So, You're Looking for a Generator. Now What?

Monday, January 23rd, 2017 at 11:00 am

How many times a year do you have to deal with a power outage? If you're like most homeowners in the country, it's just a handful of times a year. However, you may be one of those more unfortunate people who has to deal with an extended power outage of longer than a couple of hours. For something like that, navigating by flashlight until the lights come back on is not really a good option. The best way to deal with extended power outages is by installing a generator in your home. The generator field is quite large, however. You can't just pick any generator to fit any power need. What generator do you go with, then? Let's go over some of the more specific factors you need to consider when selecting a generator system.

Power Requirements

As we've said, not all generators provide the same level of power output. Before you have a generator installed, you're going to need to determine how much of your house needs to remain powered during an outage. If you just need to keep the lights on for a little while, it's probably fine to go with a portable backup generator. These are generators that are powered by propane or gasoline, and need to be manually activated in the event of an outage. People tend to keep these generators in their garages (with proper ventilation) as they don't take up all that much space.

Automatic standby generators, by contrast, are able to provide much more output than portable generators. They're powered by natural gas, and need to either have their own gas line or be connected to the one in the home. When an automatic standby generator detects a power failure, it will automatically activate and begin powering the home. Standby generators tend to be far too large to be installed inside the home. Instead, they tend to be installed elsewhere on the property.

Convenience

The average portable backup generator needs to be manually started up in order to start providing power, which is fine if it's stored in the garage. Still, most people would rather that their generators automatically start up when they are needed. This is especially true for standby generators, which are large enough that they need to be installed outside of the home much of the time. Even if you don't need to make use of that much power, you might want to consider installing a standby generator if it's that important to have the system activate automatically. If it's not that big of a deal to start it yourself, then go with a standard backup generator as long as it meets your power requirements. It's best if you consult with a professional on all of these different factors, so that you can be sure that you are getting the right system for your needs.

American Heating & Cooling offers generator services of all kinds in South Williamson, KY. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts.