If you’re like us, you are proud of the artwork you’ve chosen to adorn the walls of your home or business. A framed movie poster, an original oil painting, or even a stylish wall hanging all serve to bring color, and life to a room. Make sure that the images that have been so carefully selected are seen in their full splendor with the right lighting.

Picture this scenario: you’re sitting at home with your family watching television and enjoying an otherwise run-of-the-mill evening. Then, all of a sudden, *poof*! Your power goes out, leaving you in the dark.

Here’s a quick question: do you know what to do when this happens?

Have a look at our guide to understand your best course of action after an outage. That way, you can keep you and your family safe no matter the situation.

When the power first goes out, take the following steps:

This is a non-issue if there’s a power interruption. But in cases of extreme weather or other emergencies, guarantee the bodily safety of you and your family first.

If you have telephone or cellular service, a quick call to the power company can give you information on the cause, extent and estimated restoration time for an outage.

Depending on the expected outage time, you may want to put a plan in action for your food/water. If the outage is less than two hours, food in your refrigerator and freezer will be fine. After that, however, temperatures may rise high enough to cause food-borne illness. To minimize the risk, avoid opening and closing the refrigerator as much as possible.

In most power outages, municipal water should remain unaffected. However, extreme weather or extended outages could compromise water safety. In cases like this, it’s recommended to avoid using it for anything that could come in contact with your mouth or body:

If possible, use boiled or bottled water to avoid the risk of getting sick.

If an outage knocks out air conditioning during hot weather, your risk of heat stroke will increase significantly. It’s important to identify the signs of heat stroke and address it as soon as it happens. Symptoms include hot/red skin, dizziness or nausea, headaches, rapid heartbeat and a high body temperature.

To reduce the risk of heat stroke, follow these guidelines:

Just like the heat, a prolonged power outage in the cold can quickly create an emergency situation. This holds especially true with most in-home heating systems that rely on electricity in some capacity.

Remaining warm is especially important in these situations. One of the largest risks with prolonged exposure to cold is hypothermia. Signs of hypothermia risk include cold skin, shivering and a body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Without proper steps in place, hypothermia can quickly escalate into a life-threatening situation.

Maintaining a warm environment is the most important step in a cold temperature power outage. Use all the following tips to keep your family safe in the cold:

Despite the fact that our electrical systems are one of the most important and most dangerous components of our homes and businesses, most homeowners avoid calling an electrician, especially if they think that they can tackle an issue themselves. Furthermore, there are many handymen and other non-licensed workers who will readily take on many electrical tasks although they do not have the proper licensure. Though in some cases, this can work out fine, choosing to go the least expensive route when it comes to your electrical system can result in some serious issues and reduced home electrical safety.

Here are some of the things that can occur if your electrical work is done by anyone other than a licensed electrician in Beverly Hills:

Whatever the outcome, hiring a non-professional to perform electrical work on your home can result in some very dangerous situations. Though it may cost more up front, working with The Electric Connection (Click Here) will save you the time and cost required to fix any improper work or damaged caused by an unlicensed electrician.