We understand that sitting in your dark bedroom can be annoying. But sometimes, power outages in Sydney happen, and you can do nothing to prevent them.
An unplanned power outage can be caused by many things, such as damage by fallen trees during a storm or an unexpected fault in equipment.
But, you can prepare to effectively deal with power interruptions without panicking or running into any significant issues. Knowing what you’re dealing with is best to manage the situation properly.
Also, it would be best to have some tricks up your sleeves when there’s a power interruption. For instance, keeping your local electrician’s phone number and emergency contact number in hand is always a good idea. But you might need some more information while handling a power interruption.
And that’s why we’re here to tell you everything you can do to get through a power outage in Sydney calmly and peacefully. So, let us get on with it without wasting any more time!
Have You Paid The Electric Bills?
If you’re facing a sudden power interruption, you must first check whether the electric bill has been paid. Sometimes, a power failure can be a power disconnection from the authorities if you forget to pay the bills on time, especially if electronic payment systems are offline.
Under such circumstances, you must immediately contact your energy provider and check out the options to restore the power. You might get an energy concession, or the energy provider might set you up with an energy assistance payment option.
How To Locate Power Interruptions In The Area?
Any certified energy provider is responsible for maintaining the electricity infrastructure of a particular area. If you’re facing a power interruption, everyone in your locality might be facing it, too. So, you can usually look for power interruptions in your area online.
You can search for the Outage Finder of your local energy distributor to check for power outages in the Sydney area. It can include planned power interruptions, recently reported power failures and future maintenance plans. Check your electricity bill to know the energy provider, and you’ll be ready.
Is It A Power Outage Or A Safety Switch Trip?
Sometimes, a power failure can be caused by the safety switch tripping. Now, what is a safety switch? Simply speaking, a safety switch is a circuit breaker that regulates the power surges in your house to prevent the electrical wiring from getting overheated.
Sudden electrical power surges can damage sensitive electronic appliances, and that’s why you have a safety switch. If there’s any sudden power surge, the safety switch trips and cuts off the power point, the main power supply of the house.
So, if you’re facing a power outage, check whether the nearby street lights and shops have power. If the surrounding areas or lights switched on have power, your safety switch has probably tripped due to abnormal power surges in your house.
What Can You Do In A Power Outage?
There are a few things that you need to do during a power failure to ensure safety, such as -
- Avoid stepping on fallen or exposed wires and electrical equipment
- Unplug electrical appliances
- Always use a flashlight, not a candles
- Report the outage to your energy provider
Once you’ve secured the house, check the source of the power outage. For instance, check whether the safety switch has tripped. Check your neighbours’ houses to see if they are also affected when you lose power. And, if your neighbours don’t have power, there is likely an area-wide power interruption.
Also, check for fallen power lines, trees, or other obstructions that might cause the power outage. But please ensure you maintain a safe distance. In addition, take note if you hear any loud noise and report it immediately to your local electricity providers so they can fix the problem.
Tune into your local radio station with a battery-operated radio or car radio for power restoration updates. If it is a broader area, turn to your sound system or check the Endeavour Energy website for any updates on power restoration.
How To Prepare For Power Outages?
If you live in an area facing frequent blackouts or extended power outages, staying prepared to handle power interruption effectively is better. While contacting the local energy provider can be a problem when the broadband and landlines are down, you can stay prepared by:
- Keep a car mobile phone charger and a portable, fully-charged battery nearby
- Buy a generator or backup battery
- Keep an emergency kit that includes flashlights running on batteries
- Stock up on some spare batteries
- Store non-perishable and frozen food in the fridge and freezer
- Install surge protectors
- Keep a list of emergency contact numbers, including the energy distributor’s.
Note: External portable generators should only power appliances directly plugged into them.
If you rely on life support equipment, we encourage you to register your details with us and prepare an action plan in the event of planned or unplanned outages.
Power Failures In Sydney
Power failures might sound dreary, but you can’t get through them peacefully without knowing what to do. That said, after going through our article, we hope you are better equipped to deal with power failures.
The first thing you need to do is check the source of the power interruption. Also, always stock up on extra food and keep your batteries charged to deal with a power interruption without panicking.
If you feel it’s too much to tackle, immediately contact an emergency electrician from Bright Force Electrical. Our experts are always ready to help you in Sydney and the surrounding suburbs.