Plan carefully before buying emergency generator
Q: After spending a week last year without power following one of the hurricanes that came through our area, I am finally breaking down and getting a portable generator. Do you have any tips on the best type of generator to buy? — Joel C., Altamonte Springs, Fla.
A: A portable generator is a good piece of emergency equipment to have on hand at all times, but as you’ve noted, it’s important to purchase the best generator for your needs. Buying it before an emergency occurs is also wise — last year’s hurricanes had people scrambling to find any available generator and paying much more than they would have before disaster struck.
The first thing to do is grab a pen and paper and start writing down the areas of the house that are most likely to need electricity. For example, the kitchen and living room are two areas that see a lot of day-to-day use. You may want to access your computer (or at least charge your laptop) regularly, and the television and radio are vital links to the outside world if phone service is unavailable. In summer, the air conditioner will make life bearable; in winter, the furnace has to operate so you don’t freeze to death. If your home is on well-water, the pump has to operate so you can flush the toilets. You may want access to the washer and dryer, too.
All of these items and areas take a certain amount of power to work. Your generator needs to produce enough electricity to safely operate all the stuff on the list. Provide too little power, and the motors in appliances (and computers) could be damaged. So carefully add up the total wattage required of all the electrical equipment in the areas on your list. Most of these items will have the wattage noted on them (usually on a manufacturer’s information sticker or plate on the back or bottom of the appliance), or you can contact the manufacturer directly. Don’t forget to include the wattage of each light bulb in your estimate.
Once you’ve figured the size of the generator, think about the type you want. A small portable generator is cost-effective and can be stored away until needed. A permanent standby generator can be switched on quickly anytime a power outage occurs, but typically costs more and must be professionally installed and inspected by the city or county building department.
Finally, always be extremely conscious of safety — yours and others’ — when installing and running a generator. Improperly installed portable generators can result in a “backfeed” of power into the home’s electrical system that can damage equipment or cause a fire. Backfeed can also injure or kill power-line workers in the area if the current travels up the line.
Carbon monoxide is a real danger when running generators, which are essentially internal-combustion engines just like your car’s engine. You wouldn’t leave a car running in a closed garage, so don’t do the same with a generator. Run it outside. If theft is a concern, either find a way to secure the generator, or turn it off at night and lock it up.