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When disasters such as severe storms, blackouts, or other natural phenomena occur, power can be knocked out in your area for days, if not longer. This makes it extremely challenging to keep your home safe and functional. Having a generator can be a crucial part of regaining peace of mind and ensuring survival during emergencies. Generators provide a backup power source that keep your lights, heating and cooling systems, and other appliances running when the power grid goes down. If you haven’t yet considered the purchase of a whole-home generator to keep you up and running, let’s take a look at some reasons why this is a good investment for you and your property.
Why Purchase a Whole Home Generator?
Investing in a home generator makes being without power more bearable, and it may even yield some fun when not being used in emergency situations. Here are some reasons to consider the purchase of a whole-home generator for your property.
Weather Conditions Are Unpredictable
The majority of power outages are weather-related. As the number and severity of these events rises, so does your likelihood of experiencing a blackout lasting for more than a day. Do you have enough food, supplies, and alternative light sources on hand to weather the storm?
You Have Well Water
Without electrical power, your filtration systems and well pump will quickly lose their ability to provide safe, clean water for use in your household. These systems are a vital part of your survival, so protecting their ongoing use is critical to ensure your safety.
You Have a Sump Pump
If you use a sump pump to keep basements and crawlspaces dry, you run the risk of losing all of those possessions without a home generator to act as a backup power source. Protect your property and your belongings with a generator, and you’ll be saving both time and money otherwise spent on replacement and repair.
You Work From Home
Running a business from home requires that you stay connected at all times. Going without power for even a portion of a day can be a major inconvenience to clients and customers, costing you money and possibly weakening business relationships.
You Have Electrically Powered Medical Supplies or Refrigerated Medicines
Those with health conditions that require the use of electrical medical equipment and refrigerated medicines are especially at risk in a power outage situation. Provide yourself and your loved ones with the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ll remain up and running, ensuring continued care for those who need it.
You Live in a High-Risk Area
Some parts of the country are more susceptible to weather-related issues and outages. Extreme temperatures, weather patterns, and severe storms can regularly knock out power to millions of people, affecting daily life activities in significant ways. If you live in a high-risk area, it’s worth investing in a generator to make sure you can conduct day-to-day activities with minimal interruptions.
Questions to Ask When Considering a Whole-Home Generator Purchase
So, you’ve decided that a whole-home generator is a smart investment for your house, but little else is known about the purchase process. What brands are out there? What size should you purchase? What do you want to power in the event of an emergency? These and other questions are essential to ask as you make this important purchase. The more you know about what generators offer, the more efficiently you’ll be able to select one that works for your property, your family, and your budget. Ask these questions of yourself and others when choosing the best unit for your house.
What Size Do I Need?
To find the right answer to this question, you’ll first need to determine how many appliances you’ll need running during a crisis. Distinguish between needs and wants when determining your power needs, and then calculate how many watts it takes to run each piece of equipment. Adding up this total will give you a ballpark number to look for when choosing the right size for your home generator.
What Type of Generator Do I Need for My Computer?
A computer requires a generator with a low harmonic distortion rating. A brushless generator is better for a computer than a brush generator. Don’t forget a good surge protector for installation in the line between the generator and your computer just to be on the safe side.
Gas or Diesel?
Diesel generators are much more expensive than gas ones, due to better fuel efficiency and a longer lifespan. Diesel generators do make a great deal of noise, however, and they produce smoke. If you’re looking to keep a low profile, then diesel may not be for you. Gas generators are most commonly used due to their size and cost.
How Much Fuel Will I Use?
The bigger the generator, the more fuel it will use over time. Most manufacturers advertise the use of a gallon of fuel per hour, but you’ll have more of an accurate picture as you practice using it and powering up and down different devices in your house.
How Much Does a Whole-Home Generator Cost?
A good generator costs anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. With generators, you get what you pay for; the last thing you want is for your backup power system to fail when you need it most. Invest a bit more on the front end, and it will pay for itself with the extra power you can glean from use.
When Should I Buy?
The best time to buy a generator is before you need one! Prices tend to spike when there are emergencies to deal with; you won’t want to end up empty-handed when coming back from the hardware store after a recent outage. Shop for sales and brands that you like, and choose one to become familiar with before you actually need to call on it for power.
What Amenities Should It Have?
Look for these features when purchasing a whole-home generator:
- Overhead valve engine for longer life
- Auto idle controls to reduce noise
- Low oil shutdown features
- Large fuel tank
- Wheel kit
Selecting the best generator for your home may seem tricky and overwhelming at first, but with the right information, you’ll be armed and ready to purchase the unit that will work best for your household.
Be Ready for Anything
Black-Haak has been proudly serving valued clients in Fox Valley and the surrounding areas for over five decades. Offering services such as heating and cooling repair and installation, plumbing repair, drain cleaning, water filtration services, electrical repair, and generator installation and maintenance, we remain the area’s preferred provider for all things related to home maintenance and comfort. Trust the professionals to handle all of your home care needs. Contact us today for more information or to make an appointment for generator installation.
