Protect Your Power

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Protect Your Power

Winter is here in full force, which means plenty of wind, ice and snow taking its toll on electrical grids across the country. Oftentimes, freezing rain and high winds can damage power lines and equipment, which could mean an unfortunate power outage in your area. If you’ve ever found yourself stumbling through the dark searching for a flashlight during a sudden outage, then you know how easy it is to take our electricity for granted. The Master Electricians at Gas Plus are power protection experts, so we’ve got the inside scoop on the best ways to keep your electricity flowing all winter. Keep reading for more info and let us know if you have any questions! We’re always here to help with your home heating and electrical needs.

1) Install Surge Protectors

Do you have a lot of valuable electronics in your home? Do those electronics draw power, even when they’re not in use? Without the proper protection in place, power surges can damage your electronics in an instant, potentially creating dangerous sparks. To protect your home and valuables, we recommend having a surge protector unit installed in your home electrical panel. This won’t do anything to stop a power outage from happening, but when power is eventually restored to your electrical grid, a surge protector will keep your panel from taking on more electricity than it can handle. This will prevent that sudden jolt of electricity from ever overloading your electronics. Our master electricians have plenty of experience installing surge protection units, so give us a call if you’d like more information.

As an alternative, we also recommend having grounded surge protection power bars in place wherever you have electronics plugged in. At the very least, they will keep your electronics from being overloaded, saving you costly repairs and replacements.

2) Storm Coming? Unplug What You Can

Without surge protectors in place, the best thing you can do to defend against power surges is to be proactive. If you know a major storm is on the way, try unplugging as much as you can to mitigate the chance of a sudden surge. The fewer lights and electronics you have plugged in, the better your chances of avoiding a surge that could damage your home.

3) Keep Power Packs Charged

No one can be sure how long a power outage will last, so if you’re concerned about being unable to use your essential electronics, keep a few portable power packs in your home. These are essentially small batteries that you can charge up in case of emergency, and they come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. Seeing your phone drop to 0% battery life during a power outage is heartbreaking, and it could keep you from staying up-to-date with the latest developments. Battery packs are a relatively inexpensive investment that will come in very handy during a power outage. Along with battery packs, it’s also wise to keep a good stock of normal batteries for radios, flashlights and other old-school electronics that you may need.

4) Install a Standby Generator
Kohler Standby Generator Winter

Kohler Standby Generator WinterEverything we’ve listed up to now will help you in the event of a power outage, but the only way to PREVENT an outage is with your own standby generator. Standby generators are large battery units that turn on automatically in the event of an outage, keeping your home powered for as long as they have fuel. At Gas Plus, we’re proud to supply and install Kohler backup generators, which actually run off the natural gas lines feeding into your home. That way, even if the power goes out, you’ve got a steady supply of electricity without having to keep the unit topped up with fuel. When the power is eventually restored to your home, Kohler units stop that flood of electricity from hitting your home circuits; taking a few moments to make sure the power is secure and steady before allowing it back into your home.

Kohler Standby Generator OnCue

That’s actually the core difference between a standard generator and a standby generator. A standard generator must be turned on and off manually, while a standby generator automatically turns itself on and off, so you never risk having too much electricity entering your lines at once. Kohler generators are also unique, because they can be controlled and monitored through your smart phone or computer. So even if you’re away from home, you can still keep an eye on your power and make any adjustments that you need to. Simply put, a standby generator is a very smart investment, and can keep your home powered indefinitely during an outage. Our Master Electricians have years of experience with Kohler generators, which is why they come so highly recommended. Call us today if you’re interested in your own standby generators, and we’ll be happy to go over all the options with you.

We sincerely hope that no one has to deal with any prolonged power outages this winter, but fortune favours the prepared! Make sure you take the right steps to protect your home power before the next storm hits, and you can relax knowing that no matter how long the power is out, your home is prepared. Our electrical services is just one more “PLUS” you’ll discover when you speak with our Gas Plus team!