Power cut at home? What to do first, keep food safe and who to call

Most power cuts are fixed within a few hours (BBK). The steps below keep you safe in the first minutes, save your food, and get the right people working on it. Advice differs between countries, so the table near the end shows each one.

First minutes: is it just you?

1. Look at your neighbours' lights, or the street lights.

   

   National Grid's first check is to speak to your neighbours or, at night, look at the street lights. If they're dark too, it's a wider power cut and nothing in your home is at fault.

   You should see: either other homes lit up (the problem is yours), or everything dark (the problem is the area).

2. If only your home is dark, check the trip switch in your fuse box.

   

   Make sure the trip switch is in the on position. If it has tripped, switch off all your appliances and then try to reset it (National Grid). Our guide to resetting a tripped RCD shows how to find the faulty appliance.

   If the switch is already on, it's not your fuse box: report the power cut (National Grid).

3. Switch off anything that heats up, and unplug delicate electronics.

   

   BBK says to switch off the cooker, oven, iron, coffee machine, kettle, electric blankets and fan heaters straight away, so they don't start up unattended when the power returns. Ready.gov says to unplug electronics too, because power can come back with surges that damage them, and National Grid says the same for computers and other sensitive equipment.

   Leave one lamp switched on, so you notice the moment the power is back.

4. Report it to the people who run the power lines.

   

   Call the network operator, not the company you pay your bill to:

   • Great Britain: 105, free, from most landlines and mobiles (Warwickshire County Council, Ofgem). If your prepayment meter is the problem, contact your supplier instead (Ofgem).
   • Germany: your local network operator (Stromnetzbetreiber) has information on the cut and how long it may last. Don't call 112 or 110 just to ask (BBK).
   • US: call your power company, and always report fallen power lines to it (CDC).
   • Pakistan: the Power Division's free 118 helpline takes electricity complaints in seven languages (APP). In Karachi, K-Electric's 118 runs 24/7, or text COMP to 8119 (K-Electric).

5. Use a torch, not candles.

   

   National Grid advises against candles and paraffin heaters, and CDC says to use battery torches and lanterns instead. If you do use candles, never leave them burning unattended (CDC), and air the room regularly (BBK).

Food and medicine

1. Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut.

   

   A closed fridge stays cold for up to about 4 hours. A full freezer keeps food frozen for about 48 hours, and a half-full one for about 24 (Food Standards Agency). A cut of under 4 hours is unlikely to affect chilled or frozen food (Food Standards Agency).

2. Check the fridge temperature if the cut goes on.

   

   A fridge thermometer tells you if it has got too warm. If it reaches 8°C or above, eat chilled food within 4 hours, or throw it away after that unless the power comes back (Food Standards Agency).

   US advice uses 40°F (about 4°C): throw out food that's been at 40°F or warmer for more than 2 hours (Ready.gov).

3. In cold weather, follow your country's advice on storing food outside.

   

   The UK and the US disagree here. The Food Standards Agency says that if it's below 8°C outside, you can keep food outside in a clean, dry, sealed box, out of the sun and away from animals. FEMA says not to store food outside or in the snow in cold weather.

4. Plan for medicines that need the fridge, and for medical equipment.

   

   If the power has been off for a day or more, replace medicines that should be kept cold, unless the label says otherwise, and call your doctor or pharmacist (Ready.gov, CDC). If a life depends on a medicine that has warmed up, keep using it until you have a new supply (CDC).

   If you use medical equipment, check whether it has a backup battery (National Grid).

Stay warm and safe

1. Choose one room, close the doors, and wrap up.

   

   BBK says to stay in one room, keep the doors shut, and use warm clothes and blankets. Air the room regularly anyway, especially if candles are burning (BBK).

   In extreme heat or cold, go to a place that has power, such as a community heating or cooling centre (Ready.gov).

2. Careful: never use a barbecue or grill indoors: BBK warns of a risk of suffocation.

   Cook only with something made for it, and never heat the home with a gas cooker.

   

   BBK suggests a camping stove for small meals. US advice is stricter: use camp stoves and charcoal grills only outdoors, at least 20 feet (6 m) from windows and doors (Ready.gov). Never use a gas cooker or oven to heat your home (Ready.gov).

   The Food Standards Agency adds that most camping and bottled gas stoves are for outdoor use only: follow the maker's instructions.

3. If you have a generator, run it outside, well away from the house.

   

   Generators must never be run indoors, because of the fumes (BBK). Keep them at least 20 feet (6 m) from windows, doors and attached garages, keep them dry, and let them cool before refuelling (Ready.gov). Have a working carbon monoxide alarm on every level of the home (Ready.gov).

   Only an electrician should connect a generator to your home's wiring (BBK).

4. Save your phone battery, and keep up with the news.

   

   A charged power bank keeps your phone going (BBK). Turn on battery saving: on an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy or a Google Pixel.

   Cordless home phones usually stop working without power (National Grid). A battery or wind-up radio gives you official updates (BBK, National Grid).

5. Check on neighbours who might need help.

   

   Check on older, very ill or disabled neighbours: are they warm, and is their medical equipment working (National Grid)? BBK suggests talking to neighbours, since they may need help or be able to help you.

When it comes back, and next time

1. Stay away from fallen lines and damaged equipment.

   

   Never touch a fallen power line, and report it to the power company (CDC). In Pakistan, Rescue 1122 says to stay away from fallen wires, electric poles and transformers, and anything electrical standing in water (APP).

   If you see sparks or frayed wires, or smell burning, when the power comes back, switch off at the main switch (CDC).

2. Check your food: when in doubt, throw it out.

   

   Throw out chilled food that has an odd smell, colour or texture (Ready.gov). Frozen food that still has ice crystals can be refrozen or cooked, but throw out anything that has thawed (CDC).

3. Get ready for next time.

   

   • UK: if someone at home relies on electricity for medical reasons, join your network operator's free Priority Services Register. Operators must offer extra help, such as battery packs (Ofgem).
   • Germany: ask your town hall where to get help and make an emergency call if the phone network fails. Many places call these points Katastrophenschutz-Leuchttürme (BBK).
   • Pakistan: register with K-Electric by texting REG and your 13-digit account number to 8119 for outage updates (K-Electric).
   • Everywhere: build a home emergency kit.

What each country says

If something isn't right

Our carbon monoxide alarm guide explains what each beep means.