@brhfl I work at a cable company that supports several areas in the Houston, TX area. We have to check for power often, because often times, we're up and running but no power to the individual homes. I was shocked at the amount of power outages that happen there. Dozens and dozens a day, sometimes hundreds. It's very common to have a whole home generator down there.
@brhfl If the lights come back on before you have time to pull out today's sale, find out the batteries are dead (or missing) and go find working batteries, that's too short to count as an outage in Texas.
The power went out in our neighborhood this past summer for the first time in the 9 years we've lived here. It was out from about 3 in the afternoon on a Sunday until about 3 am Monday morning. It was hot and quiet in the house with no A/C; only cold leftovers for food with no working microwave; and nothing to do without any working electronics (limited use of computer, iPad, & phone to conserve battery life). We had no idea when the power would come back on since the electric company's estimates of when power would be restored kept sliding further and further out. So we didn't know if it would be out for another hour or another week. We drove around in the car to cool off and do a little bit of recharge of the electronics. But it was terrifying trying to come up with resourceful ways to keep me and the dogs cool, and entertained, and trying to keep our minds off of the possibility of a long term power outage. I realized then and there that even as tough and resourceful as I think that I am, I would never make it in a zombie apocalypse. That's right - I'm just one long-term power outage away from being zombie food.
@pepsiwine totally agree. A big thunderstorm rolled through a couple months ago and we didn't have power for about three days. We had to go out to eat since our stove and oven are electric and I realized I would never survive any kind of real disaster/apocalypse.
@JonT Jesus, THREE days!?! You're a better Zombie Apocalypser than I am. A few more hours of my power outage and me and my dogs would've been in a hotel. I thought I was being clever: I brought a bunch of the solar yard lights in from the yard to light up the rooms in my house. But those bastards ran down in a couple hours. It still doesn't mean I'm buying tonight's meh offering, though. I'm gonna roll the dice and hope that our neighborhood doesn't have any more power outages for a LONG time to come. Hence, I just saved myself $10! :)
I'm in northern Florida. Once or twice a month we lose power for short periods (up to 3 hours, say) whenever some idiot driver takes out a power-line pole.
However, having ridden out four or five hurricanes in the last mumblety-mumblety years, some of which included up to three days without power, I rather obsessively collect flashlights and little lanterns. And solar chargers for phones.
@Dmac3209 That's 'cause your entire city is in renovation mode! All that road work is bound to result in line cuts with deplorable frequency. We drove down a few months ago to meet friends for lunch (Catch 27. Mmmm!) and were astonished at the amount of disruption in the Old City section. Perhaps the frequency of outages will abate after the work is finished?
About once a year here in Northern VA because we have above-ground power lines and trees fall on them during storms. I have a 6500 watt diesel generator that I use to back-feed the house, which is sufficient to run all of the appliances (including central A/C!) except the electric dryer as if nothing had happened.
Where I live now, very rarely. I've lived here for 7 years and can only remember 1 full outage. We do get the occasional brownout though. Just across the valley where I work though there's a different power company, and we seem to lose power there at least once a year and get brownouts almost every month.
None of the options is sufficient for the once or twice a month our power goes out. Electricity is our least reliable utility; since the cable modem has battery backup, phone and internet are more reliable. Outages range from a few seconds to several hours, so at least we don't have the multi-day failures some areas suffer through (yet.)
Our power went out briefly today. I knew because when I came home the microwave's clock was off and the LIFX lights were on. Major storms invariably bring power outages. Our longest was six days, but that was fourteen years ago. In the past five years the longest was three-plus days. Luckily, the long outages are usually caused by snow so we can put all the perishables outside and they're fine. Our heat is propane so we don't freeze to death.
A couple years ago, someone crashed into a power pole about 30 minutes away. It took out power, telephone service, and cell coverage for our entire area. Luckily I had a battery-powered radio so we could find out what was going on.
Outages here multiple times a years. Two months ago power went out for 12 hours during snow storm, and then days later for 4 hours...prior to that a severe power surge that fried many of my appliances, electric meter, outlets, etc. Electric company denied it until I showed them pic of my blown meter..others around me had meters blow up form the surge.. Have two generators, one 2000 watt inverter generator for sensitive electronics and a 5000 watt generator for all else.
It's Michigan. We have big storms once in a while. That's what generators are for. Digging the generators out of the barn, or going to the bathroom first, requires some light. This Girl Scout is prepared.
@kippyj Our outages at home are from "straight-line winds," all-out tornadoes, those motorists some mentioned, and grid/substation problems. Brief outages 5/6 times/yr. Most of day or overnight (or longer) 3-4 times/yr. It's not quiet here when power goes out. 5 houses within 2 blocks have big generators--LOUD! These are times for using the ever-dependable land line phones for lots of "You got power?" "How much appliance damage?" calls. And about squirrels--very real. Have worked on 2 college campuses with old buildings where fried squirrels have been discovered after they chewed through wires--interesting how much damage comes from subsequent domino effect takedown of a large connected power system.
Not including hurricanes and thunderstorms, at least a couple times a year due to "squirrels". Seriously, once when we had a power outage on a fine day, I asked around about the cause. The answer we were given was "squirrels".
Power never goes out at my house. Not since the automatic generator was installed, anyway. Use to be two or three times a year, and for a long period after a hurricane.
We used to lose power during pretty much every storm, then Hurricane Irene decided to uproot a tree and set in on the ancient power lines in front of my neighbor's house. We were out of power for half a day while they replaced lines and poles, and now we rarely lose power. Thanks Irene!
Luckily I don't life too far out but when the power goes out it's usually gone for a few hours... I'd say maybe 20 hours/year. However I know of other people that lose power for weeks at a time due to where they live.
Charlotte, NC area here. We lose power a few times in the summer (storms bringing trees), and usually once a winter (ice bringing down trees), but usually only for a short run of hours. There was, however, the unbelievably nasty ice storm of 2002 that left us without electricity for 9 straight days (with no high temps above 25 for the duration). That. sucked.
Power lines are mostly underground here, so not that often. We had some flickers in the recent winds but for the most part, lights on! Which is good, since resetting the clocks is optional but resetting all the timers for the fish tank lights is a PITA. Longest outage was just shy of 24 hours, during Hurricane Sandy. Given neighbors were out for up to 8 days...no complaints.
Wow.. When Katrina hit us in S. Florida, we were out for about a week. Then Wilma came by a few weeks later, good 2 1/2 weeks.. You all are wimps with all this "1 hour power is out - got to check into a motel" crap
A couple of times a year also when I haven't paid the electric bill, I think this is an obvious answer when the electric bill is not paid of the house.
You Texans must be spoiled if 'a couple of times a year' is the ceiling of this list…
@brhfl I work at a cable company that supports several areas in the Houston, TX area. We have to check for power often, because often times, we're up and running but no power to the individual homes. I was shocked at the amount of power outages that happen there. Dozens and dozens a day, sometimes hundreds. It's very common to have a whole home generator down there.
@brhfl If the lights come back on before you have time to pull out today's sale, find out the batteries are dead (or missing) and go find working batteries, that's too short to count as an outage in Texas.
I live out in the sticks, power goes out often, internet too.
@mehbee twice this week here.
Where the F do you guys live?? India?
The power went out in our neighborhood this past summer for the first time in the 9 years we've lived here. It was out from about 3 in the afternoon on a Sunday until about 3 am Monday morning. It was hot and quiet in the house with no A/C; only cold leftovers for food with no working microwave; and nothing to do without any working electronics (limited use of computer, iPad, & phone to conserve battery life). We had no idea when the power would come back on since the electric company's estimates of when power would be restored kept sliding further and further out. So we didn't know if it would be out for another hour or another week. We drove around in the car to cool off and do a little bit of recharge of the electronics. But it was terrifying trying to come up with resourceful ways to keep me and the dogs cool, and entertained, and trying to keep our minds off of the possibility of a long term power outage. I realized then and there that even as tough and resourceful as I think that I am, I would never make it in a zombie apocalypse. That's right - I'm just one long-term power outage away from being zombie food.
@pepsiwine totally agree. A big thunderstorm rolled through a couple months ago and we didn't have power for about three days. We had to go out to eat since our stove and oven are electric and I realized I would never survive any kind of real disaster/apocalypse.
@JonT Jesus, THREE days!?! You're a better Zombie Apocalypser than I am. A few more hours of my power outage and me and my dogs would've been in a hotel.
I thought I was being clever: I brought a bunch of the solar yard lights in from the yard to light up the rooms in my house. But those bastards ran down in a couple hours.
It still doesn't mean I'm buying tonight's meh offering, though. I'm gonna roll the dice and hope that our neighborhood doesn't have any more power outages for a LONG time to come. Hence, I just saved myself $10! :)
I'm in northern Florida. Once or twice a month we lose power for short periods (up to 3 hours, say) whenever some idiot driver takes out a power-line pole.
However, having ridden out four or five hurricanes in the last mumblety-mumblety years, some of which included up to three days without power, I rather obsessively collect flashlights and little lanterns. And solar chargers for phones.
@magic_cave St Augustine Florida area loses power once a week or more for anywhere between 1 minute and 4 hours.
@Dmac3209 That's 'cause your entire city is in renovation mode! All that road work is bound to result in line cuts with deplorable frequency. We drove down a few months ago to meet friends for lunch (Catch 27. Mmmm!) and were astonished at the amount of disruption in the Old City section. Perhaps the frequency of outages will abate after the work is finished?
About once a year here in Northern VA because we have above-ground power lines and trees fall on them during storms. I have a 6500 watt diesel generator that I use to back-feed the house, which is sufficient to run all of the appliances (including central A/C!) except the electric dryer as if nothing had happened.
I didn't see an option for "Bimonthly, and more when it's stormy"
Where I live now, very rarely. I've lived here for 7 years and can only remember 1 full outage. We do get the occasional brownout though. Just across the valley where I work though there's a different power company, and we seem to lose power there at least once a year and get brownouts almost every month.
None of the options is sufficient for the once or twice a month our power goes out. Electricity is our least reliable utility; since the cable modem has battery backup, phone and internet are more reliable. Outages range from a few seconds to several hours, so at least we don't have the multi-day failures some areas suffer through (yet.)
I have clocks that I've given up resetting.
Our power went out briefly today. I knew because when I came home the microwave's clock was off and the LIFX lights were on. Major storms invariably bring power outages. Our longest was six days, but that was fourteen years ago. In the past five years the longest was three-plus days. Luckily, the long outages are usually caused by snow so we can put all the perishables outside and they're fine. Our heat is propane so we don't freeze to death.
A couple years ago, someone crashed into a power pole about 30 minutes away. It took out power, telephone service, and cell coverage for our entire area. Luckily I had a battery-powered radio so we could find out what was going on.
Outages here multiple times a years. Two months ago power went out for 12 hours during snow storm, and then days later for 4 hours...prior to that a severe power surge that fried many of my appliances, electric meter, outlets, etc. Electric company denied it until I showed them pic of my blown meter..others around me had meters blow up form the surge.. Have two generators, one 2000 watt inverter generator for sensitive electronics and a 5000 watt generator for all else.
It's Michigan. We have big storms once in a while. That's what generators are for. Digging the generators out of the barn, or going to the bathroom first, requires some light. This Girl Scout is prepared.
@kippyj Our outages at home are from "straight-line winds," all-out tornadoes, those motorists some mentioned, and grid/substation problems. Brief outages 5/6 times/yr. Most of day or overnight (or longer) 3-4 times/yr. It's not quiet here when power goes out. 5 houses within 2 blocks have big generators--LOUD! These are times for using the ever-dependable land line phones for lots of "You got power?" "How much appliance damage?" calls. And about squirrels--very real. Have worked on 2 college campuses with old buildings where fried squirrels have been discovered after they chewed through wires--interesting how much damage comes from subsequent domino effect takedown of a large connected power system.
On the 17th, like clockwork.
XD
@PocketBrain Pay your bill on the 16th from now on...
Not including hurricanes and thunderstorms, at least a couple times a year due to "squirrels". Seriously, once when we had a power outage on a fine day, I asked around about the cause. The answer we were given was "squirrels".
@sjk3 No matter what, the answer given is always "squirrels."
@sjk3 Squirrel!!
Power never goes out at my house. Not since the automatic generator was installed, anyway. Use to be two or three times a year, and for a long period after a hurricane.
We used to lose power during pretty much every storm, then Hurricane Irene decided to uproot a tree and set in on the ancient power lines in front of my neighbor's house. We were out of power for half a day while they replaced lines and poles, and now we rarely lose power. Thanks Irene!
Blinking on and off today. Thank you Texas for sending your weather to Mississippi.
Luckily I don't life too far out but when the power goes out it's usually gone for a few hours... I'd say maybe 20 hours/year. However I know of other people that lose power for weeks at a time due to where they live.
Charlotte, NC area here. We lose power a few times in the summer (storms bringing trees), and usually once a winter (ice bringing down trees), but usually only for a short run of hours. There was, however, the unbelievably nasty ice storm of 2002 that left us without electricity for 9 straight days (with no high temps above 25 for the duration).
That. sucked.
Thanks global warming
Power lines are mostly underground here, so not that often. We had some flickers in the recent winds but for the most part, lights on! Which is good, since resetting the clocks is optional but resetting all the timers for the fish tank lights is a PITA. Longest outage was just shy of 24 hours, during Hurricane Sandy. Given neighbors were out for up to 8 days...no complaints.
Wow.. When Katrina hit us in S. Florida, we were out for about a week. Then Wilma came by a few weeks later, good 2 1/2 weeks.. You all are wimps with all this "1 hour power is out - got to check into a motel" crap
Naturally, the day I answer "Once every couple of years" is the day we have a power outage. 4:15am central is the new estimated time to restore...
A couple of times a year also when I haven't paid the electric bill, I think this is an obvious answer when the electric bill is not paid of the house.
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