Simplest method to check if the power outage is only your house, or the neighborhood, too:
Open the settings of your phone and check for available wifi networks. If it is empty, power is down elsewhere, too.
A LOT of people have networks and systems on UPS’s, so that’ll tell you nothing much really.
I can still watch media on my tablets if the power goes out.
A lot of people do, significantly more don’t. So if you see the fucking nerds house is the only one with access points available, you know its a wider power cut.
I feel called out 😜
In a newly built Modern neighborhood the houses are all built to the same basic “set of standards”, that includes an ups or a battery with the solar installation.
A lot of people who say they are “techy” aren’t actually all that techy, they just have a laptop with a server and Linux. It’s pretty dang common to have ups or battery’s when actual modern tech is installed in a house.
Even infills in older neighbourhoods are frequent enough that there should be plenty.
Or try living in the suburbs where you gotta get gas trucked in, you’re gonna want backups.
I live in the UK, mains are reliable enough that very few people have any kind of UPS. I worked in a computer repair shop years ago and it was almost never mentioned. Most people didn’t even know what one was. Though I did meet an interesting chap with one on a boat.
I’m on vacation, the power went out for the entire county. Only one WiFi was still up: “SmokeyTheBear”, and there’s a known fire chief living in the area.
Guess who has a working backup generator in the apocalypse? Haha
Here, a power outage is a rather rare occasion (three times in over 50 years ), so UPSs are things you see in companies, but not private houses.
At night I look out the window and see if most of the neighborhood is dark. Doesn’t really work in daytime though
Most houses in my neighborhood have Generacs, natural-gas powered generators that automatically start up when the power goes out. They’re quite noisy, so I can immediately tell if it’s a neighborhood-wide outage without even going outside.
My brother once asked why the new hoover (vacuum cleaner) had a light on it and was told “so you can still see what you’re hoovering in a powercut”
Also displays all the dog hair you thought you just picked up
Try turning the lights out and vacuuming using only that light. Probably doesn’t make much of a difference on carpet, though.
My door bell is battery powered, I would have assumed the neighbors would be too.
This wasn’t as bone headed of a move as you might think.
I hate mine. The battery dies way too fast.
Mine lasts for long enough that I can’t remember the last time I changed the battery, I should probably check it.
I don’t even have a door bell, people can knock. Should get some big fancy bronze knockers.
If I may make a humble suggestion,
I hate that I did this exact thing last year.
