services, call us at 518-427-8685.