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Should I Buy a Generator?
If you were one of the 85,000 Salt Lake Valley residents affected by the massive power outage earlier this month, you may be wondering what you can do to protect yourself from future outages. Though the outage lasted just a few hours, it definitely made a lot of people realize just how dependent they are on electricity.
From keeping food fresh to powering our cell phones and making countless necessities and luxuries of modern life possible, electricity is something that most of us can’t live without. Unfortunately, storms, high winds and other emergencies can lead to power outages. With a standby generator, though, you can give yourself the peace of mind of knowing that no matter what happens, you’ll have the power you need.
Is a standby generator right for your home? Keep reading to find out!
Should I Buy a Generator?
A standby generator is effective insurance against power outages. Unlike a portable generator that you can keep in your garage and pull out in the event of an emergency, a standby generator is permanently installed and kicks on automatically.
With a standby generator, you’ll never have to worry about power outages, even if you’re away from home. You can have it set up to run just vital household components, like your HVAC system and refrigerator, or you can opt for a whole-home generator that will keep your home running like normal.
Assessing Your Power Needs
Generators are sized based upon the wattage they product. Larger units produce more watts and, as you’d probably expect, cost more.
Power usage varies from one home to another. A good way to determine your usage is by checking your electric bills for the past several months. You may also want to consider contacting your electric company or a local electrician for a “wattage assessment.”
You’ll also need to consider exactly what you want your generator to power. At the bare minimum, you’ll probably want to set up an emergency panel of necessities. A 17-kilowatt unit is the standard size for powering your air conditioner/furnace, refrigerator and a few outlets and lights.
If you’re thinking about investing in a unit that can power your entire home, you’ll likely need one that can produce 25 to 30 kilowatts. Another option is a “load management system” that can power your entire home, but not all at once. These systems work by cutting power to nonessential circuits as needed.
Standby Generator in Salt Lake City
Heat waves, thunderstorms, blizzards and strong winds all put you at risk of losing your power. If you’re ready to protect your home and family from inevitable power outages, let us help. At Neerings Plumbing & Heating, we installation and service for standby generators in Salt Lake City and the surrounding communities.
When you’re ready for us to install a standby generator in your Salt Lake City home, give us a call at 801-467-3951 to schedule an appointment with a Salt Lake City electrician.
