Florida Storm Season Preparation: Electrical Safety Tips You Must Know
Storm season isn’t something homeowners in Pensacola can afford to ignore. Between power outages, flooding, and electrical surges, hurricanes can do serious damage. While boarding up windows and stocking supplies are often top of mind, your electrical system deserves just as much attention.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through what can go wrong during a storm and share practical tips on keeping your home and family safe and powered during the storm season.
What Can Go Wrong During a Storm?
With storm season on the horizon, knowing what can go wrong ahead of time helps you take the right steps to protect your family and avoid costly repairs.
Let’s look at the most common electrical hazards storms can cause:
Widespread Power Outages: Florida's power grid often takes a heavy hit during hurricane season. In some cases, entire neighborhoods can lose power for days or even weeks. For families relying on electricity for medical equipment, that downtime can become dangerous fast.
Power Surges and Spikes: Storms can trigger sudden voltage spikes that fry appliances, destroy electronics, and permanently damage your HVAC system. A single lightning strike near your home can send a surge through your wiring in seconds.
Water and Electrical Hazards: Hurricane-related flooding brings one of the most dangerous combinations into your home: water and electricity. Wet outlets, submerged wiring, or moisture in your breaker panel can lead to shock, fire hazards, or worse. Without a safe setup, even turning your power back on after a storm can be risky.
General Electrical Tips to Prepare for Storm Season
Staying ahead of these issues starts with smart preparation. Here are some practical electrical safety tips to help you prepare for storm season:
Schedule a Professional Electrical Inspection: Electrical issues like outdated wiring, overloaded circuits, or rusted panels can be hard to notice. But during a storm, those weak points can turn into expensive repair costs—or worse. Have a certified electrician inspect your home ahead of storm season so you can catch and address small issues before they become costly or dangerous problems.
Install a Backup Power System: Hurricanes tend to cause massive destruction, sometimes knocking down electrical lines. This may mean losing power for hours, days, or even weeks. To avoid the frustration, consider investing in a backup power source, like a generator or solar battery system, to keep your refrigerator, lights, outlets, and even your HVAC running.
Use Surge Protection Throughout Your Home: Even if you have surge protectors plugged into your walls, it’s a good idea to install whole-home surge protection. It’s installed directly into your electrical panel and offers protection for major systems (like HVAC, appliances, and smart tech) against powerful voltage spikes.
Unplug Electronics Before the Storm Hits: Even if you have surge protection, it’s still smart to unplug any non-essential electronics and appliances before a storm. TVs, computers, and game systems are especially vulnerable to lightning-related surges. Unplugging these items not only prevents damage but also reduces the risk of a fire if a voltage spike occurs.
Electrical Safety Tips During and After a Storm
Once the storm is here or as it passes, you may need to shift from prep mode to safety mode. Here’s how to protect your family and your home during and after severe weather:
Avoid Touching Wet Electrical Equipment: If water gets into your home, stay far away from outlets, cords, or breaker panels that may have been exposed. Even standing water near a plug or power strip can be dangerous. If you’re unsure about something, it’s a good idea to call a licensed electrician to assess the situation before turning the power back on.
Never Use a Generator Indoors: Portable generators release carbon monoxide, an odorless gas that can be deadly in enclosed spaces. As such, they must be used outside only—ideally at least 20 feet away from your home, with the exhaust pointed away from doors and windows. If this feels like too much to manage in an emergency, consider a standby generator that automatically restores power when the grid is down.
Stay Clear of Downed Power Lines: After the storm passes, you may see debris, damaged poles, or fallen wires. Never assume a downed line is inactive. Call your utility provider or emergency services to report it. If your home’s lines are affected, don’t attempt to inspect or fix them yourself—this is a job for trained professionals only.
Wait for the All-Clear to Restore Power: Even if the lights are out, wait to flip any breakers or reset power until your home has been cleared for safety. If you’ve had any water intrusion or suspect damage to your electrical system, call a licensed electrician before restoring power.
Stay Powered and Protected with KingAire
KingAire is a certified electrical contractor and a trusted supplier of a range of backup solutions for a wide range of needs. To learn more, contact us or call us at (850)-466-8984. Our team will be happy to help you choose, install, and maintain backup power solutions tailored to your specific needs.