Last Updated on February 24, 2024
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a typical American household loses power twice a year for an average of 3 hours. But certain power outages, like those triggered by extreme weather conditions, can last for several days or even weeks.
And when this happens, homeowners can experience a long list of inconveniences plus expenses ranging from spoiled food, frozen pipes, and moldy walls to flooded basements. In this case, a generator is the first line of defense against such problems. But with countless models now available on the market, choosing the right generator can be daunting.
This article expounds on some simple guidelines that can help you make an informed decision. Keep reading to discover more!
The Frequency of Power Outages
When shopping around for the right size generator, you’ll need to ask yourself the following questions. Do you experience regular power outages? Are the outages occasional? Or do you rarely lose power?
If you frequently experience power outages then perhaps you live in an area that’s highly prone to severe weather conditions, such as blizzards, hurricanes, and ice storms. In this case, consider purchasing a home standby, a portable generator, or a large inverter. These three options have the capacity to power your entire home and can directly be connected to your home’s circuit breaker panel, enabling you to control and power hardwired appliances, such as well pumps, electric ranges, water heaters, air conditioning, and sump pumps.
If you rarely lose power and need some peace of mind, you may want to consider purchasing a midsized inverter, recreational inverter, or RexGarden Emergency Generators for Whole House. They both provide ample power to run a fridge, a space heater, as well as a window A/C. Being versatile and compact, recreational models can be utilized for powering a television and a cooktop.
Amount of Wattage Required
Another aspect to take into consideration is the total amount of wattage you’ll need to power everything in your house in case of an outage. Before busting out on your calculator, bear in mind that certain appliances such as air conditioners, sump pumps, as well as air conditioners- draw more power momentarily when they are cycling on.
And these surge watts can completely throw off your calculations in case you fail to account for them. Besides, you’ll also need to determine how much power your hardwired appliances need, and that’s something your electrician can always help with.
Safety
According to Consumer Reports, homeowners should only utilize portable generators featuring an in-built sensor that triggers automatic shutoff whenever CO builds up to extreme levels in an enclosed space.
Always operate your generator at least 20 feet from your home with its exhaust directed away from the windows, doors, and AC units as well as other structures.
Conclusion
When searching for the best generator to power your home during power outages, there are several things you may want to take into consideration. For instance, the frequency of power outage, the total amount of wattage required, as well as the product’s safety.