The possibility of a power outage is always concerning, but no one wants to be without electricity during extreme cold in winter. Even the loss of a single circuit in your system can create problems, and that’s before considering a total loss of power. If you want to meaningfully mitigate the risks associated with electrical outages, winter proofing is necessary. Here are the steps you can take to make your home’s electrical system more resilient during winter’s worst cold.
Preparing Outdoor Electrical Components
Weatherproofing your property’s outdoor electrical systems is one of the easier wins on this list. Adding gaskets to outlets can reduce the ingress of moisture and ice, potentially preventing a circuit breaker trip. Likewise, you should make sure your outdoor outlets have ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to protect each circuit. If there are already GFCIs present, make sure they’re still in working order by testing them.
Weatherproof boxes for outlets are a notable upgrade over leaving outlets exposed. A box provides more protection, lowering the risk of moisture damaging an outlet. Especially if you have numerous unused outdoor outlets on your property, it is wise to use enclosures to protect them from winter weather.
Your home’s service entrance connection can also be a source of trouble during the winter. Make sure nothing is hanging near the service mast. If there are any tree branches or other dangers nearby, hire a professional to safely clear the area.
If your property has any underground lines, verify that they are properly protected. Underground lines should be buried at least 18 inches deep in conduit. If you’re unsure about the state of the underground lines, one of our electricians can test the lines and check that they are properly buried.
Finally, waterproof outdoor lighting is a good way to prevent issues. If you’re looking at outdoor lights, be sure to buy lights with an IP65+ rating. This is the light’s rating for preventing dust and water from getting inside. IP65+ lights are rated to handle everything up to jet sprays of water.
Electrical Panel Issues
The circuit breakers in your home’s electrical panel will become somewhat less sensitive as the temperature drops. This makes them less likely to trip during a surge. Especially if the panel is along an exterior wall with wind exposure, this can be a problem. One solution is to relocate the panel. Minimally, you should have one of our electricians inspect the panel and the circuit breakers to verify that they’re still in good shape. Aging breakers and panels are particularly more likely to cause trouble.
If your home has had repeated electrical problems in the past, especially in several rooms, the panel may be the culprit. You may need to replace the panel or specific circuits. We can test how the panel performs to determine what the best solution might be.
Some homeowners also install smart panels. These are systems with connectivity and load management components that make detecting problems easier. A smart panel can send a message to your phone whenever there’s a problem, giving you better odds of learning about an issue before it causes trouble.
It is also a good idea to consider an electrical panel upgrade if you’re upgrading your house’s HVAC. The heating and cooling systems are among the highest-draw devices in your house. You don’t want to wait until winter to discover that your house’s electrical panel is insufficient for your heating unit.
Circuit Overloads
Especially with the increased use of electrical space heaters as supplemental heating, there is an increased risk during the winter of an electrical overload. In the best-case scenario, this means a circuit breaker trips. In the worst-case scenario, wires inside the wall melt and create a fire hazard.
A major problem is that many rooms that require supplemental heating have the least robust circuit protection. It is common for outlets in bedrooms and living rooms to only operate on 15-amp circuits. Many electric space heaters pull more than 15 amps, meaning that the addition of one anywhere on a circuit might cause the breaker to trip.
If you’re having trouble with breaker trips while using supplemental heat, ask us to test the circuit. We can rewire the circuit and add a higher-capacity breaker if that’s the source of the problem.
Backup Power
One of the best systems to have in a house to address potential wintertime power outages is a backup electrical generator. We encourage customers to install whole-house generators for several reasons. Foremost, a whole-house generator typically uses natural gas as a fuel source. This makes a whole-house generator significantly safer than a portable unit that requires gasoline. Storing gasoline for use isn’t safe, and you also have to repeatedly refuel the system during prolonged outages.
A backup generator also kicks on quickly without human intervention. This is especially important if someone in your household relies on life-sustaining medical systems that require electricity.
Backup power also ensures that your house’s heating system keeps running during the winter cold. Even if your house uses a gas furnace or similar fuel-based setup, it needs electricity for its controls to operate.
It is also a good idea to have a backup generator to keep security systems running. From outdoor lights to cameras, electricity keeps security systems operating. Even if your security system has a battery backup, an outage draws down its power. That drawdown is more intense the colder the temperature is.
Whole-House Surge Protection
When homeowners think about surge protection, they often focus on summer weather and fears of lightning strikes. However, winter weather can also bring surges. Notably, the restoration of power following a blackout across a wide section of the electrical grid can trigger a surge. While the electrical company works hard to avoid surges as it restores power to different segments of the grid, a surge can pass into your house during this process. A whole-house surge protector will reduce the associated risks.
Whole-house surge protection also reduces risks related to internal surges. A heat pump or furnace can trigger a brief electrical spike that could potentially damage other equipment.
Annual Electrical Inspection
Many homeowners in Missouri schedule their home’s electrical inspection before the onset of winter. A professional electrical inspection can identify undetected electrical issues. Our electricians have access to tools to verify that circuits, generators, and surge protectors are all in good shape. From making sure the GFCI outlets will properly trip to verifying the panel can handle your household’s peak electrical demand, we can confirm that your house’s electrical system is prepared for winter.
At Potts Electric, our goal is to exceed your expectations every time. We are a family business that’s fully licensed, bonded, and insured. Our electricians bring honesty, integrity, and efficiency to all projects, too. With upfront pricing and excellent communication, we build solid relationships with customers from St. Louis, MO and the surrounding areas.
If you have questions about how well the electrical system in your St. Louis house is likely to hold up during winter, contact Potts Electric right away.
