Generator Service | What Causes Power Outages?

To your standby generator, it doesn’t matter why the power goes out. Your house will have power back to the essential electrical units in seconds. That is why Northside Power, a generator service provider in central Arkansas, recommends installing and maintaining a standby generator. It will power your home or place of business during a power outage.

In the movies.

Certain kinds of power outages are a common movie trope in suspenseful scenes. Without power, the situation becomes significantly more intense. Either because it is now darker and the character(s) can’t see well, important electrical machines are no longer working, or the power outage somehow gives the antagonist an advantage.

There is one minor discrepancy we would like to see movies correct. Electricity travels at speeds that near the speed of light. When the power comes back on, it does so instantly. Not in a dramatic outflow as the lights turn on further and further into the distance.

If it is a widespread outage it may take a moment for all the elements to get started up. Otherwise, we’d like to see something more instant.

In real life.

Power outages are often caused by severe weather. Strong winds tend to take down trees, those trees can take nearby power lines down with them. A winter storm can also weigh down trees, causing power lines to be damaged in the process. When roads get icy in Arkansas, drivers must navigate in very dangerous road conditions. A car can slide off the road due to ice and damage the power lines along the way.

The weather isn’t always to blame. Even when it is nice out, trees fall and drivers lose control of their vehicles due to other complications.

Animals and bugs are also common causes of power outages. Arkansas is home to various wildlife creatures. Electric companies try to design safety measures for electrical equipment so all the surrounding wildlife will be safe. Unfortunately, sometimes those safety measures aren’t enough.

Bottom line: if you find yourself in the dark on a movie screen or at home, it’s good to have a standby generator that’s been properly serviced. Northside Power offers a variety of generator service plans that can make sure your investment keeps your home powered no matter what causes the outage.

*Space Shuttle Endeavor: October 12, 2012. Los Angeles, Cali. Authorities shut down power for four hours while the Endeavor traveled through the city on land.

**Taiwan’s Kinmen County. March 19, 2013.