Causes of Blackouts in the Home

In 2018, the most recent year for which we could find data, more than 1.1 million people in Australia were affected by power outages. Were you one of them?

In today’s technological world, power outages are extremely inconvenient and can even be scary. What causes blackouts in the home? What problems might you face? 

Let’s find out.

External Causes of Blackouts

All the wiring in your home could be just fine, yet the power still goes out because of an external factor. Here are a few examples.

Unpaid Bill

This is a bit embarrassing, but it can happen to anyone. If you’re the only one without power it doesn’t hurt to check and see if you paid your bill.

Storms

In 2018, 40% of all power outages in Australia were caused by storms or falling trees. Batten down the hatches and charge up your electronic devices if you hear that a lightning storm or cyclone is on the way.

Vehicle Crashes

On occasion, a distracted or drunk driver can plough into a power pole, causing damage and turning off the lights for those in the area.

Animals

Most electrical equipment has built-in protections to keep out animals as much as possible. However, it is still possible for small animals to get in and get crispy, causing short circuits that damage equipment and cause a blackout. 

Internal Causes of Blackouts

Aside from external factors, something may go wrong with the electrical equipment inside your home. A few common examples include the following.

Blown Fuse

Had you just turned on an appliance when the blackout occurred? Fuses are small devices designed to blow out and break the circuit if a power problem occurs. This protects the rest of your equipment from being damaged. If this is the trouble, all you’ll have to do is replace the blown fuse.

Broken Circuit Breakers

Similar to fuses, circuit breakers will trip if something funky is going on with the power in your home. When they do, you can simply switch it back on. However, if a circuit breaker keeps tripping (and you haven’t overloaded the circuit) there may be a problem with it. In this case, call an electrician to examine and replace your circuit breaker. 

Overloading Power Boards

Power boards are great for maximizing the number of outlets you have available to use. However, just because they have several places to plug things in, doesn’t mean you have to use all of them. Plugging in multiple appliances or electronics drawing power can cause an overload and blackout. 

Problems Caused by Blackouts

A blackout in your home can cause problems ranging from spoiling food in the refrigerator to keeping you from being able to work from home. Be sure to always have the number for a reliable local electrician on hand to help you out in an emergency.