Generators 101: Everything You Need To Know
Think quick: are you ready for an emergency?
When you’re a homeowner, anything can happen, and usually at the least convenient moment. This includes losing power, especially during seasons of severe weather.
The good news is it’s not too difficult to prepare your home for an emergency power outage. Many homeowners invest in a generator to ensure their families stay warm and comfortable, even when it gets nasty outside.
Here we take a look at what you need to know about generators to ensure you’re able to choose the best power source for your home.
What Does a Generator Do?
Generators provide a power source when you have an outage at your home. This type of outage could occur for a number of reasons, including heavy winds, flooding, a lightning strike, or a problem with the local energy grid, just to name a few.
A generator is intended to be a temporary solution to a temporary problem. After all, when the lights go out and the stove doesn’t work, you certainly don’t want to sit in the dark all night or go without eating.
When an emergency situation occurs and the power fails, simply turn on the generator and enjoy a relatively normal quality of life.
Why Install a Generator?
There are a number of different reasons why homeowners choose to invest in a home generator. These include the fact that it’s better to be safe than sorry. After all, power outages can happen at any moment, creating a huge inconvenience, and possibly safety concerns, for your family.
This is especially true in areas of the country that experience severe weather regularly. For example, heavy rain, snow, and ice can knock out the power grid that serves your community, and you could find yourself without electricity for hours, days, or even longer.
Installing a generator helps minimize the inconvenience to your lifestyle until the problem is solved. Buying a generator doesn’t mean you’ll ever need to use it, but at least you’ll be prepared if you do.
The Most Common Uses For Generators
Keep in mind that not all generators are created equal. In fact, there are several different types, including portable generators, inverter generators, and standby generators.
A portable generator is a great choice for homeowners who wanting flexibility in a backup power source. Because it’s on wheels, a backup generator can be easily moved from place to place as needed. You could also take it camping or another remote location.
An inverter generator is small and easy to transport and tends to be even lighter than the average portable generator. Plus, inverter generators are quieter, making them ideal for a wide range of activities.
A standby generator makes a great choice for your home, or when you want something that will provide a permanent source of backup power. This type of home generator is installed on your property and can be powered by propane or natural gas.
Fuel Sources
What kind of fuel will you need for your new generator?
The type of fuel needed depends on the specific generator you choose. That being said, the 3 most common fuel sources for home generators include common gasoline, propane, and natural gas.
Keep in mind that natural gas is only available for non-portable standby generators.
If you have a specific type of fuel you’d prefer to use with your generator, be sure to look for one that will utilize that fuel.
Power Requirements
Before investing in a new generator, make sure that it can handle the workload.
After all, not every home generator will produce the same amount of wattage. For example, a generator designed to charge mobile devices or power something like a portable heater won’t necessarily be able to power your sump pump or HVAC system.
Homeowners that want to keep their homes warm and power their kitchen appliances will probably want a generator that’s capable of producing up to 1,500 watts.
Popular Features
Some helpful features you should look for include electric start, automatic start, automatic shutoff, low-oil shutoff, and multiple outlets for power cords. Each of these features will make your life easier and simplify the process of operating your generator.
Installing a Home Generator
The best strategy for installing a new generator at your home is to let the professionals handle the task for you. This is especially true when installing a new standby generator that requires specific electrical training and expertise.
The key is to hire an experienced home electricity service company with the right tools and knowledge to get the job done thoroughly and efficiently.
A Homeowner's Guide To Generators
This is the time of year when a power outage could make life miserable in a hurry. Fortunately, understanding the benefits of home generators will help ensure that you and your family remain comfortable throughout the year, no matter what Mother Nature has planned.
Please contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our Seattle region residential electrical installation specialists.
