Storm Season! Be Safe and Be Prepared

Apr 4

As storm season approaches, it’s essential to ensure that your home and business are fully prepared to handle unpredictable weather. Severe storms bring power outages, lightning strikes, and electrical hazards that can lead to significant damage. At American Electric Company, we provide trusted electrical services to homes and businesses throughout Antioch, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Crystal Lake, Johnsburg, Spring Grove, Bull Valley, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Long Grove, Glenview, Lake Geneva, and surrounding areas, ensuring that you stay safe and your power remains uninterrupted during storms.

Why Electrical Preparedness Matters During Storm Season

Severe weather conditions—whether they involve lightning, heavy rain, or high winds—can create disruptions to your electrical system. Outages and electrical surges can be costly, and they pose risks to the safety of your property. To avoid these dangers and ensure you're protected, it's important to prepare your electrical system before the storm hits.

Key Steps to Prepare Your Home for Storm Season

1. Install Surge Protection to Safeguard Electronics

Power surges are one of the most common ways lightning strikes and electrical storms can damage your electronics and appliances. Surge protection works by diverting excess voltage away from your devices, preventing harm from spikes in the electrical system. While standard plug-in surge protectors offer some protection, whole-home surge protectors provide comprehensive coverage by protecting all electrical appliances connected to your home’s wiring. By installing surge protection at the electrical panel, you’re ensuring that computers, TVs, refrigerators, and other electronics are shielded from lightning and power surges.

2. Invest in a Backup Generator to Stay Powered During Outages

Power outages are inevitable during storm season, and having a backup generator is crucial for maintaining comfort and safety in your home. At American Electric Company, we specialize in both portable and whole-house standby generators. A portable generator can be ideal for powering essential appliances during an outage, but for full protection and convenience, a whole-house standby generator is the best solution. These generators automatically kick in when the power goes out, providing power to critical systems like your heating and cooling, lights, kitchen appliances, and home office equipment.

Whole-house generators are a great investment because they allow for seamless transitions during outages without the need for manual intervention. Our team ensures that your generator is properly installed and functions safely. Additionally, we offer maintenance services to make sure your generator runs smoothly year-round, so you're never caught unprepared during a storm. Our local electricians in Lake County and McHenry County are just a call away to install and maintain these backup systems, giving you peace of mind when severe weather strikes.

3. Schedule an Electrical Inspection for Safety

Before the storms hit, it's wise to have your home’s electrical system inspected by a licensed electrician. Old or damaged wiring can be a serious fire hazard, especially during severe weather when lightning and power surges are common. At American Electric Company, we conduct thorough electrical inspections to check the condition of your wiring, outlets, and electrical panels. A professional inspection ensures that all components of your electrical system are functioning correctly, reducing the likelihood of damage during storms. If we find any issues, we will recommend the necessary repairs or upgrades to keep your home safe.

An electrical inspection is a proactive step in ensuring that your system is up to code and can handle the stresses caused by inclement weather. Don’t wait for a problem to arise—schedule an inspection today to ensure everything is in top shape.

4. Secure Your Electrical Panel

Your electrical panel is the central hub of your home’s electrical system, so it’s crucial to ensure it’s in good condition and easily accessible. If you live in a flood-prone area, consider elevating your electrical panel to avoid water damage during heavy rainfall or flooding. Flooding can cause severe damage to your electrical system and create fire hazards, so taking steps to protect your panel is essential.

If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to ensure your electrical panel is secure and functioning properly. Our electricians can assess your panel’s current condition and provide recommendations for upgrades or repairs to ensure it’s safe during storm season. Additionally, we can install circuit breakers and ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) for enhanced safety.

5. Prepare Your Home with Emergency Electrical Supplies

Having a basic emergency kit for electrical safety is a good practice. This includes extra batteries, a portable phone charger, and essential tools like a multi-tool or wrench. If your power goes out, you’ll want to be able to communicate and make necessary adjustments to your electrical setup quickly.

24/7 Emergency Electrical Services for Storm Season

When a storm strikes, electrical emergencies can happen at any time, and it’s essential to have access to reliable service. At American Electric Company, we offer 24/7 emergency electrical services to address urgent issues such as power outages, electrical surges, and electrical panel failures. Our team is always ready to respond quickly, ensuring that you’re never left without the help you need during a storm.

Whether you experience an electrical fire, damaged wiring, or a downed power line, our licensed electricians are equipped to handle emergencies efficiently. Our trucks are stocked with the necessary tools and supplies to get the job done quickly, minimizing damage and restoring your power as soon as possible. Call 847-252-1757 for immediate emergency assistance, and we’ll be there to help—day or night.

Why Choose American Electric Company?

At American Electric Company, we are your trusted local electricians serving Antioch, Gurnee, Libertyville, Mundelein, Lake Forest, and many more communities throughout Lake County, McHenry County, and Southern Wisconsin. We are a local business that knows the area well and takes pride in providing fast, efficient service. Our service trucks are stocked and prepared to handle any electrical need, ensuring we can respond quickly to your requests—whether you need a backup generator installation, panel upgrades, or surge protection installation.

Our team is dedicated to providing safe, reliable electrical services to keep your home or business protected throughout storm season. We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction, and we’re here to help with any electrical emergency or project.

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Contact Us for Expert Electrical Services During Storm Season

Prepare your home or business for storm season with reliable electrical services from American Electric Company. Our licensed electricians are ready to provide surge protection installation, generator installation, electrical inspections, panel upgrades, and more. Whether you're in Antioch, Gurnee, Lake Forest, or beyond, we are here to help. Contact us at 847-252-1757 to schedule a consultation or service today.

Yvette Bujak