Are you tired of power outages but still on the fence about installing a backup home generator? That’s understandable since they don’t come cheap. However, there are two distinct benefits to installing a home generator. First, it ensures you have uninterrupted power because when the main grid fails, the backup generator immediately kicks in and supplies your home with electricity until the grid is up and running again. And second, a generator can save you a considerable amount of money. Here’s how:
- You don’t have to stay at a hotel. When a power outage lasts longer than a few hours, it often becomes necessary to stay at a hotel—especially during the warmest or coldest months of the year. In addition, using candles to light your home can be a fire hazard. With a backup generator, you can stay in your home for the duration of the power outage—without having to fork out $150 a night or more for a hotel, depending on the size of your household.
- You won’t run up any medical bills. During the summer and winter, you need your AC, heating, and an air filter in order to maintain a healthy indoor temperature, moisture level, and air quality. This is especially important for young children, old people, pregnant women, and people who are sick or suffer from respiratory conditions like bronchitis or asthma. Without electricity, none of these appliances work—potentially making you or your family sick and needing expensive medical attention. With a generator, you can ensure your home is a healthy, safe place at all times.
- You don’t have to replace all your perishable food. You can’t use the food in your fridge anymore if the power’s been out for more than four hours (less if the door has been opened). Food in a half-full freezer needs to be thrown out after 24 hours, and food in a full freezer has to be discarded after 48 hours. Replacing all of this can add up considerably; plus, you have to get takeout or go out to eat until you can use your fridge and electric stove again.
- You don’t have to deal with water damage. If you have a sump pump in your basement and the power goes out during a storm, the sump pump won’t work anymore. As a result, the water that would normally be pumped away from your home can back up, flood your basement, and cause considerable water damage that can run into the thousands. And there’s literally nothing you can do to prevent this. All you can do is try to remove the water manually to minimize the damage.
- Your home won’t be left unprotected against burglars. Without electricity, your home security system won’t work. This is why burglaries tend to spike during drawn-out power outages since they won’t set off any alarms or be recorded on security footage. Unless you have a backup generator, your home is a potential target. Even if you have homeowners insurance, you’ll still have to cover your deductible.
While installing a backup generator might seem like a big decision, once you consider the benefits of everything from keeping your security system on to ensuring the health and comfort of your family, it becomes a smart investment in your property and everyone who calls it home.
Call the experts at Raynor Electric to schedule your generator service today!
