Are you getting tired of those power outages? Then it’s time to do something about it. Don’t just sit there like most people and wait for the power to return. Meanwhile your smart neighbor is comfortably watching TV and enjoying his day while the whole house generator is running . If you’ve never lived next to a neighbor with an emergency generator, than trust me when I tell you that it can be a little agonizing. While you’re in the dark with flashlights and candles, he’s living like nothing ever happened!
The decision of getting a home backup generator was easy for me. How much longer could I stand watching my neighbor with all his lights and TVs on while I bask in the light of candles. The only problem was that I didn’t like the type of generator he had. I wanted something a little more modern and quieter. So while doing my research I discovered a few things about generators:
1. Portable generators aren’t the only options available and they all don’t run on gas. They can run on gas, diesel, propane and natural gas. Additionally there are the non-portable standby generators that are able to detect a power outage and switch on automatically. A lot larger than the portable counterpart, but definitely more affective.
2. Wattage and HP – Knowing how much power you will need is also very important. Understanding the requirements for the size of your home is really essential before making your purchase. The average home requires from 5000 to 7000 watts to power essential items. Below is a simple chart to help you determine how much power you may need from your generator.
3. Noise factor – Some generators can be very noisy and may cause a disturbance to others. I found that price also had a factor in noise reduction. Some of the pricier models are a lot quieter, so be prepared to pay a little more if your concerned about noise.
4. Reliability and Warranty – You want to get a brand with a long history of producing emergency generators. Seriously, if you want your generator to last for years than you need to be careful what brand & model you chose. There are so many to chose from you can go bonkers making your decision. But don’t worry I weeded out the junk will give some really good ones to pick from.
Here are a few generators on my list, but not necessary on the top of my list. I’ll write about those on my next post.
The ETQ TG72k12 8,250 watt portable generator. This baby packs a punch for it’s size, and can power many home appliances at the same time, like the TV, refrigerator, water heater and others for up to 10 hours at 50% load. It has an over sized muffler for quieter operation. Not bad for a portable generator of this size.
The DuroMax XP4400 4,400 watt portable generator also packs a lot of power for the price. This one is perfect for those that only need to power a few items in the home. It has a 4 gallon gas tank and can run for about 8 hours. But like I said earlier, the price can also determine how noisy it will be. In this case the DuroMax XP4400 is not as quiet as the ETQ TG72k12.
Now on the higher price range and performance there is the Generac Guardian Series 5504. For those who are really serious about powering the whole house than this baby is for you. It packs 17,000 watts powered by propane or natural gas. It’s an automatic standby generator, so when the power goes out it will automatically turn on to give you electricity.
My name is Frank, and thank you for visiting my site on home generators. I know how hard it can be to find the right generator for your home, It took me weeks of research to find the right one. But I know I can help you find the right one today!
