Winter Power Outage Preparedness in Montgomery County

Before the storm

• Save PECO's outage reporting options (the PECO app or peco.com) on your phone.
• Charge phones and battery banks; keep flashlights, not candles.
• Know where your main breaker is and how to switch it off.
• If you have a sump pump, get a battery backup or a generator hookup.
• Install whole-home surge protection before outage season.

During the outage

Check whether neighbors are also out. If they are, report it to PECO. If only your house or half your house is out, the problem may be your service, meter or panel, so call an electrician. Unplug computers, TVs and appliances to protect them from the surge when power returns. Leave one lamp on so you know when power is back.

Stay warm safely

Never use a grill, camp stove or generator indoors or in a garage. Never heat the house with a gas oven. If you use a portable generator, run it outside, 20 feet from openings, and connect it only through a proper inlet and transfer switch or interlock.

After the power comes back

• Plug things back in gradually.
• If lights are dim or very bright, or some rooms are dead, shut off the main and call an electrician: this can mean a lost neutral, which damages electronics.
• If a tree or ice pulled down the wire to your house, the mast or meter base may need repair by an electrician before PECO can reconnect.

Storm damage? 24/7 emergency electricians →