Top 3 Things to Remember When You Lose Power

3/18/2021 (Permalink)

Natural disasters like the one that hit Texas in mid February, are all-too-common these days. Natural disasters that cause the power to go out in the middle of winter pose many potential problems for home and business owners alike.

1) Power outages have the potential to cause pipes to freeze which is a leading cause of water damage in the winter.

Right now Texans are struggling with this all-too-common problem. When homes or businesses are left without power for extended periods of time, it allows temperatures to dip below freezing allowing the pipes to freeze. This can cause cracks or bursts which lead to water damage.

One measure that can be taken to try and avoid this is to insulate the pipes. This can be done by visiting any local hardware store. Most hardware stores carry special tape, polyester coverings, and a host of other products that are capable of protecting against extreme dips in temperature.

If you have community, town, or city water and have not lost your water supply it may be a good idea to run the water source furthest from the water main. This can allow a steady flow of water to avoid pressure building up from the water in the pipes becoming frozen.

2) Power outages have the potential to cause septic backup.

When there is a power outage, effluent is not pumped into the drain field. The septic and pump tank collect the wastewater throughout the power outage and will release it all at once when the power is restored and the pump starts. Too much water pumped at one time can flood the drain field, causing surfacing or backups.

3) Power outages can cause loss of drinking water if you have a well.

Power outages can cause well pumps to stop working which can lead to loss of water supply. This includes water for drinking, showering, and toilets. Not having access to clean, drinkable water can lead to many other issues. It is important to store additional bottled water in order to avoid dehydration.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Texans who will likely be recovering from this storm over the next several weeks. If there is anything to be learned from this terrible situation, it's that it is important to prepare for these types of disasters.

If disaster strikes and causes water damage from Milford to Lake Wallenpaupack, SERVPRO of Pike / NE Monroe Counties can help.

--Michael Smitchel