This year spring storms have brought an unusual amount of flooding and wind damage to much of the country. The first weeks if summer portend a rough and rocky weather-related summer and fall. With storms comes power outages. Here are some tips to help you get and stay prepared for the inevitable.
Having a generator at the ready is a great place to start. For the purposes of this article we will classify generators into two groups. Portable and stationary.
Portable generators are typically smaller, as the name implies are portable and generally smaller. The benefits to this type of generator are obvious. They are small and can be deployed where needed. They can also be rather inexpensive. The downside is they don’t generate a great deal of power.
Large or stationary backup generators are considerably more expensive and require professional installation. They typically run off Natural Gas or Propane. They can be scaled to power your entire home or just key critical circuits. Additionally, they are on constant standby. The second the power goes out they kick in. Like any machine they require maintenance. If the maintenance isn’t done it won’t start when needed. Downside is the price.
Owning a generator does not mean you’re prepared. Quite the opposite is true. Here is what you need to have or do to be ready:
Portable Generator:
Large or Stationary Generator:
Location, location, location. Generators don’t work when they are under water. Whether installing a permanent or whole house generator or planning to deploy a portable model you must consider worse case scenarios. Depending on where in the country you live you should prepare for power outages caused by floods, fire, tornados or hurricanes to name just a few of the risks.
Nothing beats high ground. Locate your generator on the highest spot you can.
In summary, emergency conditions make it easy to lose sight of safety. Preparation can help you prevent a natural disaster from becoming a life altering (or ending) personal one.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
The Ask the Kitchen Guy Blog by Jeff Kida is the property of DDS Design Services, LLC. All rights are reserved by the owner