The lights go out, the house goes quiet, and then everything comes back at once. The furnace kicks on, the refrigerator hums, and every screen lights up. How you handle a power outage in Vancouver, WA, and the first few minutes after it ends, affects what you find in the panel afterward.
The utility restores the line. Everything on your side of the meter is yours to check, and a few simple steps keep a small problem from turning into a bigger one.
What to Do During a Power Outage in Vancouver, WA
Start by finding out whether the outage is only at your house. Look at the neighbors' windows and the streetlights. If they have power and you do not, Clark Public Utilities says to check your electrical panel before reporting, to rule out a problem inside your home.
If the neighbors are dark too, report it to the utility through its PowerLine at 360-992-8000 or on its website. The utility notes that cordless landline phones will not work during an outage, so keep a cell phone charged.
If you see a downed line, stay at least 50 feet away and do not touch anything it may be resting on. Clark Public Utilities asks you to report it immediately at 360-992-8000.
Get Ready for the Power to Come Back
Clark Public Utilities suggests turning off major appliances, especially heating and cooking equipment, so they do not all start at the same moment. It also suggests leaving a porch light and one inside light on, so you can tell when power returns.
FEMA's power outage hazard sheet adds a step for electronics: unplug appliances, equipment, and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges, and use surge protection.
When the lights come on, wait a few minutes before you do anything else. Then bring things back one at a time: heat first, then the larger appliances, then the electronics.
Panel and Outlet Checks After the Lights Return
Open the panel door only. Do not remove the cover. A breaker sitting between On and Off has tripped. If one tripped as everything restarted, switch it fully off, then on, one time. If it trips again right away, leave it off and read about a breaker that won't reset.
Next, look for outlets that stayed dead. A tripped GFCI outlet in a garage, bathroom, kitchen, or outdoors is the usual reason, and the fix is a firm press on its Reset button. For a dead outlet with a breaker that looks fine, the order of checks is in outlet not working but the breaker did not trip.
Then plug in the electronics you unplugged. If something that was fine yesterday will not turn on, do not keep trying it. Move it to a different outlet first, which tells you whether the device or the outlet failed.
Signs the Problem Is Bigger Than the Outage
Some problems are not leftovers from the outage. Call an electrician if any of these show up once power is back:
- Half the house has power and half does not.
- Lights stay dim, flicker, or brighten and fade without a reason.
- You hear buzzing or crackling from the panel or an outlet.
- You smell something burning, or an outlet or cover plate feels warm.
- A breaker trips again every time you reset it.
Not sure which of these cannot wait? Learn when to call an emergency electrician. If the signs point to a failing outlet or circuit, electrical repair covers finding the cause.
If You Run a Generator or Want Surge Protection
A portable generator belongs outdoors. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says to run one at least 20 feet from the home with the exhaust pointed away, never in a garage, even with the doors open. Pair that with working carbon monoxide alarms inside the house.
Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Clark Public Utilities explains the danger to line crews and neighbors, and our post on generator transfer switch planning covers the safe connection. A generator installation sets that connection up properly.
Outages and restarts are also when a surge can reach your equipment. Whole-house surge protection sits at the panel, and our comparison of a power strip and a surge protector explains how the plug-in kind differs.
A Short Outage List for the Fridge
- Utility PowerLine: 360-992-8000.
- Check the neighbors, then your panel, before you report.
- Turn off heat and cooking appliances. Leave one lamp on.
- Unplug sensitive electronics.
- When power returns, wait, then restart one thing at a time.
Found a tripped main, a dead circuit, or a burning smell after the lights came back? Newman Electric takes electrical emergency calls at 360-828-7143.