When the power goes out: first check whether it’s just your house (look at the main breaker and your neighbors). Report it to ComEd online or by texting OUT to 26633. Stay well away from any downed line and treat it as live. Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed, and protect the basement sump. Never run a portable generator, grill or camp stove indoors or in the garage. The CDC says to keep portable generators more than 20 ft from windows, doors and vents. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 from outside. OneStop Pro answers 24/7 at 630-733-9000.
Wheaton loses power for the usual Chicago-area reasons: ice storms, summer thunderstorms, high winds, and trees on lines. Most outages are short. The ones that hurt homeowners are the long ones, especially in winter or during heavy rain. Here is what to do, in order.
1. Figure out if it’s just you
- If neighbors still have lights, check your main breaker and any tripped breakers. If a breaker trips again right after you reset it, leave it off and call an electrician. That points to a fault, not an outage. See electrical troubleshooting.
- If the street is dark, it’s a utility outage. Report it through ComEd’s outage page or text OUT to 26633. ComEd also lets you text STAT to 26633 for status updates.
2. Stay away from downed lines
ComEd’s guidance is to assume any downed line is energized, leave the area, and call them right away. That includes lines lying on fences, cars or in standing water. Keep kids and pets inside. Don’t try to move branches that are touching wires.
3. Carbon monoxide: the outage danger that kills
The CDC warns that carbon monoxide (CO) from generators, grills, camp stoves and cars builds up fast in enclosed spaces and can kill before you notice symptoms.
- Never run a portable generator, pressure washer or other gas engine inside the house, basement or garage, even with the doors open.
- Run portable generators outside, more than 20 ft from windows, doors and vents (CDC).
- Never heat the house with a gas oven, charcoal grill or camp stove.
- Have working battery-powered or battery-backup CO alarms near every sleeping area. Hardwired alarms without a battery backup go dark in an outage. Need them added or replaced? See carbon monoxide detectors.
- Headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion during an outage can mean CO poisoning. Get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911.
4. Never backfeed your house
Plugging a portable generator into a dryer or wall outlet with a “suicide cord” sends power back out onto the utility lines. That can electrocute line workers restoring your street, and it can start a fire. Generac’s owner’s manual puts it plainly: never connect a generator to a building’s wiring unless a licensed electrician has installed an approved transfer switch. Until you have one, run extension cords from a properly placed portable generator straight to individual appliances.
5. Protect the basement
An outage during heavy rain is how finished basements flood, because the sump pump stops when the power does. If your pump has a battery backup, check that it’s running. If water is rising and you have no backup, move valuables up and keep clear of standing water near outlets or appliances. Our 24/7 emergency plumbing team and sump pump services can help when it’s safe.
6. Food and water
FoodSafety.gov and the CDC say a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours. A full freezer holds for about 48 hours, or 24 hours if it’s half full, as long as the door stays shut. Throw out perishables that sat above 40 °F for 2 hours or more. Never taste food to check it. When in doubt, throw it out.
7. Winter outages: keeping heat safely
Gas furnaces still need electricity to run the blower and controls, so a winter outage means no heat even with gas service on. Close off unused rooms, gather in one interior room, and use layers and blankets. Do not use the oven or a grill for heat. If the house will stay cold for a long time, protect pipes on exterior walls. If one freezes or bursts, shut off the main water valve and call us. After the power comes back, if the furnace doesn’t restart, see heating services.
8. If you smell gas
Nicor Gas’s guidance: leave right away, don’t flip switches or use anything that could spark, and call 911 and Nicor Gas’s 24-hour emergency line once you’re a safe distance away. Don’t go back in until emergency personnel say it’s safe.
9. When the power comes back
- Turn large appliances and electronics back on a few at a time rather than all at once.
- If lights flicker, outlets smell hot, or breakers keep tripping, turn off the affected circuit and call an electrician.
- Check the sump, freezer and any pipes that got cold.
If you already have a standby generator
When utility power drops, the automatic transfer switch moves your home to the generator after a short programmed delay. On Generac 10–26 kW units the green “Ready” light flashes while the generator is carrying the house. Keep snow and debris off the vents, don’t open the enclosure, and keep CO alarms working inside. After the outage, follow our generator maintenance checklist.
When a whole-home standby generator makes sense
A permanent standby generator is worth a look if you have a finished basement with a sump, someone at home who relies on powered medical equipment, a home office, or you’re simply tired of hauling a portable generator around in sleet. It starts on its own, runs on natural gas or propane, and is installed with a transfer switch and a permit, so none of the backfeed and CO risks above apply. Read the Wheaton whole-home generator installation guide, then book a free whole-home load assessment.
OneStop Pro is here 24/7
For outage-related plumbing, heating and electrical problems, call 630-733-9000 any time. We offer fast response and same-day service when available, from our shop at 805 W Liberty Dr in Wheaton. We have been a family-owned company since 2007.
Sources: CDC, “What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage” and carbon monoxide generator guidance (cdc.gov); FoodSafety.gov, “Food Safety in a Disaster or Emergency”; ComEd, “Experiencing an Outage” (comed.com); Nicor Gas, “Emergency Information” (nicorgas.com); Generac Owner’s Manual, 60 Hz Air-Cooled Generators 10–26 kW, Part No. A0001846499 Rev. C (transfer-switch warning, LED behavior). Checked October 2026.
DFC Mechanical, Inc. DBA OneStop Pro · 805 W Liberty Dr, Wheaton, IL 60187 · 630-733-9000
Family-owned since 2007 · IL plumbing contractor license 055-044076 · Dan Foss, IL licensed plumber 058-197647 · Electrical work under ECC-94505 where that credential applies
Frequently asked questions
How do I report a power outage in Wheaton?
Wheaton is served by ComEd. Report an outage on ComEd’s website or by texting OUT to 26633, and text STAT to 26633 for status updates. If you see a downed line, leave the area and call ComEd right away.
How far from the house should a portable generator be?
The CDC says to run portable generators outdoors, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, and never inside a home, basement or garage, even with doors open. Use battery-powered or battery-backup CO alarms inside.
Can I plug my generator into a wall outlet or dryer outlet?
No. That backfeeds the utility lines and can electrocute line workers and start fires. Generac’s manual says a generator should only be connected to a building’s wiring through an approved transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
How long is food safe in the fridge during an outage?
Per FoodSafety.gov and the CDC, about 4 hours in a closed refrigerator, about 48 hours in a full closed freezer, and about 24 hours in a half-full one. Discard perishables that were above 40 °F for 2 hours or more.
Does a whole-home generator turn on by itself?
Yes. A permanent standby generator with an automatic transfer switch senses the utility outage, starts after a short programmed delay, and moves your home to generator power, then switches back when utility power returns. OneStop Pro offers a free whole-home load assessment at 630-733-9000.