Advantages of A Portable Generator When Employed as A Home Backup

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We can’t imagine your life without electricity nowadays, most of our daily tasks depend on it. And when the power outage hits, it disturbs our daily life. 

And, if it sustains for more than a few days or even weeks, mostly when natural disasters like hurricanes or storms hit, you will need some backup power. 

You can somehow manage without electricity for a day, but power outages for days and weeks is a totally different story.

The solution is to own a generator, and it will provide electricity when the grid can’t. A generator can keep you and your family safe during the night, keeping your lights on. 

It can power your electronics, keep your fridge running so that your food doesn’t spoil. And if someone in the house depends on electrical medical equipment, then a backup generator is a must.

A generator keeps you comfortable and maintains the normalcy of life. You will be ready to deal with any kind of situation with your substitute power source, a backup generator.

Why Own a Backup Generator?

In general, they can make blackouts more manageable and convenient. There is no fixed time for a power outage, and it can last for hours or, in a worst-case scenario, for even months.

If you are unprepared for these situations, then it can rattle your lifestyle in a best-case scenario.

The longer power outages mainly occur in abnormal weather conditions. Hurricanes, tornados, or storms can inflict major damage on the power system. 

But, the weather isn’t the only culprit of a power outage; human error, equipment failures, and accidents can also lead to a power outage. A portable generator makes it easy to ride through it until the power returns.

Two Most Common Types Of Generators

When you are selecting a generator for your house, you will be presented with a choice. 

You can either go with portable generators or standby generators. They both have their certain advantages and disadvantages, and you should choose one based on your use.

Portable Generator

This is a more budget-friendly option, and they will cost less than standby units. As the name suggests, they are portable units, and you get power on wheels.

It can power anything at any location. They are extensively used at construction sites to run power tools. The portability means the size and weight must be in check; that’s why they will provide limited power. More power will mean increased weight.

Portable Generator

Moreover, portable generators will need to be connected to the transfer switch manually when the blackout occurs. 

Besides, limited power means it won’t power all the appliances of your house, so if you want to power more than a few appliances like lights, refrigerators and use it to charge electronics, then it is a good option.

For more information, you can check out the Generator-Review’s Top list of portable generators.

Pros

  • They are cost-effective and portable.
  • Can power a number of appliances, including home essentials.
  • Less maintenance is required.
  • Easy and Convenient use.

Cons

  • Manual operation.
  • It will not power the whole house.
  • Bigger units might be heavy, and you will need help to move them.

Standby Generator

Standby generators are costlier, bigger, and more powerful. They are capable of supplying power to the whole house. But, they are not portable; you can’t move them. 

Once they are installed, then that’s it. Also, you will need to hire a professional to do the installation.

Portable generators are mainly known to run on gasoline or propane, whereas for standby units, you also get the option of natural gas. 

A natural gas connection will already be in existence at most of the houses, so you will just need to make the connection, and you can have unlimited runtime as long as the natural gas flows through pipes. 

Standby Generator

You also have a propane and gasoline option. The fuel also determines the price of the unit.

To get a general idea about the gasoline option, a 7,500-watt standby unit will require 15 gallons of gasoline to run the whole day at 50% load. 

Other than that, their operation is automatic, when it detects the absence of grid electricity, it will turn itself on, and when grid power comes back, it will turn itself off.

Pros

  • It will run test runs at specific intervals to ensure faultless working.
  • Automatic operation.
  • Can power the whole house.
  • Will increase the property value.

Cons

  • It is costly and requires professional installation.
  • Regular maintenance is necessary.
  • Stationary.

Advantages of Having a Portable Generator As a Backup

There are many advantages of having a portable unit as a backup generator, a few of which we have discussed below.

It Can Preserve Food

Without power, the food in your refrigerator will be good for a few hours only; short outages won’t do much harm to it, but when the power doesn’t come back for longer, then the risk to your food increases. 

The food will stay good for 48 hours after the lights go out, your refrigerator won’t be working, and so the stove. A solution is a portable generator that can turn the fridge back on. It may save you money for buying the food again.

It Will Run Sump Pump

A stopped sump pump can be a major problem in flood-affected areas; when it stops running, the water starts to accumulate. 

A sump pump continuously flushes out the water from your basement. To keep your house dry and clean, it must work properly.

So, during a power outage, a portable generator will make sure that your sump pump is working properly.

It Is Safe and Easy to Operate

Another advantage of a portable generator is that they are very easy to use; you can either connect them to the transfer switch or directly connect your appliances to the power outlets on the control panel through extension cords. 

Moreover, they are very safe to use as well. They come with many safety features; they will have overload protection, low oil level protection, so the unit stays safe, and many more.

If you haven’t used a portable generator before, then don’t worry, just go through the instruction manual and you will know what to do.

Conclusion

A backup generator not only provides you the power when there is none available through home outlets but, it also provides peace of mind. 

Knowing that you have a generator ready to go, you will be at ease now; no matter the reason behind a power outage, a generator will ensure the comfort and safety of you and your family.

Sophie Turner
Home Accessories Tips
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