Home generator comes back on mind of the American homeowners. After experiencing power outages in previous years, it becomes a priority to secure a reliable and affordable source of electricity when the local utility turns the power switch off. And if you think that perhaps this year, the hurricane season will be less damaging, and you’ll be able to get by without a home generator, think twice…
Power interruptions are caused not only by the Mother Nature, but by the electricity authority’s distribution system’s breakdowns. That’s really what makes a home generator an irreplaceable part of your home’s services system.
Choosing a home generator is however, not such an easy task, as the frequent ads would like you to believe. Although you’re presented with a seemingly limitless number of options, the truth is, there is only one “ideal” electricity generator that fits your household needs, in 100%. That’s why; it pays to do some initial research about home generators, before deciding what to buy.
The best place to start is on the Internet, using many review and manufacturers’ sites. Find out what range of home generators Yamaha, Honda, Coleman and others have on offer. What selection criteria do they list; read technical specifications and the list of features, and match them to your needs. Using different search engines will deliver you a huge number of informative pages, filled with reliable information and advice.
At the same time, try contacting your local electrician, and ask him to calculate the power demand, peak and regular, that your household creates. Your home generator will have to cope with this load, often for extended periods. Professional advice about the power consumption, be it 3 kW or 5 kW, will help you select a home generator that can supply enough power, to allow you to keep your essential appliances running.
The same electrician can also advise you about very important safety considerations and regulations. Briefly, before connecting your home generator to the electrical installation, you must isolate it from the communal power grid, using so called isolation switch. This will prevent linesmen working on power lines from being electrocuted by the voltage produced by your home generator. This is absolutely important, and should never be left to the inexperienced handymen!
Lastly, consider the operational costs of your home generator. As they come in two major categories: petrol (gas) engines and diesel ones, you need to decide whether the initial cost or the running costs are more important to you.
My preference is for the diesel engine-driven home generator. Although it can be 20-30% dearer that the petrol one, it’s far more reliable and about 20% cheaper to run. Here you have the critical factors you mustn’t ignore, when introducing a power generator to your home. Knowing them, your shopping trip to Costco, Home Depot or other retailers will be so much less stress free. After all, you’re very well versed in the emergency electricity generation issues, and know exactly what tasks your home generator has to execute. One final word of warning: don’t try to save money on something that provides for your basic living needs!
