California Power Outage; 5 Things NOT to Do

As temperatures plummet this winter, communities are at a higher risk of experiencing a California power outage. As a business owner, it is essential to keep your employees safe and your operations flowing, so you should take certain precautions to protect your facility. This means doing whatever you can to avoid dangerous activities during a power failure. At Valley Power Systems, we want to make sure our clients are fully prepared should they find themselves without power this winter season. With this in mind, we have created the following list of five things that you should never do during an outage:

1. Remain Unplugged

Keeping devices and equipment plugged in can lead to an electrical surge when the power is restored to your building. Electrical surges happen when too much power returns all at once, potentially damaging your critical business systems beyond repair. Another way that you can help protect your equipment is by installing a surge protector in your electric panel. Since electrical systems can be complex and dangerous to handle without the proper knowledge, this job should only be completed by a qualified electrician.

2. Avoid Pooling Water

If you experience a heavy rainstorm, ensure everyone understands the dangers of pooling water. When a severe storm occurs, it can lead to downed branches that hit nearby power lines, which can wipe out power for an entire community. These power lines could be hiding beneath standing water and electrocute anyone close by, so you should exercise extreme caution and wait for authorized utility workers to repair the damage.

3. Limit Cellphone Use

If you don’t have a portable phone charger, you want to make sure that your phone will work should you encounter an emergency situation. It may be tempting to use it to pass the time during a power outage, but this is actually the last thing that you want to do. It’s best to save the battery for when you really need it.

4. Keep Food Fresh

In the event of a severe storm, you and your employees may have to remain in the building for safety purposes. If the power goes out, remind everyone to keep the food as fresh as possible in case you are stuck indoors for a prolonged period of time. This means keeping that breakroom fridge closed as much as possible. Every time it gets opened, the cold air has a chance to escape. The unit won’t be able to re-cool itself until the power returns. If the fridge remains closed, it will keep the food at a safe temperature for several hours. This is important should you have anyone on your team with diabetes, hypoglycemia, or other health issues that require them to eat more often.

5. Don’t Panic

As a leader, it’s important that you remain calm and collected during emergencies. The way that you act will influence how your employees react during a power outage. If you are calm during interactions, it will show that you have the situation under control. Give clear instructions to employees on what they should or should not be doing while they wait for the power to return. You don’t want people scrambling in the dark and potentially doing something that could endanger everyone else.

How to Avoid Power Outages in the First Place

Now that you know what not to do during power outages, you will be better prepared to deal with them when the time comes. However, if you are like most business owners, you want to do what you can to keep systems going regardless of the conditions outdoors. One of the best ways to do this is by purchasing a backup generator system for your building. The unit will kick on automatically as soon as it detects a loss of power. There are many benefits to investing in a standby power system for your business. Some include:

• Protection of Your Bottom Line: You don’t want to have to worry about experiencing financial losses as a result of downtime caused by a power outage. The generator will allow you to keep things running for hours, even days if needed.
• Permanent Installation: Unlike portable generators, a standby system will be permanently installed. You won’t have to worry about running cords or having to set up your unit in the middle of a storm.
• Peace of Mind: Your power system will give you peace of mind knowing that your facility will have the power it requires at all times.
• Long Lifespan: A commercial generator can be a significant investment, but they are very durable, powerful machines that can last for decades if you keep it maintained well. It is recommended to work with a professional generator technician who will be able to provide regular maintenance and handle any repairs that your system needs so that it’s always ready to go when you need it most. To keep the system working at its best, maintenance should include:

 

• Oil and filter changes
• Coolant and fuel inspection
• Engine run test
• Leak check
• Battery inspection

By taking care of these maintenance tasks on a periodic schedule, you can keep generator problems at bay and extend the lifespan of your power system. Your technician will be trained on how to identify issues early on, so you can address them before they progress. At Valley Power Systems, our generator specialists are factory trained and certified. We will take care of any generator issue that you’re having promptly and professionally so that you can get right back to business.

Experience a California Power Outage and Need a New Power System? Call Us Today!

Make Valley Power Systems your power partner this winter season. We offer a broad range of generators to suit the different power needs of businesses throughout California. Our knowledgeable staff is ready to review your options from the industry’s most reliable brands, like Atlas Copco and Blue Star Power Systems. Contact our office today to learn more about your options.

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