Most American homes will experience a power outage at one time or another, but if you live in an area of the country that’s prone to extreme weather, those outages can last for days or weeks.
That’s a huge problem, particularly if you
have children or vulnerable people to consider. A lot of people invest in a
backup generator as a way to ensure that they have a power supply, even when
the mains power goes out. Generators can be expensive, and there are a lot of
different options out there. There are a few things to think about before
making your choice.
Choose the best fuel source
When you have a generator installed, you need to ensure that you can also store an adequate fuel supply for it.
The most common options for home generators are natural gas, propane, and diesel.
Diesel is quite often a cheaper fuel source, but you will often find that the generator itself is more expensive. It’s worth calculating how much the installation and running of your generator will cost all together to decide which is more cost-effective for you.
Whatever type of fuel you choose, you will
need to have enough room for a large fuel tank to store it. Your generator installer
will be able to help you to decide where to place your fuel tank and can advise
you on what type of fuel is likely to be best.
What size generator do you need?
If you want a generator that will continue to power your whole home as normal, including air conditioners and all of your appliances, then it will need to be more high-powered.
Before you begin shopping for a generator,
have a think about whether you need to power your whole house or if you could
get by for a while with just essentials like heating and refrigeration. Once
you know what appliances you will need to power, your generator installer will
be able to help you choose the right size generator.
Remote monitoring
A lot of modern generators have remote monitoring capabilities, which is good news if you are hit by a storm and you don’t want to have to go outside to check on the generator. Remote monitoring systems also act as an early warning if any issues do arise with your generator so that you can resolve them quickly.
Generators from Platinum Electrical come with
remote monitoring as standard, which allows you to check on the status of your
generator from your tablet or smartphone.
Servicing and repairs
When choosing who you should get to install your generator, it’s important to consider aftercare as well as the cost of the generator itself.
A generator is an engine, and just like your
car engine, it needs regular maintenance to ensure that it is
running correctly. It’s recommended that you have your generator serviced by a
professional every 6 to 12 months, so it’s worth ensuring that your generator
provider offers a servicing contract.