Buying A Backup Generator for A Hurricane

When it comes to hurricane season, manufacturers find themselves busy at work to meet with the supply and demand of generators. The best time to buy a generator is between power outages, not right before or during. However, many people wait until this time to shop and unfortunately are put on waiting lists for delivery dates.

Critical Decisions For Critical Times

Right now, any type fueled portable generators and standby generators are the most commonly sought after. They each offer varieties of grades, styles, wattage and horsepower. Most importantly is first you must decide what’s best and suitable for your own needs. The GRADE of a generator is the purpose of it. What type of generator you are looking for; recreational, emergency, jobsite, and home standby. The STYLE is also known as the type of fuel your generator is using; gas, trifuel, diesel, air cooled, liquid cooled and PTO. The wattage will range among brands and models from 900 watts to 100+kW.

Tips For Buying Generators for Hurricanes

Wattage is the most important part of deciding what generator is right for you and your family. For example, a 5,000 watt generator can run a fridge, freezer, fan and 60 watt light bulb for about 8 hours, no problem. You should always choose a generator though, that will produce more power than you will actually need while running major appliances. You never want to overload your generator and cause the circuit breakers to burn out.

If you’ve waited until hurricane season to buy a generator, forget shopping online for the best deals. Go down to your local home store like Home Depot, Lowe’s or Wal-mart. You’ll be able to speak with experts, tell them your needs, find one that’s right for you and take it home that day.

Tips While Using Generators During Hurricanes

DO NOT use your generator indoors. During hurricanes this is going to be difficult to do. Candles and ice chests packed tightly should be able to hold you over until it’s safe to venture outside. While outside, it will be important to figure out a dry location to use your generator. Too many people are killed every year because of CO2 fumes found indoors.

NEVER run your generator in standing water. They produce enough electricity to electrocute you. Even if you’ve purchase a protection device, it’s not a good idea. You can also risk ruining your generator.

TURN OFF all appliances before shutting down your generator. By doing this you will be prevent damage to the electrical circuits. Never allow any appliances to be near water, standing or moving, and keep an eye on water levels to make sure your generator is in a safe location.

Recommendations of Generators

The Coleman Powermate Pulse II generator can be found at Wal-mart for under $500. Weighing only 76lbs, it’s easily handled and maneuvered to different locations. It has a 1.3 gallon gas tank, which ends up being about 7 hours of continuous running time on a 50% load. Two 120-volt AC outlets and circuit breaker protection allow this generator to go just about anywhere to power up small appliances.

The Guardian 13,000 Watt (LP)/13,000 Watt (NG) Home Standby Generator can be found at Home Deport for just under $3200.00. Its perfect for hurricane season and professional installation is included with all purchases. These generators are capable of powering your entire house for days. It has an automatic transfer switch, so within 15 seconds of a power outage, you're back in business.