As we head into hurricane season, power outages become a concern. Power outages can be caused by many circumstances. An outage, or “blackout,” occurs when something interrupts the flow of electricity to the end-user, and an outage can affect a few homes or an entire city —sometimes lasting for days.
Here are some of the things that can cause your power to go out:
LIGHTNING
Lightning looks for the quickest path to the ground. It generally searches for the tallest object to serve as a conductor. Utility poles, wires, transformers and other electrical equipment are easy targets for lightning strikes, causing severe damage and loss of power. Lightning also frequently strikes trees causing tree limbs or even large trees to fall onto utility lines.
WIND
Wind may cause power lines to swing together resulting in a fault or short circuit that interrupts service. Strong wind can blow tree limbs or entire trees into power lines causing them to fall to the ground. Severe winds can even break power lines and utility poles, bringing down extensive portions of the infrastructure that delivers power.
RAIN & FLOODING
Heavy rain and melting snow can cause flooding in some areas. Flooding can damage both overhead and underground electrical equipment. If high waters flood an electrical sub-stations (where electricity is distributed to various neighborhoods), the utility company will shut down the power to prevent damage to their equipment, and if the electricity to your home runs through that substation, you’ll be out of luck until the utility company can safely restore service.
Other Causes of Outages
Vehicle Accidents — If an automobile accident to involve a pole, knocking it over or damaging the power line.
Small Animals — Squirrels and other small animals have been known to chew through power lines, which can result in the electrocution of the animal and a quick surge of electrical power that damages the power line and causes an outage.
Falling Trees & Branches — Falling trees and branches which land on power lines are a recurring cause of power outages. Trees can also trigger outages if they’re growing directly below a power line.
Snow & Ice –– Fortunately in the Southeastern U.S. this is not that much of an issue
Whatever the reason for losing power, A1A Solar has a range of solutions to meet your needs from solar panels to back up batteries, we offer whole home power solutions. Plan ahead! Contact us today to discuss what is best for you.
As we head into hurricane season, power outages become a concern. Power outages can be caused by many circumstances. An outage, or “blackout,” occurs when something interrupts the flow of electricity to the end-user, and an outage can affect a few homes or an entire city —sometimes lasting for days.
