How to Prepare for a Power Outage at Home

Power outages can strike without warning, leaving you in the dark and disconnected. Proper preparation ahead of time is essential to ensure your safety, comfort, and access to critical appliances during blackouts. 

We’ll explore practical steps to prepare your home for outages, manage the situation safely during a blackout, and what to do afterwards. Whether it’s a short disruption or a prolonged blackout, you’ll be ready with the right tools and knowledge.

Preparing for a Power Outage at Home

Preparing for a blackout before it happens is essential to stay safe and connected. 

Before an Outage

• Keep torches fully charged if rechargeable, or make sure you have spare batteries kept with them.
• Make sure your phone is fully charged so you can stay connected. 
• Purchase a backup power source to keep essential appliances and devices running, like your medical equipment and refrigerator. Food generally only stays safe for about four hours before it starts to spoil and risk making your family sick. A backup supply also keeps you connected so you can check for updates. The EcoFlow DELTA Series Portable Power Stations are available in many sizes with expandable capacities to supply the smallest to the largest homes. If you have to deal with extended outages, choosing one like the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max + 400W Solar Panel is a good idea since you can recharge it using solar energy during the day and have energy again the next night. 
• Have dry snacks and water ready if you cannot cook and your household water supply needs electricity. Always have 3 days of backup supplies on hand. 
• Have blankets and warm clothes ready and accessible to stay warm during the winter months. Also, close all the doors and curtains and have everyone stay in a room you heat with your backup energy supply. 
• Have a first aid kit that is easily accessible so that in case of an emergency, no one has to fumble around in the dark. 
• Keep your car full of petrol in case you must evacuate if a severe storm or bushfire threatens your safety. If the electricity is out, getting petrol may not be possible. 
• Be sure you understand if your alarm system automatically restarts when electricity is restored and, if it has its own backup batteries, how long those will work. Consult your instruction manual or installer for more information. You can plug it into your portable power station if it does not have its own backup.

During an Outage

• Check your circuit breaker to ensure it’s not just your home that’s dark. Report it to your local energy provider if it’s a neighbourhood-wide blackout.
• Turn off appliances and unplug any sensitive electronics that could be damaged if an electrical surge occurs when the electricity returns. Leave one light on so you will know when the electricity comes back on. 
• Use LED lanterns or torches; avoid candles as they present an additional fire hazard. 
• Turn on your EcoFlow Portable Power Station if it’s not already integrated into your household electrical system. These are essential for keeping appliances running during blackouts.  
• Use your EcoFlow DELTA Pro + 400W Solar Panel for extended blackouts. While it has an impressive 4000W capacity, you may need the solar panel to recharge it, so get your panels and set them up. With the energy they produce during the day when the sun is shining, you can use your battery day and night for extended periods.  
• If you don’t have a backup energy source, keep the refrigerator and freezers shut to keep the cold inside. You can also move refrigerator food into the freezer to help it last longer. However, raw meat should be cooked immediately, or it must be thrown out. 
• Traditional generators that use fossil fuels should never be used indoors. Run them outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Ensure it’s in a sheltered location outside so that it cannot get wet and cause potentially dangerous shortages, and use a heavy-duty outdoor extension cord to run power inside your home. Alternatively,  EcoFlow DELTA Series Solar Generators use no fossil fuels and are perfectly safe to use indoors. 
• Stay informed about your electrical outage and how long it will last. You must also stay informed about any potential evacuations in your area to keep your family safe. Your portable power station can recharge your mobile phone and run your internet. If your data or internet is not working, tune into the radio at ABC 774AM for local emergency updates.

After an Outage

• Check your neighbours to ensure everyone is safe and no one needs emergency medical attention. However, if there are any damaged lines in your neighbourhood, stay well away from them at all times and report them to your local energy provider. 
• Wait 10 minutes, and then start plugging your appliances back in. Check them to make sure they are all running as they should.
• If your refrigerator rises above food-safe temperatures, don’t risk it. Throw out the food and buy new food. 
• Recharge your rechargeable torches and LED lanterns. 
• Recharge your portable power station using AC wall plugs or solar panels for an eco-friendly option. 
• If you used any of the items in your emergency food supplies, water, and first aid kit, replenish them. That way, you will be prepared for the next time the electricity inevitably goes out.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Preparing for a power outage is crucial to keeping your family safe and comfortable. From stocking emergency supplies to having a backup electricity source to run your essential appliances during a blackout, every step counts. 

EcoFlow’s Solar Generators are the safest and most reliable backup energy source since they can be used safely indoors and recharged with energy from the sun when dealing with extended blackouts. Then, you can ensure you always have what you need to stay safe no matter how long the blackout lasts.