Power outages are frustrating, and even worse if they last for long. Mostly you’ll find articles online relating to what you ‘should’ do in such cases like turning on your emergency light. But what you shouldn’t do is equally important.

Take a look at these six things which you should never do during a power outage!

1. Do not let your phone get discharged.

During a power outage, you cannot watch TV and hardly have enough light to read a book. So playing games on your mobile or iPad for hours might probably seem like the only option left. But this is exactly what you shouldn’t do! You need to put down your phone and save your battery to use at the time of emergencies.

If you cannot resist opening apps, then make sure that you buy a portable phone charger in case your lifeline dies out of battery.

2. Do not keep any electronics plugged in.

You should unplug electronics during power outages, as doing this can offer protection from electrical surge due to the power coming back. One more way to deal with the power surge issue is to install a surge protector in an electric panel, or plug sensitive electronics in a surge-protected power strip.

3. Do not keep every single thing unplugged.

All said and done, still you should keep at least a single lamp plugged in during a power outage so that you will know when the power is back. Or else, you can consider using an emergency light to keep you illuminated in the dark hours.

4. Do not open the fridge often.

Every time you open your fridge or freezer door, all the cold air gets out and it won’t be re-cooled until the power is back. If you leave your fridge unopened, you can hope to keep your food at a safe temperature for at least four hours. So try to resist opening it unless necessary.

5. Do not leave your freezer half empty.

Your food in full freezer will remain good for minimum 24 hours. Your ice and frozen food are similar to ice packs and they keep on insulating the entire freezer making sure that the unit does not have to waste energy. So keep your freezer stacked up with frozen foods and drinks to keep it cooler even during power outages!

6. Do not put your generator in your garage.

Hopefully, you are already aware that your generator gives away toxic carbon monoxide, so you need to keep it in the open air and away from your house. Even with the garage door open, your garage is still enclosed and close to your home; hence, avoid putting your generator there. Keep it at least 20 feet away from your home to avoid the fumes.

Now that you know what not to do during power outages, you are better prepared to deal with them! Also, one essential element of dealing with power outages is to have home emergency light ready at your disposal.