Power Outages: When Storms Affect Your Northern Virginia Residence

5/12/2021 (Permalink)

Being without power for a short or extended period can be a costly factor for some homeowners

Experiencing severe storms in Northern Virginia can lead to one of the most significant factors preventing residents from the task of recovering and assessing their property damage, which is power outages. Being without power for a short or extended period can be a costly factor for some homeowners. 

Knowing how to prepare for a power outage can help your family salvage more of your resources.

• Invest in flashlights, a battery-operated radio, and, of course, extra batteries. There are even lanterns used for camping that double as a phone charger. Remember to check your items occasionally to ensure they are all functioning properly and store them together for quick, easy access.

• Always have several bottles of water and a variety of snacks that do not require refrigeration.

• An easy-to-miss but crucial consideration: if you have medication that needs to be refrigerated, remember to ask your pharmacist for information on storing it during a power outage.

Tips for your family once the power is out:

• DO NOT open the refrigerator or freezer door if you can help it. Refrigerated food may stay cold (and safe for consumption) for up to 4 hours, while frozen food may last up to 48 hours if the freezer is densely packed (or 24 hours if it's not as full). For more on food safety in an emergency, visit the USDA website for guidelines.

• To avoid a power surge when the electricity returns, turn off computers, TVs, and other nonessential electronics. Be sure to leave a light on so you'll know when the power is restored.

• If someone has medical equipment that requires electricity, call for help or get them to a place where the power is working.

In the aftermath of a power outage due to harsh weather, practice extreme caution if you go outside to survey the damages after a storm. Remember that fallen trees or other wreckage can hide downed or hanging electrical wires. Always assume that a downed line is a live line and highly dangerous.

SERVPRO of Dale City/Lake Ridge and SERVPRO of Woodbridge/Lorton knows your family's welfare is your number one priority and wants everyone to be safe. Allow us to be there to help eliminate some of the burdens you're facing in the aftermath of any storm destruction inflicted upon your home.