Looking for ways to protect your family and home during a storm? What if you could have the comfort and security of year-round power outage protection? You can with a standby generator provided and serviced by our wholly owned subsidiary, RECORE.
Generators can provide reliable backup power in case of an outage. This can be critical for households with family members who depend on powered medical equipment. When choosing a generator, it's important to find the right type and size unit to fit your needs.
How do you choose the right size generator for your home? The answer depends on what you want to use it for. For powering some lights and several appliances, a small portable unit would work. For long-term protection, including powering an air-conditioning unit, a standby generator would be the better choice.
Add up the total wattage of the equipment or appliances you wish to run. Check the owner's manual or serial plate for wattage rating. Some appliances, such as refrigerators or dishwashers, have a start-up wattage that is higher than the running wattage. This must be calculated in the total. If no start-up wattage is listed, assume it's three times the running wattage.
Benefits of a Standby Generator
Severe weather can happen anywhere, any time, including catastrophic events like tornadoes and hurricanes. In 2017, Hurricane Irma left nearly 7 million people without power in Florida alone.
Imagine being able to have 24/7 relief from such events, keeping lights and air conditioning on. Fueled by natural gas, standby generators are highly reliable, cost less to operate than diesel generators (which require constant refueling) and are also more convenient.
A standby generator features an automatic transfer switch (ATS) that connects to the main electrical panel. The switch detects an electrical outage on the grid and starts the generator automatically, then disconnects the main electrical panel from the grid. This allows the generator to power all or some of the electrical circuits in the home, including the air conditioner.
Installing a generator system gives you a distinct advantage by providing additional value and peace of mind about the risks and costs associated with power outages.
An Ideal Time to Install
The majority of standby generator installations are performed after home construction is complete and are often motivated by major extended power outages in the area. It is strongly encouraged to start this process before a storm is on the way. Due to COVID and other manufacturing issues, if you wait, it could be too late.
Safety Counts
Always operate generators safely according to the manufacturer's instructions. Never attempt to connect your generator to the electrical system. The electricity you generate can back-feed to utility lines, where it can endanger lineworkers. A transfer switch, properly installed by our qualified electrician, can prevent the generator from sending electricity back through the transmission line.
Get a Free Quote
Contact our wholly owned subsidiary, RECORE, today to get a free quote! We have a team of people who are here to answer any questions you may have!