“Make preparations in advance. You never have trouble if you are prepared for it.” – Theodore Roosevelt.
Power outages can be annoying and disruptive. They take away simple amenities that we’re used to in our everyday lives. The best thing you can do for your family is to be prepared!
Are You Ready for This?
According to the US Census Bureau, approximately 1 in 4 households nationwide experience a yearly power outage. That means you’ve got a good chance of being in the dark unexpectedly. As a homeowner, an unscheduled power outage can cost you a lot. Think spoiled food, burst pipes in cold weather, alternative housing costs, damaged electronics, and a loss of income if you work from home. Without electricity, you may lose well water or critical medical devices may fail for at-risk loved ones.
Power Outage Stats
Recent annual utility statistics found there were 520 million customer-hours without power. Weather, human error, and high electricity demand are the most common causes of power outages. In recent years, residents of Florida, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana have experienced a loss of power most frequently. Some of the longest-lasting power outages were due to wildfires, droughts, and climate change resulting in temperature increases.
Power outages cost the US economy
an estimated $150 billion annually
– Department of Energy
Power Outages Defined
A loss of electrical power can be planned or unexpected. Power outages can occur locally or be widespread. Besides causing issues in your home, power outages can affect your everyday life, from limiting communications and transportation to having no access to ATMs, banking, gas, or grocery stores.
Blackout: a large-scale power outage that affects an entire city or region; they’re usually caused by equipment failure and/or severe weather
Brownout: a temporary reduction in the electrical system capacity or voltage
Controlled Outage: a power cut that’s sanctioned by a governing body to reduce demand on the system
Power Interruption: is generally noted as a loss of electricity for under 5 minutes
Power Outage: a disruption in the supply of electricity, that results in a single home or a neighborhood losing power
Rolling Blackout: a controlled power outage that’s pre-planned to relieve pressure on the electrical system
Is There a Power Outage Season?
Power outages can occur at any time of the year. During summer, there’s an increased demand for cooling, which can strain the electrical grid and cause outages. Storms are the primary culprits of power outages in winter as they can knock down trees and power lines.
How DomiDocs Can Help You Navigate Through a Disaster
The key to weathering any natural disaster is preparation—knowledge and organization are your best tools. As a homeowner, taking proactive steps to protect your family and property before disaster strikes is essential. The secure, award-winning DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform® helps you stay prepared by allowing you to:
- Create a detailed home inventory – Upload receipts, photos, and videos documenting your home’s condition and contents to ensure an accurate record for insurance purposes.
- Store and manage essential insurance documents – Use the Insurance Bundle feature to securely organize policies, including company details, coverage, cost, and policy start and end dates. A calendar timeline provides quick reference, and with one click, you can share documents with your insurance agent when filing a claim.
- Prepare for and recover quickly from any disasters – Ensure quick and easy access to critical homeownership and insurance documents before and after a natural disaster. Use the Disaster Bundle to safely store everything from insurance policies and mortgage information to your home inventory list, photos & videos and emergency vendors—allowing you to recover faster when you need it most.
- Stay ready for emergencies – Keep all your most important documents—such as IDs, medical records, financial statements, and emergency contacts—securely stored and instantly accessible. The Digital Go Bundle ensures you have everything you need in one place, whether you’re evacuating or managing post-disaster recovery.
- Follow expert homeowner guidance – Access the comprehensive DomiDocs New Homeowner Guide, which offers best practices to help prevent insurance claims and keep your home in top condition.
By leveraging these tools, you’ll have the critical information you need at your fingertips, making it easier to recover and rebuild after a disaster.
The Basics of Power Outage Preparedness
Ready.gov, the American Red Cross, the US Fire Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the following:
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Properly equip your home with flashlights for every family member |
Every household member should have easy access to a flashlight. The best flashlight options are rechargeable, bright, waterproof, and offer a good runtime. Crank-type flashlights are also a good option. Flashlights on cell phones work great but they can drain your battery faster if used for extended periods. |
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Have a battery-powered radio on hand |
Since communication may be limited, a crank-style or battery-operated radio can help keep you informed. |
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Have portable battery backup power supplies on hand |
Power supplies/stations will keep your devices running even when the power is out. Depending on the number of people in your household, you may need more than one portable power station. Determine the battery backup life to prevent overestimating its capabilities. |
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Know if your home phone (if applicable) will work during a power outage |
If you need to call 911, you don’t want to learn that your landline doesn’t work when the power is out.
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Properly equip your home with nonperishable food items and water |
Your home should be stocked with water and nonperishable food. When the power is out, a fridge will keep food cold for approximately 4 hours, if you don’t open the door repeatedly. A nearly full freezer will keep its temperature for about 48 hours; if it’s half-full, it will hold a safe temperature for only 24 hours. If temperatures in a fridge or freezer reach 40 degrees or higher, throw out the spoiled food, otherwise you could risk food poisoning. |
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Have a medical needs plan in place. Find out if you qualify to be on a Priority Services Register |
If anyone in your family takes regular medications that require refrigeration or uses a medical device powered by electricity, you need to have a plan in place. Talk to a medical professional to find out how long medication can be stored at higher temperatures while still maintaining its effectiveness. Research and purchase a dedicated portable battery backup for medical devices. Many power companies offer a Priority Services Register and if you qualify, these support services can include:
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Properly equip your home with carbon monoxide alarms |
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Understand the risks of a power outage |
Several risks are associated with power outages:
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Be tech-savvy when it comes to power outages |
Stay connected before a power outage occurs by: Downloading The American Red Cross Emergency App for Android or iPhone to keep yourself informed. Signing up for alerts with your electricity company |
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Have a backup generator ready to go |
When a power outage occurs, a generator can seemingly save the day, but here are safety concerns you need to be aware of:
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Review/update your homeowner insurance policy |
It’s estimated that 40% of Americans can’t find an important household document when needed, so the first step is to upload your vital household documents to our user-friendly digital platform, so there’s easy access 24/7/365. Secondly, reassess your homeowner policy to ensure you have the best coverage to fit your needs. Compare the cost and coverage you have in place, to what else is available from your current insurer and other companies. If there have been any major additions to your home and/or contents in the last year, it’s time to review your homeowner insurance policy to ensure it’ll cover your new additions. |
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Develop an evacuation plan and practice regular safety drills |
While it may not be as prevalent for a power outage, every member of your family needs to know what your homeowner’s evacuation plan is. Make and practice your home escape plan:
Teach your kids what a smoke/carbon monoxide alarm sounds like. Assemble a to-go bag containing all required supplies, and don’t forget pet necessities. |
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In general, you should always have disaster supplies on hand for your family members and your pets |
The American Red Cross recommends gathering 2 emergency supply kits:
NOAA recommends adding the following to round out your emergency disaster supply kits, where applicable:
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Take the time to emergency life-saving skills. |
The American Red Cross recommends that adults and kids around nine learn first aid and CPR skills. |
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| When a Power Outage is Happening: |
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Go from room to room in your home and unplug any sensitive electronics to help avoid damage from a power surge when the electricity is restored. This includes unplugging phone chargers, hair dryers/straighteners, tablets, laptops, TVs, etc. |
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Check online or use a battery-powered radio for updates on the power outage. Check with the utility company to see if there’s an estimated restoration time. |
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If the power happens during the day, switch on one light in your home so you’ll know when the electricity comes back on – this can be most useful in a residence with elderly residents. |
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Ensure that everyone in your family understands that texting and phone calls should be limited to conserve battery life. Portable battery backups won’t last forever, some may only charge a phone 2-3 times. |
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Don’t open a fridge more than necessary. If the power outage will be lengthy, you can place food items that you’ll be consuming soon in a cooler filled with ice. |
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If it’s too hot or too cold, communities frequently set up warming/cooling centers with charging stations during times of disaster. |
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Reach out to offsite family and neighbors, particularly the elderly, to see if they need assistance. |
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If the power outage is extensive and you require disaster relief service, contact The Red Cross may offer assistance with food, medicine, or temporary housing. |
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Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and anything they’re touching. Call 911 to let them know. |
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Don’t go into flooded areas as you’re risking electrical shock. |
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When in doubt, throw it out. If food has been at a higher than recommended temperature for more than 2 hours, do not consume it – instead, throw it out. If it smells or looks off, discard it immediately. |
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If you have medication on hand that should have been refrigerated, and the power has been out for 24 hours or more, dispose of it at your local pharmacy’s medication return program. And while you’re there, arrange for a new supply of the medication. |
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Access your home inventory list stored with DomiDocs. Note any damaged items or property. Don’t discard any damaged items until you’ve inventoried them. |
Navigating Insurance Claims: What Every Homeowner Should Know
When you’re facing the aftermath of a natural disaster, working with your insurance company is an inevitable part of the recovery process. DomiDocs® CEO and Founder, William McKenna advises homeowners to carefully review their insurance company’s initial settlement offer, as it may not fully cover all damages. Many experts recommend assessing the offer to ensure it aligns with your policy coverage.
What should you do? Access your personal profile on the DomiDocs® home management platform to easily submit your documented receipts, photos, and videos to your insurance adjuster with just one click. Before accepting a settlement, take the time to consider all potential losses, including missed wages, medical expenses (both current and future), vehicle repairs, and any other damages. Being thorough can help ensure you receive the full coverage you’re entitled to under your policy.
DomiDocs has your back! Whether it’s a hurricane, tornado, flood, or fire, the DomiDocs Resouce Page: How To File An Insurance Claim is here to guide you through the claims and recovery process.
Take Control of Your Homeownership Journey with DomiDocs®
Managing your home shouldn’t be stressful. DomiDocs® empowers homeowners with innovative technology, expert guidance, and unparalleled organization—all within a secure, cloud-based platform. From protecting your property and finances to streamlining essential tasks, our tools help you save time, reduce expenses, mitigate costly risks, and maximize your home’s value.
Explore the DomiDocs suite of solutions:
- Homeowner Enablement Platform® – A centralized, digital hub for organizing documents, tracking home value, and managing property details effortlessly.
- HomeLock™ – Protects your home from fraud and title theft with 24/7 monitoring and instant alerts.
- TrueValueIndex® – Provides real-time insights into your home’s value to help you make informed financial decisions.
- propRtax® – Identifies potential property tax savings and ensures you’re not overpaying.
- Documenting for Disaster® – Securely stores critical homeownership documents, ensuring quick access before and after a disaster.
Join the home management revolution today and experience the confidence that comes with having everything you need in one place.
Author – Connie Motz
