Generators Come In Many Sizes And Types...
The subject of generators often comes up when the storm season approaches. Fortunately we have had ours for several years now and each year it has been put to use several times. It more than paid for itself the first year we had it. We suffered one of the worst ice storms on record for our area and it took seven days before the power was restored. Thank heavens we had bought our Yamaha generator just two weeks before. We try and talk as many people as we can into buying a power generator because it is the only way to gain peace of mind during these times. You would be surprised at the number of people though, who doggedly refuse, saying it is not their responsibility to provide themselves with power. During these times of storms and natural disasters, the more electric generators around the better. In our street there are about one in every three houses that own a home generator of some sort. This means that these people are going to fare much better through these trying times because they will have the barest minimum of lights and cooking facilities. Many of the electrical generators are keeping half their house powered - heating, TV, refrigeration and appliances. These storms are so severe that they virtually shut down the whole town, and the only businesses that are able to keep open are those that have emergency generators in place.
Some of our friends have bought portable generators which they are also able to use when they go off camping. This works great for them because they have power at their campsite, and are able to stay at out of the way places. Noise can be an issue with some of the small generators and they are not allowed to be used at many recreation parks. Fortunately there are plenty of quieter type units now being manufactured, such as Honda generators, and the Coleman Powermate. There are in fact so many choices of residential generators that making a choice can become quite confusing. Should you buy this one or that, and what is the difference between them all. We always recommend that you spend some time talking to an expert before you actually buy your home generator. He will be able to advise you the difference between the various makes and models. He should also be able to suggest what would be good for your application. For him to be able to do this he will need a list of all the different types of appliances that you want to get power to in an emergency, and also what main appliances you want to run, such as the refrigerator, well pump and furnace. He will then be able to work out how many watts you need to keep your household going in an emergency situation. Most residential generators provide between 3,000 and 5,000 watts. This is usually enough to keep power to necessary lights, appliances, TV, refrigerator and freezer. However, even the smaller units which may only output around 1,000 to 2,000 watts can be of great benefit during these times. One of the first things you miss when the power goes out is being able to make a good cup of coffee, unless of course it is at night and you just wish you had some light. We take our electrical supply for granted, and it isn't until a situation like this arrives that we realise just how dependent we are on our power company. Naturally they will do all that they can to restore power as soon as possible, but in extreme conditions this can and does take days. We maintain that people who have taken the trouble to install standby generators have taken responsibility for themselves in these trying times. You may not be able to control the weather but it is reassuring to know that your power generator is taking care of you and your family. |
