Electrical Safety During Hurricane Season

With our foot firmly in the door of hurricane season in Florida, it’s wise to turn to some prevention and safety in order to prepare your home for potential risks. Our electrical systems stand exposed to (and stand to potentially cause) tons of damage in hurricane weather, and you need to be as equipped as possible in order to stay safe. That’s why the team at Hoffman Electrical & A/C has prepared a quick and easy safety guide for your use!

Need help preparing your home for electrical complications brought on by hurricanes or extreme weather? Contact us today to learn more!

Hurricane Electrical Safety

Because the dynamic changes a bit according to the situation at hand, it is best to look at your preparation and proceedings in three parts: before, during, and after.

How You Can Plan to Stay Safe

There are a few things you can do to beef up your home safety, as well as reduce the risks of power or function loss in lesser storms or thunderstorms:

• Secure a backup power source that is sufficient to power critical appliances or functions in the event of an outage. A portable generator is good enough for one thing (HVAC, cooking, etc), but a whole-home generator system is more effective, and can power much more.
• Have professionals trim away any tree branches that are intruding on or hovering over power lines in your area. A downed tree causes plenty enough damage without taking a line with it and causing fires.
• Maintain a fully equipped medical kit, keep non-perishable foods in an easy to access sheltered area in your home, and ensure you have a clean water supply bottled and ready.
• Look into getting whole-home surge protection in order to reduce and mitigate the risks of power surges that come with lightning strikes.

What to do When a Hurricane Is Imminent

Once the weather has been declared, there are some vitally important things that must get done before the storm hits in earnest. Be certain to:

• For major storms unplug all appliances in order to prevent surges or damage caused by lightning strikes or water intrusion. Simply switching them off isn’t enough, since the connection to your electrical supply is still maintained in that case, and surges or fires are still completely possible.
• In addition to unplugging, disengage your breakers at the main shutoff.
• For extremely dangerous weather ensure you switch to flashlights in lieu of electrical lighting, which ideally is currently shut off for your safety. Never use candles, which can easily be toppled and cause a fire.

After the Storm

The best thing you can do after is a storm is stay where you are as long as the area remains safe! Venturing out can lead you to downed power lines or exposed live wires, which can result in electrical shock or electrocution.

• Avoid standing water, which could potentially be electrified if poles or lines are down!
• Do not restore power in your home until you have been notified that it is safe to do so from your utility provider. Doing so early could be dangerous.
• Once power is restored safely turn on appliances gradually to reduce the risk of overloading.
• If damage occurred to any of your electrical systems contact your preferred electrician immediately.

Stay Safe with Electrical Services from Hoffman Electrical & A/C

Hoffman Electrical & A/C is a family owned and operated business serving the Tampa and Brandon, Florida communities since 1989. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff of electricians install, repair, and perform regular maintenance check-ups in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. When you need an electrician in your home, let our family help yours! We provide a variety of in-home electrical services, including installations, repair, and routine maintenance. Not only do we offer high-quality installs, we’ll also make sure your equipment continues to work efficiently and safely.

For electrical services in Tampa, Brandon, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, or their surrounding areas, contact us online or call us at (866) 238-3243 today!