Power grid outages happen more often than many people may realize. During January to June of 2014, for example, 130 outages were reported. Federal data indicates that the electric power grid loses power more often than it did in 1984, which was when the government began collecting data on blackouts. It is estimated that some areas in the United States currently lose power, or experience a blackout, 285 percent more often than in earlier decades.
As a result of these outages, and in the event that the power fails, it’s important to have an emergency generator for your home. This can make a difference between sitting in the dark with food spoiling in your refrigerator, or having light and safe food for you and your family to eat.
In addition to keeping some lights and the refrigerator running, it’s important to consider the other appliances that you will need during a blackout. The number of these appliances, multiplied by how much electricity they utilize, will determine the size of generator you need to purchase.
Lightbulbs, for example, already provide the wattage they use on their packages and the bulbs. These are probably the easiest to calculate. For other appliances, such as refrigerators or heaters, there may be a sticker with this information. You can also contact the electrical company ahead of time for estimates.
It’s important to know that some electrical devices require additional energy to start working when they are switched on. Since this is the case, experts recommend that your generator’s peak power rating should be higher than needed. When you purchase a backup generator for your home, 4,000 peak watts or higher is recommended.
Whole house generators should be stored in an easily accessible but safe place if you don’t plan to use them within 30 days. While in storage, however, you need to be sure that you have stabilized the gas with fuel stabilizer.
In the event that your power does go out, you may be concerned about whether your refrigerated food is safe to eat. It should be fine if the power has been out for less than four hours.
When your refrigerator has been off for longer than four hours, or if you want to double-check its quality before preparing a meal, you can use a food thermometer. While the food in your freezer may only be partially thawed, if the food in your refrigerator registers less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll wan to throw it away.
Since blackouts do occur on occasion, imagine the peace of mind you’ll have knowing you have a back-up system in place. It’s a good idea to have non-perishable food and water on hand in case of emergency as well. While you may not be able to control a power outage, you can control whether or not you have an emergency generator to provide light and operate other important appliances such as area heaters.
When you contact a generator installation company, they will be able to determine the size of generator you need with a generator size calculator. Whole home generator pricing is determined by the generator’s size.
Generators can also be used in non-emergency situations, such as with tailgate parties and other outdoor events. You may want to purchase a second generator to have on hand for this purpose. The price for smaller generators is, of course, less than whole home generator pricing.
Since you want to have a dependable generator in the event of an emergency, whole home generator pricing will be the least of your concerns. Your primary concern at this time will be with creating a warm and safe environment for your family.