If you have lived in north Georgia for more than a year, there is a good chance you have experienced the frustration of lengthy power outages.
Whether it was due to winter ice, spring storms or a fall hurricane that came barreling in off the coast, you will have seen power poles and trees snap like so many twigs underfoot, bringing electrical lines down with them and causing all kinds of inconveniences and loss.
And it is at this point that you begin to remember what you told yourself after the last lengthy outage: Remember to buy a generator!
So why own a generator? Well, once you lose power for more than a couple of hours, you face concerns. Depending on the season and your circumstances, you could be facing a wide range of issues, from annoying to downright scary. So, let’s take a look at the reasons to own a generator. And then we’ll look at what type of generator works best for your situation.
Here’s a list of problems that a generator can help avert:
Food spoilage
If the power goes out for any length of time, you face the prospect of throwing out a whole refrigerator’s worth of milk, cheese, meat and vegetables. The same goes for your freezer. That basically like taking money out of your wallet and lighting it on fire. The good news is that a generator protects against this by keeping your fridge and freezer going full bore.
Medical issues
What happens if you depend on medicine that must remain cold, or you utilize electrical equipment that helps to maintain you or a loved one’s wellbeing? If the power goes out for any length of time, you could be left scrambling for options. A generator helps allay any of these fears.
Flood damage
If you have a home that utilizes a sump pump, you know exactly what we’re referring to. Sump pumps are a life saver for basements throughout our region, conducting water away and back to where it belongs. However, if your power goes out during a rainstorm or, heaven forbid, a hurricane, you could be looking at wet problem. Sump pumps need power to run, and if you don’t have a generator, you could be dealing with massive flooding. This damages stored items or worse, damages structural elements in your basement.
Lost work time
So many of us work from home now. Well, what if you simply cannot work because of a loss of power? Yes, laptops and phones can run on battery power for hours, but what happens when they run out? You could be left scrambling as work piles up. Wireless routers also require constant power. A home generator can prevent you panicking about running to a neighbor’s for extra power. Or even a local coffee shop to borrow some “juice” for your devices.
Loss of comfort
If the power goes out for a long time during a Georgia summer or winter, you better be prepared to deal with all kinds of discomfort. Have you tried sleeping through a 90-degree, 90-percent humidity night without air conditioning? Have you tried taking a shower without hot water on a 30-degree morning? Or do you want to have to lift your garage door on your own on a freezing cold morning? Certainly, we can all survive this way. But it is quite a shock, and it can have quite an effect on how you go about your day and how you treat others – especially your family. A generator, however, will keep you completely comfortable through hours of lost power.
Loss of safety
If the power goes out, you’re going to have to live without lighting, which can lead to all manner of problems, such as candles or space heaters representing a fire hazard, or darkened stairwells becoming a fall hazard. Home security systems can also fail. And while most of them have a back-up battery, those only last so long. And, as Georgia storms have shown us, no matter how hard utility companies work to restore power, it could sometimes take days to put things right – which means you will be dealing with these issues the entire time.
So, now that we’ve looked at the cons of life without a generator in Georgia, let’s take a look at what you can do to alleviate your concerns.
There are two types of generators: standby and portable. And while portable generators are cheaper, they present plenty of other drawbacks when compared to the standby version.
Permanently installed, a standby generator provides immediate and automatic backup power during any power outage. Standby generators utilize liquid propane or natural gas to produce electricity that it automatically feeds into your home when outside power is stopped. They do not require you to go outside and crank them. They come in a variety of sizes that can be wired into specific circuits in your home.
The right standby generator, professionally installed, can keep your home going as if nothing happened, even during the longest power outages.
Portable generators can also work for your needs. However, portable options do require manual start-up, and you will also need to run extension cords from the generator to the few appliances that you choose to run. Portable generators also run through gasoline that must be replenished.
When looking at generators, it all comes down to a couple of questions:
How much power do I need?
A standby generator can run your entire home as if it is in a normal situation. Portable generators can only run a few appliances at once and that does not include your HVAC unit.
How much inconvenience are you comfortable with?
Standby generators crank when they detect a power loss in the home – whether you are in your home or not. Portable generators must be turned on by hand and then placed in a well-ventilated spot. That generally means outside, or else you risk carbon monoxide poisoning. If you’re leaving that generator outside overnight, others will most definitely hear it going, and, if they are so inclined, may decide to take it for themselves. You must also refill a portable generator, which on a freezing cold day, is not much fun.
Therefore, if you are seeking a mix of convenience and power, a standby generator is worth perusing. However, they do require professional installation.
The good news is that there are several companies in north Georgia experienced in installing standby generators in all types of homes – including Conditioned Air Systems.
Conditioned Air Systems four decades worth of experience includes more than just the best in HVAC installation, service and repair. We also know how to expertly install and service whole-home standby generators. And if you are tired of worrying about the next big weather event and what that means for your home’s power, simply call us today and let us apprize you of the wide range of options we carry.
Call us today at 770-536-7509 and let us put your power concerns to bed for good.