Benefits of a Power Generator

As a child, when the power went out, there was a pretty common procedure followed: find the flashlight, light all the candles in the house, do not open the refrigerator door, and don’t use the water unless it’s an emergency!

It was an inconvenience for sure, but not life threatening at the time. I thought the adults were most worried about the temperature being too warm without the air conditioner running. Generators were just a luxury. All of that said, I was raised in Florida… now, as an adult, in Missouri, a power outage hits much differently. We have gone days without power due to ice storms or tornadoes, anything can happen here and it absolutely CAN be life threatening to be without. Those outages can lead to no heat or air, no water, lost groceries and meat, frozen pipes, oxygen machines not working, security systems down. It could get very serious very quickly.

So, what are the benefits to having a generator? 

• Uninterrupted Power: keeping lights, refrigerators, freezers, and other essential appliances running automatically during outages preventing food loss and maintaining daily life. 
• Safety & Comfort: Powers HVAC systems for heat and AC, sump pumps to prevent flooding and critical medical equipment (like CPAP and oxygen machines)
• Peace of Mind: Offers reassurance that your family and home are protected during storms or utility failures.
• Work and Communications: Allows you to work from home, charge cell phones, and keep internet/communication systems online
• Property Protection: prevents damage from frozen pipes in the winter, and keeps security systems active.
• Increased Home Value: A permanent standby generator is a valuable upgrade that boosts resale appeal. 
• Convenience: Standby generators start automatically, requiring no manual setup, unlike portable units, and can run for longer periods on natural gas or propane.  

Some more common questions regarding generators are:

• What size? Sizing is based on your home’s unique electrical demands and what you deem essential to keep running, so that can all be customized to each home.
• How about location? Where will it be installed, and is it noisy? Typically, they are installed as near the meter as possible, but it can ultimately be installed wherever you, the homeowner would like, as long as it meets local and state code.
• As far as noise? Many generators now boast DB levels in the low 60’s (that’s comparable to the average human conversation) all of this can be taken into consideration when the installation location is being determined.
• Fuel source? Many wonder what the fuel source will be, in our area we’re fortunate to have natural gas and propane readily available, while diesel is also an option. 

Having a generator is still a luxury, though in many circumstances it can also be a requirement and when you take in the weight of what can be lost, they are definitely a blessing. One we hope we don’t have to use but, in this area, it is most commonly when the power goes out, not if. If you have any more questions, we would love to hear from you – call us at Current!