Power outages at commercial properties are much more disruptive than at residential homes. Businesses might lose significant income while unable to perform their duties, and tenants can all have their daily routines ruined at once. While not all power outages are preventable or the fault of the commercial property owner or manager, you should take steps to ensure the property is ready to face any electrical challenges and bounce back as quickly as possible.
Tips To Prevent and Prepare For Commerical Power Outages
Prevention, preparation, and an actionable plan are all needed to minimize the disruption a power outage can bring to a commercial property.
Tip #1 – Preventative Measures
A power outage that doesn’t occur is infinitely preferable to the alternative. As a property manager, you should focus your preventative efforts on hardening your electrical system from outside threats. These threats can include rodents and pets that chew wires, powerful storms that overload the system, and potential dangers to power lines like tree limbs. Each situation will require a different response, but being diligent with inspections by hiring an electrical services company will catch these issues before they manifest into real-life dangers and concerns.
Tip #2 – Put An Initial Plan In Place
Your tenants or employees in the building will no doubt want to get their power back on as quickly as possible and will want to know who to contact. Publish public information that states who or what company they should reach out to as a primary contact. Depending on the reason for the power outage, the power company may be unaware of the situation. They can be quickly brought into the fold if people on-site know how to contact them as soon as possible.
Tip #3 – Electrical System Improvements
A power outage does not always lead to immediate loss of power if you put proper systems in place. Some of the ways you can help your tenants get through the outage include:
Generators: Powerful generators at the property that are properly serviced and maintained can provide power in the interim before the power company can restore full power to the location. Property owners can also use generators as a selling point to potential commercial tenants looking to rent the space. A company that deals in sensitive information, temperature-controlled products, or time-sensitive manufacturing will appreciate the power a generator can provide during an outage.
Surge Protectors: When power is restored, the enormous surge of electricity that the rows of computers or heavy machinery will require to start up can drain the system. Surge protectors protect sensitive and expensive electronics from damaging these devices.
Backup Power Banks / Batteries: There will be a lull between the power outage and the generator coming online. Connecting computers to an external battery system will let anyone using them save their work and prepare for the incoming computer shut down for a short while.
Tip #4 – Stock Basic Necessities
Power outages can be mundane and annoying or potentially dangerous. Severe weather leading to an outage can trap tenants inside without a way to exit the premises safely. Basic necessities like batteries, flashlights, and extra food should be kept in limited quantities to help prepare for any eventuality.
As a commercial property manager, your tenants’ and employees’ safety is a top priority. Just one major power outage can be absolutely devastating and disruptive to a business.
Promise Electric provides expert commercial and residential electrical services in the Sarasota area. Contact us for electrical inspections, audits, generator maintenance, and more to ensure your commercial property is protected and prepared for the worst.
