Getting Ready for Storm Season and Long Outages in Central and Southside Virginia

Central and Southside Virginia get every kind of outage weather: summer thunderstorms with high winds, the remnants of hurricanes, and winter ice that brings down trees and lines across whole counties. Rural lines can take days to restore. A little preparation keeps your family safe and comfortable, and protects your home and equipment.

Before the Storm

• Make a plan for anyone who depends on powered medical equipment, and tell your utility if they offer a medical needs registry.
• Know your panel: where it is and how to switch off the main.
• Charge phones, battery packs and flashlights; have batteries on hand.
• Water: if you’re on a well, an outage means no water. Fill containers before the storm.
• Food: keep the refrigerator and freezer closed; a full freezer stays cold longer.
• Trim trees near your service drop and the house, but leave trees near power lines to your utility.
• Protect equipment: whole-home surge protection and surge strips for electronics. See surge protection.

Backup Power, Done Safely

A home standby generator starts on its own and runs on gas or propane. A portable generator connected through an inlet and interlock or transfer switch keeps essentials running. Battery backup handles short outages silently.

The rules that save lives:

• Run generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors, windows and vents. Never in a garage, basement, crawlspace or porch.
• Install battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms on every level.
• Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Backfeeding can kill utility workers and damage your home.
• Let a generator cool before refueling.

During the Outage

• Report the outage to your utility (Appalachian Power, Dominion Energy or your cooperative).
• Turn off or unplug sensitive equipment and large appliances, to avoid a surge when power returns. Leave one light on so you know when it’s back.
• Use flashlights, not candles.
• Stay far away from downed lines, and anything they’re touching. Assume they’re live.
• Don’t drive through flooded roads.

After the Storm

• If your home has water in it, don’t turn power back on until it’s been checked. See electrical safety after a storm or flood.
• If the service mast, meter or the line to your house is damaged, the utility handles the line, but the mast and meter base are usually the owner’s responsibility and need an electrician before reconnection.
• Check your surge protector’s indicator light after lightning.
• If lights are dim or unusually bright after power returns, call; it can mean a damaged neutral.

Ready for the next outage? Book a visit on our booking page to talk through backup power for your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far should a generator be from the house?

Public health guidance says at least 20 feet, with the exhaust pointed away from doors, windows and vents.

Who fixes a damaged service mast after a storm?

The utility handles its line, but the mast and meter base on your house are usually yours and need a licensed electrician to repair before the utility reconnects.

Should I unplug things during an outage?

Yes, unplug sensitive electronics and turn off large appliances to protect them from surges when power comes back.

What size generator do I need for an outage?

It depends on what you want to run. Our generator guides explain how sizing works for portable and standby units.

Helping Our Neighbors Weather the Storm

Our licensed, insured, background-checked electricians install backup power and repair storm damage across Lynchburg, Roanoke, Danville, Martinsville and the surrounding counties. See our home power solutions.