Power outage safety for Edmonton homes

Is it just your house?

When the power goes out, the first question is whether the problem is inside your home or on the grid. Check a few things:

• Are the neighbours' lights and streetlights out too? If so, it is likely a utility outage.
• If only your home is out, check the panel. Is the main breaker tripped? Reset it once using the steps in why breakers trip.
• If only part of your home is out, look for a single tripped breaker or GFCI.

Report outages to your electricity distributor (EPCOR in most of Edmonton). Their outage map and phone line are the best source for restoration estimates. If the main breaker will not stay on, or you smell burning, leave it off and call a licensed electrician.

Staying safe and warm in a winter outage

A summer outage is an inconvenience. A January outage at -30 C is a safety issue. Most furnaces, even gas ones, need electricity for their fans, igniters and controls, so a power outage usually means no heat.

• Close off unused rooms and gather in one room. Keep doors closed and curtains drawn.
• Dress in layers and use extra blankets. Keep an eye on young children, older family members and pets.
• Never use a barbecue, camp stove, propane heater or generator indoors or in an attached garage. They produce carbon monoxide.
• Use flashlights or battery lanterns instead of candles where you can.
• Keep fridge and freezer doors closed. A full freezer stays cold much longer than a half-empty one.
• If the outage is long and the house is getting cold, protect pipes and consider moving somewhere warm.

Make sure your smoke and CO alarms have working battery backup. See hardwired smoke and CO alarms.

Portable generators: the backfeed danger

A portable generator can keep a fridge, sump pump and a few lights going. Used wrongly, it is one of the most dangerous tools a homeowner can own.

Plugging a generator into a household receptacle with a double-male "suicide cord" sends power backwards through your panel and out onto the utility lines. The transformer on your street steps it up to a high voltage, which can kill a line worker who believes the line is dead. It can also energize the exposed prongs of the cord, start a fire, and destroy the generator when grid power returns.

A licensed electrician can install a generator inlet and a transfer switch so you can safely run chosen circuits. For homes where power really matters, a permanently installed standby generator starts automatically.

Running a portable generator safely

• Run it outdoors only, well away from windows, doors and vents, following the manufacturer's distance guidance.
• Never run it in a garage, even with the door open, or in a basement, shed or carport.
• Use heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords sized for the load, run directly to the appliances.
• Let it cool before refuelling, and store fuel outside the home.
• Have working CO alarms inside the home.

When the power comes back

During an outage, switch off or unplug sensitive electronics and large appliances, and leave one light on so you know when power is back. When it returns, wait a few minutes, then bring things back gradually. This protects your equipment from surges and helps the grid recover.

Whole-home surge protection installed at the panel adds another layer for electronics, appliances and furnace controls.

If anything smells burnt, a breaker trips repeatedly, or lights behave strangely after the power returns, call a licensed electrician.

Getting ready before the next outage

• Keep flashlights, batteries, a battery radio and phone power banks where you can find them in the dark.
• Know where your panel and main breaker are, and keep the panel schedule up to date.
• If you rely on a sump pump, medical equipment or work from home, plan for backup power with a licensed electrician. Our UPS systems and generator services can help.
• Have a plan for where your family would go if your home gets too cold.

Common questions