Some outages are expected, and even when they are, it’s unclear how long they will last. The
Texas winter storm of 2021 showed us exactly how unprepared some of us were for a
large-scale outage.

Preparing in Advance
We understand how easy it can be to get caught up in all of the chaos surrounding an
emergency event, but it is important not to panic throughout the process. Here are the
guidelines to follow when preparing in advance:

1) Freeze gel packs or water bottles beforehand to use in the refrigerator when the power
goes out.
2) Place an appliance thermometer to gauge the temperatures in the freezer and
refrigerator.
3) If possible, utilize dry ice to keep food items below 40 degrees fahrenheit.

When the power goes out, try to minimize the time that the refrigerator and freezer doors stay
open. This will help keep the temperatures low and maintained. When the doors stay shut
throughout the outage, food can stay viable for up to four hours in a refrigerator and up to 48
hours in a full freezer.

When the power turns back on, we recommend waiting a couple of minutes before plugging
appliances back incase of power surges. Begin to turn on major appliances first, then level
down to the smaller electronics. Check in on appliances that have been reset and update them
to your current settings. HVAC systems at times have some trouble turning back on after an
outage. A restart of the system may need to be done to get it up and running again.

If you are worried about any damage done to your electrical, give us a call at (210) 899-2430,
and we would be happy to set up an appointment with you and one of our electricians!

*Information gathered from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention