Home and business owners rely on electrical companies to provide continuous service to their residential and commercial properties that they can depend on to live and be successful with on a daily basis. When power outages occur, it is important to isolate the cause in order to return electrical service to the afflicted area in a timely manner.
The majority of residential and commercial buildings are not prepared to run without electrical service for more than a 24 hour periods. For many homes this means that much of the food in the refrigerator and freezer go bad, and if their stove and hot water heater are electric, there is no hot water for showers and no way to heat food. For commercial properties, this means they can no longer service their customers and clients which bodes unwell for many business relationships that rely tools that feed off of electricity.
Certain areas of the country are more at risk of loss of electrical service than others. Around 70% of all power outages are weather related. Living in areas that have severe thunderstorms with lightning strikes, sporadic ice storms, heavy wind gusts or natural disasters including hurricanes, tornados and mudslides can put you at a higher risk of looking your electrical service and adequate preparation and emergency planning are necessary since repairing major storm damage takes much longer than other electrical service repairs.
Another major contributor to power outages is animals. When animals, like squirrels, use electrical lines to travel they can occasionally touch energized parts of the electrical system that can short circuits and blow fuses on the line. If this occurs, electrical service companies can usually return power to your home or office within a reasonable time since it is easier for them to locate and repair the damage in their system.
Trees falling on power lines can also majorly impact electrical service. Electric companies have guidelines for trimming trees that are at risk to falling on electrical lines but in many rural areas these incidents still occur. Power lines and trees are also susceptible to lightning strikes which can electrically charge the near proximity of the strike. This can cause power surges that temporarily shut the whole system down.
Some other issues that could cause power outages included regular maintenance of the electrical system by the municipal electric company, automobile accidents that hit poles and cause stress on the lines, component malfunctions such as aging components. All of these things can put you at risk of losing your electricity.
Many cities are prepared for power outages but it is also important for homes and businesses to plan accordingly based on their potential risk assessment.
Author Resource:
Southern Electrical provides electrical service to residential and commercial properties. Southern Electrical is a family owned Houston TX electrician that is continuously recognized by the Better Business Bureau for outstanding service in the Houston community.
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