Risks that can occur with power outages

It doesn’t have to be winter to experience storms and potential power outages. Summer brings some pretty wild storms too. Whether it’s bad weather or any other problem that causes the power to go out, living without power can cause serious disruption. Aside from the obvious inconveniences, there are some risks that might not immediately occur to you. Here are some of the unexpected dangers that can arise as the result of a power outage:

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Exposure

Extremes of temperature can be dangerous, whether it’s a heatwave or below freezing conditions. Without access to heating or air conditioning/fans, a power outage can wreak havoc with health, especially for at-risk groups like young children, the elderly or anyone with a serious health condition. Severe temperatures can cause problems that could result in hospitalization and even death.  Make sure your home stays warm and hazard free whether you have just bought a house in London through Home Buyers Survey London based company Sam Conveyancing or renting in the top of Scotland.

Water Hazards

During a long power outage, one possible danger that can arise is drinking contaminated water. If power is out at the water treatment plant, generators will normally kick in. However, depending on the circumstances, like a natural disaster or severe storm, the generators could stop working too. If you’re not clear on how to treat water before consuming it, you could be exposing yourself to possible waterborne illness or toxins.

Food Poisoning

Without refrigeration or freezing capabilities, food can quickly spoil. If you eat food that hasn’t been stored at the correct temperature, you run the risk of experiencing food poisoning from bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella. Businesses and public health services would need to rely on generators to keep food safe.

Injury

When we are forced to deal with living without power, we can end up doing things we wouldn’t normally do, as sometimes in the dark. You could be moving debris from outside your home, trying to operate a generator or helping out neighbours with household tasks. There is an increased chance of injury when operating outside of your normal responsibilities.

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Have a backup plan

Even if you think power outages are not something that will affect you and are just something you see on the news, you just never know! With climate change bringing unpredictable weather, the possibility of terror attacks and growing global power consumption, it wouldn’t take much to tip the balance and leave thousands without power. Why take the risk?

Consider if there are vulnerable family members or neighbours who might rely on the ability to keep food and medicines cold, boil water to make it safe to drink or desperately need heating, for example. This is why having a generator or the knowledge of where to hire one is so important.