According to Our World in Data, 940 million people don’t have access to electricity. For those of us that do, we take it for granted. That’s why so many people feel powerless during a power outage.
Even if you can handle a few days without electricity, there’s no reason you have to. Losing the use of your appliances for too long can rack up major expenses, and you could lose access to important communication channels that you could need in the case of an emergency.
Investing in a standby generator will help avoid the discomfort, household damage, and unexpected expenses that can happen when your power goes out. A whole-home standby generator will kick on when you need it so you can keep the essentials functioning.
There are two different types of generators that you can utilize during a power outage or when there’s a lack of electricity. You can choose to invest in a portable generator or a standby generator. Which one you choose will depend on exactly what situations you plan to use it for, which devices you need to power and the amount of space and money you have.
A portable generator is a small power supply that usually runs on a rechargeable battery or fuel. Depending on your budget and what devices you want to power, whole-home generators come in different models and sizes.
The main difference between a portable generator and a standby generator is that a portable generator isn’t a permanent fixture of the building and must be manually set up for each use. Standby generators are installed so that they can automatically turn on in the case of a power outage to power the devices they are connected to.
Standby generators run on fuel, so you should always keep some handy in the event of an unexpected outage.
Portable generators are the best option for people who are not allowed to install standby generators because they don’t own the building. They’re also more affordable, although they aren’t always as powerful or convenient.
In most cases, investing in a standby generator has the most benefits. A home backup generator offers improved safety and security as well as convenience and efficiency. It also saves you money in the long run if you own a home and often leave for hours at a time.
Portable generators often use fuel and you have to keep them nearby enough to connect to your essential appliances. Unfortunately, this means releasing fumes close to where you’re living. By running portable generators inside your home, you risk carbon monoxide buildup that could cause health issues.
Fuel can also be dangerous near a fire, which you might be using for candles and to light fuses during your power outage.
Standby generators, on the other hand, do not release fumes in the same volume as portable generators. They also are kept outside the home so that there is no buildup of fumes in your living space. Instead of requiring you to add fuel, they are hooked up to your existing fuel supply, such as your natural gas line.
In addition, having a standby generator as backup power for your home is much safer than going without, as it will help you keep the lights on to avoid hurting yourself in the dark.
Portable generators require a lot of effort because they must be stored while not in use and set up once you need them. They require you to pull them out from storage, fuel them up, and hook them up to the devices you need to power. Standby generators allow you to skip all those steps by being readily available at the flick of a switch (or with no effort at all if the generator is automatic).
Standby generators are always hooked up to your home. You won’t need to store them away and set up them when you need them. During installation, you’ll choose exactly the resources you need to stay powered on and the generator will automatically supply power to those things during the power outage.
Not to mention, having a fully ready generator with automatic turn-on capabilities keeps you safer by saving you from having to fuel it and manually start it.
When people experience a power outage and go without the help of a generator, their homes and possessions are exposed to the environment. Their fridges and freezer cease to function, the HVAC systems shut down, and any equipment or devices that depend on power are rendered useless.
After a period of time, your freezers and fridges can no longer keep your food cold. Your home will lose its comfortable temperature as your cooling or heating leaks to the outside. Appliances can become damaged from the intemperate climate.
In addition, you could experience serious plumbing issues if you have a power outage during the winter and your pipes freeze. Portable generators are often only good for running a few appliances and devices that are essential, so running the HVAC system for days without power is often not possible.
All of these issues and more can cost you thousands, so a standby generator can pay for itself over time.
A whole-home standby generator can power as much of your home as you need for as long as required. You won’t have to keep refueling it, and you won’t have to worry about exceeding the threshold of power capabilities. Your standby generator will run on your existing fuel supply like natural gas so that it never runs out of ability to power your home.
When you install your generator, you’ll choose how much of the home you want it to power. You could only hook up a few lights and your fridge, or you could have it power your entire home like normal.
With the best standby generator, it’ll almost be like you never lost power in the first place.
Standby generators are indeed more convenient, safe, and effective than portable generators. But if you’re not convinced you need one at all, here are situations in which installing a standby generator is essential to your comfort, budget, and even survival.
Many people depend on life-saving medical equipment to survive. This equipment is hooked up to your electricity, but in the case of a power outage, you’re suddenly without your medical assistance.
Those who rely on CPAP machines, chair lifts, power wheelchairs, ventilators, and more could all suddenly become very vulnerable in the case of a power outage. If you or your loved ones rely on medical equipment like this, it is strongly advised that you invest in a standby generator.
There are many other types of equipment besides medical equipment that still rely on electricity and could cause damage without power. For example, if you have fish tanks in your home that rely on water filters and oxygenators, your fish could be at risk without a power supply.
Further, if your home relies on a sump pump, you could experience some serious damage to your home without power. Suddenly, you could experience flooding and water damage without a generator.
Most home security systems depend on electricity to function. When the power goes out, so does your safety. When you have a portable generator, you probably won’t have the power or ability to keep your security systems running when you’re prioritizing certain appliances and devices.
Having a standby generator means having more resources to power what matters without skipping a beat. Occurrences of crime often increase during times of crisis as criminals take advantage of vulnerable people. Keeping a generator on standby will help you keep your home and family safe while you wait for the power outage to end.
If you keep large amounts of frozen and refrigerated food on hand, then you could be risking hundreds of dollars worth of groceries without a generator. After a period of time, your fridge and refrigerator’s insulation will fail and all of your food will spoil.
Some people attempt to avoid this fate with coolers and ice, but these are not fail-safe either. In the case of natural disasters, masses of people rush out to the store and bulk buy essentials like ice, leaving you possibly without it. Coolers also only last for so long as well, so it’s a matter of time before your food goes to waste.
A standby generator will kick on automatically and never stop powering your fridges and freezers. Your food will never go to waste and you’ll never have to deal with the hassle of buying ice and filling your coolers.
In less than two decades, the use of landline phones has plummeted from 90% of households down to only 40%. Of those that have landlines, the majority are run by older generations. If you don’t have a landline, you will have to rely on your cellular devices for communication.
Normally, this would be fine, But when your power goes out, you lose the ability to power your devices. As your devices run low on battery, you lost the ability to call for help and keep in contact with family and friends.
By having a generator on hand, you can keep your essential devices charged and functional. In the case of an emergency, you can call for help without hesitation. You can also use your devices to continue checking for alerts from the authorities and local government to stay updated on the power outage.
Some areas have the poor infrastructure or frequent bad weather and people suffer from more outages than normal. If you live in an area where you experience frequent power outages, it’s worth the investment to get a standby generator. Otherwise, you’ll be putting yourself through discomfort and unexpected costs too often.
Some parts of the United States are more prone to natural disasters. These areas understandably have more expensive insurance premiums and strict building codes. People who live in these areas should do everything in their power to prepare for these events, and that includes protecting themselves with a generator.
For example, the states that line the Gulf of Mexico are at high risk of late-summer hurricanes. California experiences frequent earthquakes and the Midwest is familiar with tornados. If you know your location is at high risk, then you’ll be saving yourself frustration, stress, and money by buying a generator.
Even if you don’t lose power that often, it can pay off to have a standby generator if you’re not always home. If you go on vacation or leave for several hours or days for work, a power outage can mean your house fending for itself. If you’re not home to move your food into coolers or hook up your security systems to a new power source, for example, your food will spoil and your house will be at risk of crime.
A standby generator will protect your house while you’re not home, even if you don’t know you’ve lost power. The last thing you need is to come home from a week-long vacation to find that everything in your fridge is bad and your home has flooded without the help of your sump pump.
Don’t hesitate any longer. Every day without a standby generator is a day you’re risking your money, comfort, and even your life. Having a whole home generator will give you peace of mind and save you hundreds of dollars in unexpected expenses.
If you’re ready to install a new standby generator for your home, Happy Hiller can send experienced professionals. Serving Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky, Happy Hiller is proud to prepare its customer for any power outage event. Contact us today!
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Get PromotionPower outages are usually the result of extreme weather events such as high winds, lightning strikes, or ice buildup that causes overhead power lines to break. For the preparedness-minded among us, these infrequent but often disastrous blackouts are reason enough to make backup emergency power supply plans for our homes.
Though local utility crews work tirelessly to restore service outages, in heavily hit areas it can sometimes be days before the electricity is back on. Preparing for extreme weather—and now, possible domestic terrorism—are reasons enough why every household should have a portable generator at the ready to run appliances, heating, and air when the power goes out. For some households, including those with medical needs or transportation limitations, a portable generator is an absolute necessity. Here’s why.
Portable generators provide power to tools and appliances when you need supplemental electricity. They run on gasoline, diesel, or propane and are typically equipped with at least two electrical outlets. Because their combustion engines emit fumes, portable generators should only be used outdoors and at a safe distance from living spaces, although extension cords can be used to carry the power indoors.
If your fridge is fully stocked, you could lose hundreds of dollars worth of refrigerated and frozen items if the power stays out more than a few hours. The USDA recommends throwing out perishable foods just 4 hours after a refrigerator loses power. If, however, you can connect the fridge to a portable generator, you won’t have to worry about the expense of restocking.
While a power outage keeps most people in the dark, it can completely strand electric car owners. If you depend on an electric car to get around, having a portable generator will ensure that you can drive to work, go to the grocery store, pick up the babysitter, rush to the emergency room, or travel wherever else you need to go, even during an extended blackout.
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Power tools make home projects go faster and more easily. But what if you’re working somewhere an extension cord won’t reach? If you’re installing a new fence on the back forty or building a she-shed at the end of long lot, you need another solution. A portable generator will let you plug in your power tools and get your project done quickly instead of having to switch out batteries on your cordless tools, or head home to recharge them.
Municipal water systems are pressurized, so water will come out of the faucet whether or not there’s a power outage. Not so for rural dwellers who depend on electric pumps to pump the water out of their wells and into their homes. But if you have a portable generator, you can plug the well pump into it and keep the water flowing during a power outage.
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In areas where flooding is an issue, basements often have sump pumps that pump away unwanted water before it can accumulate and cause damage. Heavy rains are the worst possible times for sump pumps to stop working, and unfortunately, power outages often occur during thunderstorms. When you plug the sump pump into a portable generator, you gain the peace of mind of knowing your basement will stay dry even though the power is out.
Utility companies have been known to shut off power to customers in heavily wooded and drought-stricken areas if there’s a high risk of fire. The shutoff is often in conjunction with the prediction of high winds that pose a risk of downed power lines—a leading cause of fires. But with a portable generator handy, you’ll always have a source of electricity during those utility shutdowns.
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If your family enjoys sleeping under the stars, they’ll enjoy it even more when they have the ability to charge their phones, keep drinks cold in a mini-fridge, and check email on their laptops. With a portable generator, you can enjoy all your modern conveniences while you’re camping in the great outdoors.
When you run a home business, a simple power outage could mean a complete work shutdown unless you have a generator. With the growing gig economy, millions of Americans work from home. It’s essential for them to have a portable generator on hand to keep the Wi-Fi, PC, printers, and internet running, even in the middle of a widespread power outage.
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If you or a family member is dependent on a medical device—such as a heart monitor, an oxygen tank, or a rechargeable power chair—advance planning is vital. When a life is on the line, it’s especially important to be prepared. You not only need a portable generator, but you also must have extension cords and the fuel for your generator so you can switch to your alternate power source at a moment’s notice.
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