Winter Electrical Safety and Power Outages

Winter brings a variety of risks for your home, so an understanding of winter electrical safety (power outages especially) is essential to avoiding potential damage. You can follow a few simple steps to ensure your home is ready for any eventuality and prevent common electrical safety mistakes.

Why Power Outages Are Common During Winter Weather

Power outages can happen at any time of year, but they’re much more common during the winter months. Even moderate ice accumulation on power lines can cause them to sag and break. Freezing rain is harsh on electrical infrastructure, especially when accompanied by high winds.

You’re more likely to be negatively impacted by any power outages during winter as well. Having your home’s heating system go down can be an immediate emergency. Earlier sunsets also mean less practical use of daylight, leaving you in the dark longer than a summer outage.

Ensuring Safe Generator Use

Generators are an excellent solution to keep your home safe during winter outages. However, you need to know how to use them properly. Portable generators should only be operated outdoors. This makes extension cords a necessity, so make sure to get the proper gauge and outdoor-rated cables.

A safer and more convenient approach is to get a standby generator installation. These generators kick in automatically and can be sized to suit your home’s specific needs. You can keep your home running without the hassle or risks of portable generators.

Winter Electrical Hazards to Avoid

If you’re running a space heater, whether on a generator or off, be careful not to overload outlets. These appliances draw a lot of power, so they can damage extension cords and power bars that aren’t made with that capacity.

Check any cords for damage or fraying to avoid fire risks. If you notice flickering lights or other signs that the power may go out soon, consider unplugging sensitive electronics to prevent any potential damage.

Prepare Yourself for Winter Electrical Safety, Power Outages, and More

Are you unsure whether your home is ready to go in terms of winter electrical safety, power outages, and other concerns? The team at Klees Electric Inc can ensure your home’s electrical system is safe and up to code. We also install standby generators to keep your home running during power outages.



Reach out today for any of your electrical needs.