Electric power has become a crucial part of modern day life. We depend on it for our work, leisure, health, and economy. It doesn’t come as a surprise that power outages can cause a variety of chaotic problems, including monetary setbacks and life-threatening situations.
According to the Edison Electric Institute, about 70% of power outages in the U.S. are caused by weather. Lightening, rain, snow, hail and wind are among the main causes of these types of failures. Natural disasters, however, have a history of causing the world’s most severe power outages.
The numbers show that animals account for another 11% of power outages in the U.S. This could be a bird coming into contact with a power line, for example. The remaining 19% are manmade outages, which include car and construction accidents with power poles and lines, maintenance from utilities, or simple human error.
There are different types of power failures with varying causes and effects. The most severe is a blackout, which is a complete loss of power to a geographic area. Restoring power is often a complicated task, where utilities and power stations have to work together to fix the root cause. However, the timeframe for repair can vary depending on the actual problem, and many homes are often left without power for significant stretches of time. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy affected the power supply of more than 8 million customers, causing havoc in many homes.
As we become more dependent on electronics in our daily lives, the installation of backup power is becoming increasing common in corporate buildings, manufacturing, and residential houses. A power outage is never convenient, and the best possible protection for these situations is to install a backup generator, which can provide power to your home for up to eight days during a blackout.
