Tips for Residential Customers

1. Lights

2. Heat sources

3. Communications

4. If the Lights Go Off

5. Turn Off you Appliances

6. Protect Your Plumbing

7. Stay Warm

8. Think Safety

9. Should You Get a Standby Generator?

1.  Lights

This may seem too obvious to bother about. Yes, of course you have a flashlight. But do you know where it is? Could you find it in the dark? Do you have extra batteries?

The dark can be scary for young children. Prepare them by playing a "lights-out" game to find the flashlight.

Keep candles and matches on hand. Remember, candles are romantic but potentially dangerous. Have solid, stable holders and be especially careful if there are children or pets around. Have a fire extinguisher (A-B-C type) on hand and know how to use it.

2.  Heat Sources

Most furnaces will not operate without power to run the fan. However, the pilot light will remain on, and the furnace will resume operation as soon as power is restored.

Most new gas fireplace models will function without power. Their fans won't work, but most throw off enough radiant heat to make a difference.

Outdoor barbecues, kerosene heaters and camping heaters should never be used indoors because they emit carbon monoxide and can cause asphyxiation. Similarly, your gas stove should not be used as a heat source. If operated for long periods without ventilation, it could produce harmful fumes.

If you have a properly-ventilated  wood-burning fireplace, make sure you have a supply of wood on hand. But remember that many fireplaces are not designed to burn at high temperatures for long periods and may be a safety hazard. Many traditional fireplaces can draw more heat out of the house than they supply. Energy-efficient fireplaces and stoves are a better bet.

3.  Communications

Cordless phones or extension phones that require connection to an electric outlet won't work during power outages. Models that plug directly into the phone jack will work.

A battery radio lets you keep up with the news from the outside world. Make sure you have extra batteries. You could also use your car radio in an emergency, but do not run a vehicle in an enclosed garage.

4.  If the Lights Go Off

If the lights go off, determine whether it's really a power outage or a problem with your own breaker. Reach for your flashlight and check your main electric panel. A quick inspection can help determine whether one or more breaker switches may be turned ‘off’. Simply moving any tripped switches to the ‘off’ position and then to the ‘on’ position can restore power.

If it's not a fuse or a breaker, check whether your neighbour’s power is also out. Remember that power can sometimes be lost in a localized area. Houses that are served by the same pole-mounted power transformer will be dark, while houses next door are fully lit.

If it is an outage, call ATCO Electric and report it. Sometimes it can be hard to get through because other customers are also reporting interruptions. Please be patient. It's likely we already know about the problem and are working to fix it.

5.  Turn Off Your Appliances

There are three reasons to turn off any appliances you were using when the power went out.

• Protecting your appliances: When power is restored, there is a risk that a surge of electrical energy that could damage sensitive equipment like computers, TVs or VCRs. Sensitive equipment and electronics should be unplugged during an outage and only plugged back in after power has been restored.
• Safety: Appliances such as ovens or irons which may have been ‘on’ when power was lost can sometimes be forgotten about during an outage and become a serious safety hazard.
• Helping ATCO Electric restore service: Re-starting appliances can take almost double the amount of energy than they normally use. Imagine the power demands placed on the electric system when every customer needs more power than they normally do --- all at the same time. When the power lines are re-energized, this demand can cause breakers to trip. It helps if you don't have all your appliances waiting to draw power the instant it is restored.

6.  Protect Your Plumbing

Water in pipes or toilet bowls may freeze during a long cold-weather power outage. Some points to consider:

• Your house will cool from the top down. This means that toilets and plumbing on upper floors are more vulnerable. If the outage is going to be a shorter one, leave a tap dripping slowly to keep water moving in the system.
• If you are advised it will be a long outage, consider turning off your main water tap. Open all taps and flush toilets to clear water out of the system, and put RV-type antifreeze in the toilet and sink traps. (Fill containers first with water for household use.)

7.  Stay Warm

If the outage is likely to be prolonged, and the weather is cold, prepare to stay warm as your house cools down.

• Gather family members in a room with a fireplace or other safe source of heat.
• Close blinds or drapes and avoid opening doors to keep heat from escaping.
• Dress like you dress for winter – in layers.
• Remember that wrapping a newborn in a cold blanket will actually make the baby colder, not warmer. Warm the blanket first.
• If the whole house cools down to match the outdoor temperature, your basement will becomes the warmest point. This is because it actually begins drawing heat from the subsoil.

8.  Think Safety

• You still need ventilation, especially if regular cold-air intake systems are not working. You may want to keep a window open slightly.

• Don’t run extension cords to the home of a neighbour who still has power because this may cause a fire due to overload.

9.  Should You Get a Standby Generator?

For information on standby or portable generation - click here