What to Do When
the Power Goes Out

First: Is It Actually a Grid Outage?

Before doing anything else, check your breaker panel. A tripped breaker looks identical to a power outage from inside your home - lights go out, appliances stop, everything is quiet. A tripped main breaker or a tripped circuit breaker is a five-second fix. Walk to your panel and look for any breakers that are in the middle position between on and off.

If all breakers are normal, step outside and check whether your neighbors' homes have power. If it's just you, call your utility company's outage line - the number is on your bill and usually on their website. Report the outage even if you assume they already know. Utilities prioritize restoration by number of affected customers and reported outages.

The First 5 Minutes: Priority Order

These tasks take less than five minutes combined and prevent the most expensive outcomes:

1. Check the basement immediately if it's raining. If you have a sump pump and the power just went out during a storm, your basement is your most urgent concern. A basement can flood in under an hour if the water table is high. If you don't have a sump pump backup, move valuables off the floor now.
2. Note the time. This matters for food safety decisions later. Write it down or set a reminder.
3. Locate flashlights before you need them. Fumbling in the dark for a flashlight that may have dead batteries is avoidable. Keep one in a consistent location.
4. Unplug sensitive electronics. Computers, TVs, and audio equipment are vulnerable to the power surge that occurs when the grid comes back online. Unplugging protects them from the spike.
5. Check on anyone with medical equipment. CPAP machines, oxygen concentrators, home dialysis, and insulin refrigerators are time-sensitive. If you or someone in your home depends on any of these, start managing backup power now.

The First Hour

After the immediate priorities, these decisions shape how well you manage a longer outage:

Refrigerator and Freezer

A full refrigerator that isn't opened maintains safe temperatures for 4 hours. A full freezer holds for 48 hours. A half-full freezer holds for 24 hours. The single most important rule: stop opening the door. Every time you open the refrigerator, warm air enters and your safe window shortens. Decide now what you actually need for the next few hours and get it all at once.

After 4 hours without power, check refrigerator temperature if possible. Food is safe if the temperature is still at or below 40°F. When in doubt, throw it out - foodborne illness is far more expensive than replaced groceries.

Heat and Cooling

In winter, a well-insulated home retains heat for hours. Close interior doors to trap heat in occupied rooms. In summer heat, the reverse applies - close blinds and curtains immediately to slow heat gain. If temperatures are extreme in either direction and the outage is expected to be extended, identify a shelter option early rather than waiting until you're uncomfortable.

Communication and Information

Check your utility's outage map online for an estimated restoration time. Most major utilities publish live outage maps. If cell service is degraded due to tower load, text messages often get through when calls fail. A battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio provides updates without consuming your phone battery.

If It Lasts More Than 4 Hours

A four-hour outage crosses into territory where active management matters:

• Refrigerated medications: Insulin, immunotherapy drugs, and biologics have specific safe windows outside refrigeration. Most insulin is safe at room temperature below 77°F for up to 28 days. See our refrigerated medication guide for specifics by medication type.
• Sump pump: If rain is continuing, check the sump pit every 30-60 minutes. Manual removal with a wet-dry vacuum buys time if the pit is filling.
• Medical devices: CPAP machine batteries and portable power stations should be deployed now if the outage will run through the night. See our medical device guide for specific runtime estimates.
• Phone charging: Conserve battery by reducing screen brightness, turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and enabling low-power mode. A car charger provides emergency charging if needed.

If It Lasts More Than 24 Hours

Extended outages require a different mindset. The utility restoration timeline for widespread outages - storms, equipment failures, heat events - is measured in days, not hours.

• Food decisions: After 24 hours without power, most refrigerated food needs to go. Frozen food that still has ice crystals can be refrozen when power returns. When in doubt, discard it.
• Generator safety: If using a gas generator, it must be operated at least 20 feet from any door, window, or vent. Carbon monoxide kills silently and quickly indoors. Never run a generator in a garage, even with the door open.
• Neighbor coordination: Share information on estimated restoration times. Elderly neighbors or those with medical needs may need assistance.

What to Buy Before the Next Outage

The time to prepare is not during a storm warning - it's the week after you've experienced an outage. Here's the priority order by impact:

1. UPS for modem and router ($60-100) - prevents internet loss during brief outages, the most common disruption
2. Portable power station for critical loads - sized based on what you actually need to run. Use our free calculator for a specific recommendation
3. Battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio - works when cell service is degraded
4. Sump pump backup - if you have a basement, this is non-negotiable. See our sump pump guide

Frequently Asked Questions