Summer Storms

PREPARING FOR SUMMER STORMS
Linda Lindquist, 239-567-0104

 

Here in Florida, summer storms bring torrential rains and loud, rumbling thunder that quickly follows lightning bolts.  Sometimes the lightning seems to strike right outside our windows in our yards!

 

Storms often cause internet and computer problems.  You may experience the following:  

 

“HELP!!  My internet and landline phone do not work.”

You may be able to fix this yourself by power rebooting your modem.   

  1. Unplug the power cord in the back of your modem / router.
  2. Count to 30.
  3. Plug the power cord back in.
  4. Wait 3 minutes for the modem / router to power back up.
  5. Test that your computer can connect to the internet again.
  6. If not, call your internet service provider. (from your cell phone)

 

“HELP!! My computer does not turn on.  It worked fine last night.”

Frequent causes are a Windows update being interrupted by a power outage or an electrical spike following lightning that has damaged your motherboard or hard drive.  The computer may be able to be repaired, but it may be less expensive to buy a new computer. Your files can sometimes be retrieved from the hard drive of the ‘dead’ computer. 

 

The best solution is prevention that you do before the storms.

  1. Plug your tower computer into a battery backup uninterrupted power supply (cost about $55 at Staples or Amazon).  Your computer will ride out power outages for about 15 minutes.  Enough time to turn off your computer during a storm.
  2. Back up your personal files in case your computer cannot be repaired (automated backup service to the cloud costs about $85 per year.)  
  3. Turn off your computer and unplug it from the wall during a thunder and lightning storm.  Do NOT just turn off your surge protector, because this leaves you unprotected from any surges in power.  Do not use your computer during a lightning storm.  
  4. Unplug your laptop from power to prevent surges.
  5. Move your tower off the floor, in case of flooding.

 

If you have a cell phone, keep it plugged in, and remember to take the charger and cord with you if you need to evacuate. 

 

Enjoy your summer and your computer.  It has been quite a spring, unlike any seen in our lifetimes. Continue to be well. Hopefully, we will survive both the pandemic and summer storms and hurricanes this year. I am committed to helping you protect your PCs.