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Most people are familiar with the disruptive nature of blackouts and how they can wreak havoc on businesses, leading to prolonged power loss and often costly damages for those who are unprepared or ill-equipped to handle them.

But many people aren’t as familiar with their seemingly-less-severe sister, brownouts, which are essentially the polar opposite. Brownouts are defined as a reduction in electricity, as opposed to a complete power loss. But don’t be fooled by the milder name. While in karate a brown belt isn’t as big of a deal as a black belt, when it comes to Mother Nature, a brownout can be just as damaging as a blackout, causing major high-tech electrical items such as computers and televisions to either malfunction or shut off completely.

And while brownouts tend to have a variety of triggers including bad weather and overloaded power grids, they generally pose the greatest threat in the summertime when temperatures begin to skyrocket. So be sure to prepare yourself for the warmer months ahead with our tips for what to do during a brownout.

Reduce Power Consumption                                                             

During a brownout, you’ll want to be sure to reduce power consumption as much as possible.  Although it’s pretty difficult to determine the length of a brownout in advance, your best bet is to reduce power as best you can. Since brownouts are caused by a lack of electricity, using less power can lessen the time it takes to return to normal.

But this doesn’t mean you need to sit in a pitch-black house completely shut off from the outside world until the brownout subsides. The key is to turn off any major appliances, including washing machines, televisions, air conditioners, or anything that requires a large amount of power to run, but still leave on the lights or other essentials so that you can function.

 

Be Prepared for a Blackout

You’ll also want to prepare yourself, both physically and mentally, for a full-on blackout. If power consumption isn’t reduced to a significant enough degree, that either means the brownout will be prolonged, or it may eventually become a blackout situation.  Check out our tips for preparing for a prolonged power outage so that you’ll stay connected and protected in the event of a long outage.

 

Use a Generator

Your best bet for dealing with a brownout or a blackout is to have a reliable generator on-site. That way, you won’t have to worry about the length or impact of your power outage, because you’ll be equipped with a steady source of power at the ready. In fact, on a particularly hot day, you may even want to turn off your power and use a generator just to be safe.

So if you’re serious about keeping the power on and your operations running at their peak at all times, get in touch for a free generator assessment and we’ll assess your power needs and determine the best option for you.

 

 

Kristopher Schwind is the proud owner of National Standby Repair.