Lighting Your Home Safely in an Outage
Last verified: September 2026
When the lights go out, battery light — flashlights, lanterns, and headlamps — is safer than candles and easier to live by. Here's how to set it up. Want a hand choosing lights? Call (330) 200-8042.
Safe Outage Lighting, at a Glance
When the power goes out, light is the first thing everyone reaches for — and the safest light is battery light. This guide tours flashlights to move around by, lanterns to light a whole room, headlamps to keep your hands free, and the batteries that power them, plus how to place light so no one trips. Candles feel cozy, but they're a leading cause of house fires during outages — reach for a flashlight instead. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 Why shouldn't I just use candles in an outage?
Candles are a leading cause of home fires during outages — easily knocked over or left burning by accident, especially in a dark, busy house. Battery lights give you the same glow with none of the flame, so keep candles only as a careful last resort.
2 What lights should every home keep?
A flashlight for each person in known spots, one or two lanterns to light whole rooms, a headlamp or two for hands-free tasks and stairs, and a generous supply of batteries. Automatic nightlights for halls and bathrooms are a great addition.
3 What's the best lighting for older adults?
A bright, glare-free lantern for the room plus a headlamp for the stairs, with big easy switches and a comfortable grip. Keep the most-used lights right where they're needed so there's no hunting in the dark.
4 How do I keep from tripping in a dark house?
Light the routes people actually walk — the hall, the stairs, the bathroom — and clear trip hazards. Plug-in nightlights that switch on automatically when the power fails are especially good for this.
5 Are rechargeable and solar lights worth having?
Yes, as part of the mix. Keep rechargeables charged and have a way to top them up in a long outage, and keep some ordinary battery lights too since they work with no charging at all. Small solar lights charge on a windowsill by day.
6 How many batteries should I store?
Enough to run your lights through a long outage and then some. Standardizing on one or two common battery sizes means a single box of spares fits most of your lights.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Good lighting is simple once someone helps you set it up. I'll help you choose a few reliable lights, place them where they help most, and add automatic nightlights for the halls. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).