Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Do You Need a Standby Emergency Generator?

By Trevor Rice

If ever we are deprived of electricity, we find out that our lives revolve around our electrical devices and systems. Whenever we experience a power outage, we quickly remember just how vulnerable we are. Our freezers and fridges stop running. The furnace will stop in the winter and leave us freezing, even risking lives. Rural water supplies are down. and it gets really dark at night without all those lights.

Homes and businesses can be left without electricity for long periods of time after a severe storm. There are countless instances where a storm has left people without power for days or weeks.

Another problem that could occur is that construction equipment could accidentally come in contact with an overhead or buried line. As well, the utility company could have problems and malfunctions with equipment. Any one of these situations could result in a residence being without power for an extended period of time.

For unpredictable situations like these, it can be a good idea to own a standby emergency generator. Although the utility personnel will work around the clock to fix a power outage, it might be a long wait in your cold and dark home.

Of the two types of standby emergency generators out there, the most common by far is the portable generator. If all you will require is enough electricity to power just a few items such as the fridge and microwave, then one of these might work for you. The biggest benefit to these is that they don't require an electrician, since you simply plug your appliances directly into the generator with an extension cord.

Since the portable generator can't run the furnace or every electrical system of a home, a lot of people opt to install a larger more permanent standby emergency generator. These bigger units are wired directly into the home and inspected according to building code. With one of these, you will have electricity as long as you have fuel to supply the generator. Generally speaking larger generators use natural gas or diesel as a fuel source.

Depending on the size and power output, an emergency standby generator can cost a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Still, you may decide that it is worth the cost, especially if you live in a remote area. - 20897

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