Take Back Your Home’s Power – Invest in a Generator
When I was a guest on "Better Together With Maria Menounos" in September 2021, we talked about how home generators provide you with the power to run your life during an electrical outage. With that said, let’s discuss why you should consider investing in a home generator to ensure your daily routines are never disrupted.
Like it or not, we live in a "plugged-in" society, and almost everything in our lives requires electrical power. With an aging power grid and a frequency of more severe weather events (hurricanes, ice storms) occurring, as well as the pandemic resulting in a lot more people working and learning remotely, the assurance of reliable power has never been greater. Power outages lasting several hours disrupt our lives, while prolonged outages could also cause financial harm. Additionally, some families may have special-needs members who require extra care and the use of sophisticated equipment. The solution to get you through a power failure in your area is to install a permanent standby generator for your home.
Now that we’ve outlined the importance of a generator as a backup power source for your home, let’s consider generator types. To keep things simple, I'll focus on two basic and popular generator options – a portable generator, and a standby generator system. Remember, with all generators, you should always follow your local codes and the manufacturer instructions.
First, we’ll tackle a portable generator. These models generally deliver low-kilowatt outputs and operate on gasoline, which requires manual starting and re-fueling. Because of their compact size, portable generators are ideal for activities, such as camping and tailgating. If necessary during an outage, they can power selected appliances like a TV, refrigerator, or a lamp. However, they must be operated outdoors at a safe distance away from the home and structures. From there, properly rated extension cords need to be plugged in directly to the selected appliance that the generator will power – one cord uninterrupted to one properly rated appliance. Likely, a portable generator is not the best option for your home. My recommendation is investing in a standby generator system to serve your home’s backup power needs.
Standby generators are permanently and professionally installed outside a home and connected to the home's electrical system – similar to that of a central air conditioning unit. These generators are connected directly to your home’s fuel source, either natural gas or propane, and they turn on automatically within seconds if main power is lost. Once main power is restored, the generator automatically shuts off. A standby generator can be sized and installed to run the entire house including heating, refrigeration, sump pump, lighting, Internet and A/C systems. In short, a standby generator is like having a personal power plant right in your backyard. While investing in a home standby generator will be a higher-cost system, in the long run it is the best and safest option for providing backup power to a home.
Installing a standby generator system is not a do-it-yourself project. They must be professionally sized and installed by a trained and certified technician. Contacting a local dealer/installer in your area to get an estimate is a pretty straightforward process. You can visit KOHLERGenerators.com to find helpful videos, sizing calculators, and how to contact a standby generator dealer in your area. Once you schedule an in-person site visit, your dealer can determine the exact generator size, outdoor location for the installation, and obtain the required permits to perform the job.
So, if you want to take back the power and make sure your home and daily routines are not disrupted during an electrical outage, I recommend considering investing in a home standby generator.
For more from Ed Del Grande check out our full episode with him HERE: