Whether you’re experiencing plumbing problems or your city is planning to undertake routine maintenance to identify and fix a main water line leak, there’s always a high chance that there will be a water outage for a while. While most water outages are planned, not everyone knows how to get through this period and prevent it from being a major inconvenience. On that note, here are a few practical and proactive steps you can take to minimize the inconvenience of water outages on your home and daily life.
Have additional sources of water.
If you know there will be a water outage soon, it’s only prudent to store some water for drinking or bathing. If the water outage is taking place during the hotter months of the year, ensure your home ice maker is in good working order. Remember, this helps as an additional source of water. If you don’t have one, think about investing in a kitchen countertop ice maker like the Opal Nugget Ice Maker or the Sonic Ice machine. These are some of the best portable ice makers that come with a user-friendly control panel for your daily ice production needs. Besides having a larger storage capacity for clear ice cubes than an ice tray with a 1.2-liter water tank, these portable and kitchen countertop ice makers are also an excellent substitute for a freezer. You no longer have to wait for hours to get a fresh ice cube.
Check for leakages.
What’s better than storing water in the event of a planned water outage is ensuring that there are no water leakages. It can be disheartening to realize a leakage way into the water outage, especially after spending so much time and effort in storing water. No doubt, having leaks could also cause a hike in your monthly energy bills. So, search through the Yellow Pages for a reliable plumber or plumbing expert with years of experience offering plumbing repair services. An online search in your local area will also help. For example, a search for “plumbers in Fresno” will deliver viable results if you live in the area.
The most dedicated service technicians will go through your home and inspect it for possible water leakages, from your bathroom to outdoor areas. Their specialties typically include water heater repair, toilet installation, professional drain cleaning services, sewer line replacement, and septic system repairs. Nevertheless, ensure that you check for reviews, as this will enable you to pick a reliable plumbing company that will give you peace of mind.
Stock up on disposable goods.
Cooking and maintaining a clean kitchen during a water outage can be pretty challenging. On the one hand, you need to wash up after every meal, but on the other hand, you’ll also need to refrain from using too much water. Tough call indeed! An easy solution here would be to stock up on disposable goods. Think of anything that would make you wash less, and buy that from plates to cups, cutlery, paper towels, and garbage bags. Thankfully, these items don’t cost a fortune, and depending on the size of your family and frequency of use, they can last for a week.
Meal prep if you can.
The great thing about planned water outages is that they’re planned in the first place. This gives you ample time to put your house in order and prepare for water scarcity. Therefore, one way to stay on top of your game during this period is to meal prep. As already mentioned in the previous point, cooking during water scarcity is no fun. So, it would be wise to meal prep and have all your meals for the week stored in batches. That way, you don’t have to worry about cooking as often, reducing the amount of water you will need when water is out.
