Energy Efficient Electrical Designs for New Homes

Energy Efficient Electrical Designs for New Homes

How to Protect Your Home Against Power Cuts

Kimberly Garrett

Power cuts can be anything from a minor nuisance to a disaster. If you are in the middle of a vital piece of work, power failures can cause you to lose everything. They can leave you without heat or air conditioner, or they can leave you isolated and impossible to reach. They can even knock out home-based essential medical equipment.

For all these reasons, it makes sense to protect your home against the various different causes of power cuts. Here are some ways to identify the problem when power cuts strike and how ordinary homeowners should respond.

Don't Stress When a Few Appliances Fail

Sometimes power cuts are localised in particular parts of the home, so don't automatically worry if your toaster, microwave and blender are out of action. It could just be a problem with one of the circuit breakers in your home. When circuits experience unexpected increases in voltage, circuit breakers step in to prevent power surges that can result in damage and fires.  In most cases, you can restore your appliances by turning them off and resetting the breaker.

However, if you are worried about more powerful surges (say, from frequent lightning strikes in your area), you should call in an electrician to have a look at your circuits. The same applies if you have a large amount of digital devices that need to be protected at all costs. Your electrician can recommend localised or whole house surge protection that should deal with any voltage spikes before they cause any harm.

Purchase a UPS for Crucial Equipment

Professionals who work from home or people with critical medical equipment like hoists or dialysis machines should take steps to ensure that their devices aren't rendered out of action by a power cut. Surge protectors can only go so far. Instead of using them alone, you can purchase what are known as Uninterrupted Power Supplies. These units provide backup energy for computers and other devices and the most advanced come with power management software that automatically saves sensitive documents and shuts down computers in a way that minimises the risk of damage.

Protect Yourself Against Large-Scale Power Cuts

Power surges can be dealt with relatively easily, but when the lights in your entire neighbourhood go out, there's not much you can do. If you live in an area that suffers from regular power cuts, prepare for them before they occur. If you have any appliances that use backup batteries to keep their timers running, make sure they are always fully charged (and keep a fully charged mobile phone on hand as well). Switch as many appliances off as you can during any cuts, but remember to leave at least one light on to ascertain when the power is restored.

If you live in an isolated region, don't expect the power to return in seconds. Anyone living in fire-prone or isolated areas should have a backup electricity generator on hand to step in for prolonged periods without power. When you've chosen one, consult an electrician to wire it up so that your systems can be powered up straight away when the lights go out.

With a solid backup strategy, surge protectors and UPS units in place, you can handle minor and major power cuts. So if you have any worries about dealing with cuts, give your electrician a call and they will show you how to protect your home and your most important devices.

 


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About Me
Energy Efficient Electrical Designs for New Homes

Hi, my name is Jules and welcome to my blog. From the first time I stuck a wire in a potato and got a light, I have been enthralled by electricity. As I got older, I even began wiring my own homes. Although I love to play with electricity, I certainly don't like to waste it. Because of that, I have creating a number of lighting designs to save energy. It can't just be about the wires. It has to also be about windows, position of the overhead and side lights, integration of solar panels and other elements. Please explore this blog and enjoy!