We all know April showers bring May flowers. But don’t forget those April showers can quickly turn into raging thunderstorms and deadly tornadoes as the weather warms up during late spring and summer. Merts Heating & Air Conditioning wants to help you prepare for the inevitable power outages in your Illinois or Northwest Indiana home that accompany those storms
Practice the Boy Scout Motto
No one can prevent power outages, but everyone can prepare for them. Here are just a few things to put on your “to do” list before the lights go out at your house:
- Get surge protectors. The best way to describe them is inexpensive insurance for costly electronic items. Just a word of warning: Not all surge protectors are created equal. Do some research before you buy. A top-quality surge protector is cheap compared to a high-quality TV or any other audio/video equipment that can be damaged during storms or by a power surge when electricity is restored.
- Power down and unplug. When storms are expected, go through your Steger, IL or Crown Point, IN home to turn off and unplug as many appliances as you can. This will protect them from damage caused by lightning. It also reduces the initial electrical load when the power comes back on.
- Prepare a disaster kit. Whatever you call it, the idea is to gather a bag of essentials. There should be one for everyone in the household including children and pets. At a minimum it should include:
- Flashlight
- Batteries
- Bottled water
- Non-perishable food
- Blankets
- First aid supplies
- Keep your pipes from freezing. When power outages happen during cold weather, pipes can quickly freeze and burst. If you expect a long outage, turn off your main water supply coming into the house and open all your faucets to let them run dry. Another option is to open cabinet doors under sinks to allow air to circulate around the pipes and let the faucets drip to keep water running.
Generator = Peace of Mind
As much as Merts wants you to prepare, nothing will change the reality that power outages are always a huge inconvenience. If they last for more than a few hours the inconvenience can quickly turn into a traumatic experience. What’s the solution? A generator to provide electricity to your Illinois or Northwest Indiana home until the power grid comes back online.
Generators to Fit Every Need
Merts features Briggs and Stratton generators to fit every need and budget. It might be just large enough to power a few lights and key appliances. Or powerful enough to make it seem like the power outage never even happened. When professionally installed, a whole-house generator turns on automatically when the power goes out and shuts itself off when the electricity returns.
Just a Phone Call Away
Protect yourself during the coming severe weather season with a call to Merts Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more about installing a Briggs & Stratton generator in your Steger, IL or Crown Point, IN home. When combined with other common-sense preparations, it’s the best way to deal with those inevitable power outages. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more great information like this.