Summer brings with it long days, full sun, hot weather, and stuffy indoors. You have to pump your air conditioner and fans to alleviate the excess heat and humidity with this kind of air conditioner. Since every home in your neighborhood will be running its air conditioning systems almost throughout the day, you are likely to experience power outages and surges for the day. This article shows you how to prepare yourself for summer electricity loads.
What Is an Electricity Load?
An electricity load is the amount of electricity on the grid as it flows from the source to your home. Since electricity can’t be stored for future use, it has to be used immediately when it’s live on the system. Therefore, electricity companies manage and adjust the electricity load on the grid at any given time. They monitor the demand and load around the clock to ensure every home or business is receiving the right amount of electricity for its real-time need.
In summer, electricity companies are forced to blow up their plants to meet the high demand, especially in the peak hours when everyone is running their air conditioning systems for fresh air. If the load on the grid within your area isn’t enough to meet everyone’s power needs, you will experience power outages. On the other hand, you might experience power surges in your house if there is an excess load on the grid. Here are some useful tips to help you prepare for summer electricity loads.
Tips for Preparing for Summer Electricity Load
- Have flashlight batteries power it with batteries; make sure you have an extra set of batteries handy. That way, you won’t have to struggle to find batteries without much light in a power outage. Alternatively, you should have a wind-up flashlight ready.
- Invest in a battery-powered or wind-up radio.
- Protect your sensitive electrical appliances and gadgets with a surge-protecting power bar.
- Check your town for the availability of cooling centers. Some centers are opening up to help offer cold shelter for those in need.
- Understand the main causes of power surges and outages in your locality.
- Have a plan B like installing a solar power system so that you can have a ready source of energy when your power goes out.
- Turn off the unnecessary appliances and gadgets in your home, and turn your heating thermostat down to prevent damage from a power surge.
For more information on summer electricity loads, talk to Mr. Electric of SW Missouri.