Power Outage? Don’t Be Left Out in the Dark

Whenever there’s an electrical power outage due to a major storm or utility company outage, it can be a frightening event. If severe weather is right outside your door because of storms, hurricanes, freezing temperatures, or other natural disasters, it’s never certain how long it will take to restore power to homes and businesses.

Don’t be left in the dark when there’s a power outage. Back-up generators provide homes and businesses temporary power in the case of an emergency. Here’s what you can do to prepare.

Have an Emergency Plan

There are many steps you can take to prepare your home and/or business when the bad weather hits. Since you possibly can’t predict where you’ll be for disasters, it’s important to have a plan and supplies for you and your family. Planning ahead will ensure you’re better prepared with the supplies you’ll need to be safe wherever you are.

First and foremost, stay alert by listening to emergency officials if and when you need to evacuate affected areas. Asses your risks and know your home’s vulnerabilities to storm, surge, flood, and wind. Always find out what type of emergencies can occur and how you should respond.

Invest in Backup Generators

You need to be prepared for the unexpected. What will you do if water, gas, electricity, or phone services are shut off? Generators can supply enough power to keep households operating until electricity returns. Having a portable electrical generator allows you to have a few lights on, hot water from a gas water heater, refrigeration, and a working gas furnace.

There are two types of generators: permanent standby and portable generators.

Permanent Standby:

Permanent standby generators remain permanently outside the home and on standby. It runs on natural gas or liquid propane (LP) fuel, and sits outside just like a central air conditioning unit. A home backup generator delivers power directly from your home’s electrical system, backing up your entire home or just the most essential items.

• Supplies more power
• Experienced electricians can help with installation
• Automatic start when power goes out
• Range from roughly 5,000 – 20,000 watts
• Cost: $5,000 – $10,000

Portable:

Portable generators are also gas-powered. They are not permanently installed, can be easily moved from place to place and must be manually started. Portable generators must be taken outside as a safe precaution to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide.

• Can be used anywhere on or off the property (never in an enclosed space)
• Run on gas or propane with a fuel stabilizer. Some offer electric starting with a battery (not always included)
• Range from roughly 3,000 – 8,500 watts
• Cost: $400 – $1,000

The American Red Cross suggests that permanently installed stationary home generators are better suited for providing backup power to the home than portable generators.

What Type of Generator is Best for You?

Before you decide which generator is ideal for you, determine your priorities. Whether you want a larger system, hard-wired into your home’s electrical supply, or a smaller, portable generator.

• Determine how much power your home/business needs.
• Determine generator size: add up the wattages of everything you want to power in your home.
• List what matters to you such as: lights (60-600 watts), refrigerator (about 600 watts), portable heaters (1,500 watts), window air conditioning (1,000 watts).

If you need help finding the right home backup generator, here’s a generator sizing calculator.

Generac’s  22 kW Guardian Series home standby generator is the largest air-cooled home standby generator on the market. You can choose enough power to cover essential circuits, or all the way up to 22 kW for the most power per kilowatt and whole-house coverage.

We recommend to always check installation procedures and hire a licensed electrician to install a permanent standby generator. You must also inform your utility company that you have a back-up system in place. Don’t let wind, rain, snow, or utility power outage keep you in the dark.

Kohler’s enCube is a small portable rechargeable power supply that is fuel-free, safe and can be used indoors our outdoors. This generator powers 120V, 12V and 5V items such as your laptop, TV, cell phone, and refrigerator. It powers up to 1,800 watts. This product gives you the portable power you need when you’re bracing against the storm.

Consider these backup plans to make sure you’re powered through the storm. Keep your house warm or cool, your kitchen cooking, and your computers and phones charging.

Learn more about our featured products so you can stay ahead of the storm by being prepared in case of an emergency.