Will a Power Outage Knock Out Your Home Based Business?

So far, 2021 isn't turning out quite like we expected it would, is it?

We started out this brand new decade in lockdown. And as of this week we are still in lockdown.

For many of our customers here in the Muskoka, Gravenhurst, Ontario area, this means we are still working from home.

And this means we are still largely dependent on our home spaces to keep the mortgage paid and the hot water flowing.

But what happens if we get one of those rogue late-winter storms that flattened our southern neighbours a couple of weeks ago? What will happen to your equipment, your data, your workspace, your home?

In this post, learn how to make sure a loss of power won't result in double devastation as winter continues.

3 Essentials to Keep Working From Home During a Power Outage

Once you establish a home office, your employer will expect you to show up there for work each morning.

Moreover, if you are now relying on your home for both your living space and your work space, you bear more of the burden to make sure you have a place to work that is suitable and safe.

While you don't have any control over what the notoriously unpredictable Canadian winter weather does, you can exert a great amount of control over how much that weather affects your work schedule.

These three essentials will keep you in business even during the worst winter weather surprises.

1. Standby Generator

A standby generator can be as bare bones or full service as you need or want it to be.

If you are not sure how much power you might need when your regular power source is unavailable, we recently dedicated a whole blog post to this topic.

At Gravenhurst Plumbing, Heating and Electric, we supply our homeowners with efficient and reliable equipment. Learn how to calculate your power usage load needs and select the right standby generator for you, your family and your home office. 

2. Sump and Sewage Alarms

Just like sump and sewer systems, sump and sewage alarms come in all shapes and sizes.

Today's alarm options are as sophisticated as you need them to be. Choose from the following options to build a customized alarm network that will never fail you.

• Built-in floor level water sensors.
• Low basement temperature warning sensors.
• Puddle sensors.
• Auxiliary power connections.
• Option to hook into your home security system.
• Wi/Fi enabled for remote operation.
• Indoor and outdoor alarm options.
• Plug in and play installation.

3. Backup Sump Pump

Someday soon, a backup sump pump may be all that stands between you and a home that has suddenly become unliveable.

Not only will a backup sump pump protect you from sudden power losses, but it will also make sure that if your main sump pump fails for any other reason, you automatically have protection from water damage.

Preventative Furnace and Plumbing Maintenance To Avoid Disaster

Prior to 2020, if your regular office space suddenly became uninhabitable, you had plenty of options, from local coffeeshop to a nearby co-working space.

Now it is a different story. COVID-19 has changed the entire landscape of how we live and work for the foreseeable future.

This means if your furnace conks out, you will be wearing everything you own to work until heat is restored.

If your pipes freeze and burst, you will be answering client calls and emails while side-stepping muddy puddles and boiling your drinking water.

It doesn't have to be this way. In fact, the majority of problems that cause furnace outages and burst pipes are easily detectable during furnace preventative maintenance.

In most cases, routine preventative safety inspection and maintenance calls for your furnace take less than an hour of your time and stand to save you hundreds of dollars in emergency repair charges.

Is It Time To Schedule Routine Generator Maintenance?

If you are lucky enough to already own a standby generator to power your home and home office, it is time to ask yourself when you last had your generator serviced.

After all, any peace of mind that comes from owning a standby generator will be short-lived if it fails to do its job when you lose power!

 As a general rule, standby generators are hardy and long-lasting appliances. But when was the last time you took your generator for a test run? How confident are you that if you lost power today, your generator would perform to your expectations?

A routine generator safety inspection and maintenance service call will inspect and service each of the following basic components (based on your specific system):

• Fuel system.
• Coolant and lubrication.
• Air (combustion, cooling).
• Starter (batteries, charger).
• Transfer switch and alternator.
• Oil and water checks.
• Clamps, terminals, wires, cables, connections.
• Accessory drive belts.
• Air filter and fuel and oil filters.
• Auto startup test.
• Load test.
• Exhaust system inspection and test.
• Alarms.
• Additional maintenance as needed for diesel-powered systems.

If you have inherited a standby generator as part of a home purchase, you definitely need to schedule a new owner preventative maintenance and inspection service.

Our Gravenhurst generator technicians are happy to walk you through the basics of how to operate and maintain your new generator while verifying that your system will function as expected when you need it most.

Contact Gravenhurst Plumbing, Heating and Electric to Winterize Your Home Office During Lockdown

Schedule your complete winterizing service with Gravenhurst for peace of mind during lockdown.

Muskoka Gravenhurst Plumbing, Heating and Electric Can Keep You Working

Our friendly, knowledgeable service technicians can install, repair and service all makes and models of furnaces, HVAC systems, plumbing systems and sewage and sump pump systems.

We are proud to offer safe contactless service, payment and invoicing options in compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols. Contact us online or give us a call at 877-885-3403.

P.S. Be sure to sign up to receive free Chip’s Tips by email each month!