How to Keep Your Home Running During an Outage
Power outages can happen at any time, whether caused by thunderstorms, high winds, ice storms, heavy rain, heat waves or unexpected equipment failures. A simple backup power plan can help protect your home, prevent unnecessary damage, reduce stress and keep your family comfortable when the lights go out.
Finding the Right Backup Power Solution
There are several backup power options to consider.
A standby generator automatically starts during a power outage. It’s ideal for homeowners looking for a fully automatic solution, but it comes with higher installation and maintenance costs.
A portable generator is a cost-effective option for powering essential household items. It offers greater flexibility than a standby generator but requires safe operation, proper fuel storage and regular maintenance.
Battery backup systems are quiet, convenient and easy to operate. They’re well-suited for short outages and smaller electrical loads, although their capacity is limited.
Many newer vehicles can also provide backup power during an outage. Equipped with built-in power outlets or vehicle-to-load systems, they can run essential items such as a refrigerator, Wi-Fi router, phone chargers and, in some cases, even parts of a home’s heating system. For some households, this can be a practical and cost-effective alternative to a standby generator.
Prioritizing What Matters During an Outage
You don’t need to power your entire home during an outage. Identify the essentials: refrigerator and freezer, Wi-Fi modem and router, phone and laptop chargers, a few interior lights, garage door opener and sump pump. If your home has a basement, a sump pump is one of the most important items to keep running, as it can help prevent costly flooding and thousands of dollars in potential repairs.
A common mistake is assuming everything needs to operate at the same time. In reality, refrigerators cycle on and off, freezers can stay cold for hours if left closed, LED lights, Wi-Fi equipment and phone chargers use very little electricity, and furnace blowers typically consume much less power than many homeowners expect. Planning to rotate essential appliances rather than running everything simultaneously can significantly reduce the size and cost of the backup system you need.
Stocking Up on Small Supplies
With a clear understanding of your essential power needs, you can prepare more efficiently for an outage. Build a simple emergency kit and store it in an easily accessible location. Include essentials such as flashlights, spare batteries, headlamps, outdoor-rated extension cords, power bars and portable phone battery banks.
