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Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
What to do in a power outage
It is important that you take your own precautions to be prepared in the case of a power outage.
December 21, 2022
The German electricity grid is considered very stable. Experts believe that a blackout is fairly unlikely, even this winter. As a rule, any power outages are repaired within a matter of hours. In an emergency, however, it can take days until power is restored. It is for times like these that it is important that you take some precautions. Information on what to do during a power outage, what precautions you can take (for example if your cell phone runs out of battery or your faucet stops working) and where you can find help is available, for example, on the websites from the city where you live or study:
The website “What to do in an emergency” gives students and members of staff valuable information on how to react in various emergency situations.
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Turn off or unplug all appliances for the following reasons: Power surges could damage sensitive equipment (TVs, computers, tablets) and large appliances when power returns.
Unplug appliances with electronic components, such as microwaves, televisions and computers. This will help to eliminate damage to your appliances from voltage surges when the electricity is restored. Wait a few minutes before turning on these appliances when the electricity is restored.
If you are home during a power outage, taking the steps below can help prevent damage caused by spikes or flickering when power is restored.: Flip the breakers for your HVAC system and other major appliances to the OFF position. Turn off the power strips or unplug the power cables for your other electronic devices.
Televisions, computer equipment, game consoles, fans, lights and all other smaller appliances should be unplugged, especially if they were in use when the power went out. Larger appliances, such as refrigerators, should not be unplugged.
As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.
Depending on the amount of water remaining in the pipes, you might be able to flush your toilet several times while the power is out. Eventually, however, your tank won't fill up anymore because the pumps are down. When this happens, you will need to flush your toilet manually by pouring in a bucket of water.
If you're really feeling the heat, you can moisten your sheets before bed, and leave a window open while you sleep. As the water in the sheets evaporates, it will cool the air around you as you sleep.
Turn off all tools, appliances and electronic equipment, and turn the thermostat(s) for the home heating system down to minimum to prevent damage from a power surge when power is restored. Also, power can be restored more easily when there is not a heavy load on the electrical system.
Can I Shower When the Power Is Out? To shower when the power is out, your home needs a traditional tank-style water heater. If that water heater still has hot water in reserve, then you can take a warm shower. If you plan to take a shower, you need to do it soon after the power goes out.
Turn off appliances and lights to avoid damage from power surges when the power comes back on. Keep your fridge and freezer closed and minimise opening the door to extend the time items will stay food-safe. Leave one light switched on so you will know as soon as the power is restored.
Turning off power breakers has been a common practice for homeowners during a power outage. However, turning them off and on again plus repeatedly flipping the switch can cause an electrical hazard or at the very least, some damage. The best thing to do is to leave it as is during a power outage.
If you are the only one without power, and your meter shows a digital reading you should try resetting your main breaker. In most cases, this will be located outside your home near your electric meter, but in older homes, you may find it inside. The main breaker will be the largest breaker in the panel.
Reset the main breaker by turning the switch off and on two times. Leave the switch in the on position. Return to the breaker panel inside your home and turn each breaker back to the on position, one by one. In many cases, power is now restored.
It's a good idea to switch off all electrical appliances that are not designed to run unattended – such as cookers, grills, chip pans, hair straighteners and electric fires – so that they don't come on without you realising once the power is back.
If a utilities issue and you are in Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) territory (City of Los Angeles), visit LADWP.com Outage Information page or call 1(800) 342-5397.
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