When the power goes out, panic sets in, but not for people with whole house generators. For Floridians, the power going out during hurricanes or storms can be a complete nightmare. Understanding the difference between generators and knowing which one your house requires is important if you want to resume normal life when power goes out.
Your best two options:
If the power goes out, first thing that bothers most families is not having lights. Candles are dangerous to families with young kids or sleepy adults. Next issue on parent’s minds is the air conditioning. You should not have to sleep in the heat. Meanwhile, hundreds of dollars worth of food may expire in the refrigerator and freezer.
Being in the heat for extended periods of time can cause threat to your health as well. For babies or people with high blood pressure, being in the heat is dangerous. Plan for your family’s best interest and invest in a whole house generator.
Speak with the professionals at Sanford Electric for specific questions regarding which generator is best for your house and family. When beginning your quest for the perfect fit, you will find there are two types of generators for residential needs. There is a portable generator and a standby generator, so let’s discuss the difference.
Standby generators:
If you live in an outage-prone area, standby generators are your best bet. Standby generators are permanently installed. This increases the value of you home and is a great selling factor if that is something important to you.
If your neighbors have standby generators, chances are, you need one too. They are usually installed in the yard and run on natural gas or propane. Standby generators allow a household to function normally as it starts the power up right away without any button pressing or plugging in.
A great feature of a standby generator is the run time. One can run for a week with fuel from a 275 gallon propane tank. With a continuos feed from your utility company, a standby generator can run indefinitely on natural gas.
In order to have the luxury of uninterrupted power, you have to be willing to invest. The cost of a standby generator can be thousands. Installation is no easy feat and may cost as much as the generator. When purchasing a new home, consider saving $2,000 to $5,000 aside for a standby generator.
Be sure to make an informed decision by speaking about the best products and installation with Sanford Electric Company II, Inc. For small home generators, you will need about 8,000 watts using propane of output to supply power for a gas furnace, water heater, and possibly a small central air conditioning system. The refrigerator should be running as well.
For large homes, you will need to purchase a generator supplying 11,000 watts using propane. If you opt for a pricier generator supplying 14,000 watts you will spend around $4,000, but just about everything in your house can continue to run, leaving you to live your life as normal as before.
Portable generators:
Unlike standby generators, portable generators must be started up. But if you live in an area in which you seldom have power outages, a portable generator may be all you desire. When it comes to portable generators, the supplied power may be enough to run most things in your house, but you will need to keep your gasoline supply stocked.
A portable generator must be in an accessible place because you need to pull it out of the garage or wherever it is to start it up. You cannot, I repeat, cannot keep a running portable generator indoors for any reason. When people do, that is when you see the horrible stories on the news of families passing away.
With semi-permanent installation and the cost of a portable generator, you can be all in under $2,000. A portable generator can be purchased, filled up with gas, and started the same day. Standby generators are not as “last-minute” friendly.
Even before a power outage, you should prepare by hiring an electrician to set up a transfer switch. The transfer switch connects the portable generator to your home’s circuit breaker panel. By installing a transfer switch, you do not have to use extension cords to plug in each individual device or equipment. The switch can allow the generator to run a water heater or well pump.
Safety guidelines for using a portable generator:
Under any circumstance, never run a portable generator indoors. Always have the portable generator at least 20 feet away from your home. Have the exhaust pointed away from your home.
You may need a cover or tent for inclement weather. Portable models usually max out at around 7,000 watts unlike standby models. This means that a dryer and a electric range cannot function at the same time.
While today we discussed two types of generators, there are more out there. Discuss which is best for your home and family’s needs with Sanford Electric Company II, Inc. in Sanford, Florida. Educated and informed specialists will help you choose the best fit.
Have a spooky and safe Halloween!
Staff Writer
