It was the coldest and fiercest winter storm in Texas since December 1989. In February 2021, Texas experienced “Snowmageddon” – the first billion-dollar weather disaster of that year. The hard freeze lasted nine days, with wind chill values below zero. The entire state was affected, including SignWarehouse's headquarters in Denison in North Texas. 

For homeowners and businesses, in addition to the disaster of broken plumbing pipes, the deep freeze impacted the electric grid. It failed in many counties over the nine days of extreme weather, leaving homes and businesses without power, some for two weeks or more.

What did that outage mean for businesses with delicate equipment, including sign businesses? Some experienced damage into the thousands in repairs and replacements. 

Why Prepare for Power Outages

Power fluctuations and outages do not only cause delays in production and downtime, they also can ruin printers and other equipment in your office and shop. While power outages usually cannot be predicted (though Snowmageddon did teach all of us to be more aware of upcoming weather situations), we can be better prepared for them. 

Preparation for outages can protect your printers from clogging and other issues so you can avoid expensive repairs and delays in production. What do you need to know to prevent problems when an outage occurs? And is there any way to prepare your equipment for extended downtimes or power outages? Yes.

Can You to Help Prevent Damage from Power Outages?

Yes, you can, to a degree. No method is perfect, as each situation is unique. There are basic steps you can do that will help you prevent damage to your printers.

First, keep your equipment in top condition. This includes scheduled/preventative maintenance, inspections, and basic awareness if something is just “not right” with the way it’s performing.

Second, your printer’s power cord should always be on a surge protector. If you are not using surge protection, your chances of damage to the printer are much higher. You should already have your computers and other equipment on their own surge protectors, as well.

Third, immediately stop using the printer and unplug it if you are experiencing any power fluctuations, surges, or losses. Power surges will damage the sensitive components of an inkjet printer. 

Fourth, have an uninterruptable power supply/backup power unit. It's good to use a backup power option so if you have a power outage, you have a few minutes to turn off the machine instead of it suddenly losing power from the outage. 

If You Lose Power or Experience a Surge

If the power goes out or is expected to go out:

  1. Don’t panic. A measured approach is best.

  2. Be prepared by flushing and capping your printer until it can be used after the outage is over. Because inkjet printers are normally self-maintained, the loss of power will stop this from occurring and potentially, damage will be incurred because the maintenance is not happening. You may even choose to store it somewhere out of the way until your electricity is stable and restored. 

  3. Get ahead of the damage by flushing the printer with trusted cleaning solution. Find options for your printer:

  4. Go through your normal maintenance routine, including cleaning the maintenance station and printhead nozzle plate.

  5. Cap your printer to prevent the printheads from drying out or becoming clogged. Leave your printer capped until the power is restored and you are ready to begin using the printer again.

When Power Is Restored

When the power comes back on and is going to stay on:

  1. Reinstall the ink cartridges

  2. Remove the print head cap

  3. Turn on the printer

  4. Perform a nozzle check and clean any affected heads before resuming production

Nothing Is Foolproof

There really is no perfect way to prepare for a power outage or completely avoid damage from outages or surges You could follow all the steps above, including good preparation and a backup power source, and still have damage from a power outage. Insurance companies call these "Acts of God," but we all know it's often human error behind a lot of issues with the power grid.

Do your best to be prepared and watch that weather channel!