If anyone should know about the benefits of having back up power, I should. I’ve been working with Jamiel Yameen, Sales Manager for CM Mose & Son’s and Generac Generator for a couple of years. I’ve written a lot of articles (blog posts) about Generac Generators. I’ve seen his presentation to customers about Generator sizing and how a generator works when the power goes out.
I know a homeowner can choose a smaller generator to run specific systems in your house, like the air conditioner and the refrigerator. A smaller generator ensured that during a power outage, the home stays comfortable in the summer and the frozen meat, which they are getting ready to use on the BBQ that week doesn’t spoil.
I also know that a homeowner who purchases a smaller generator can easily upgrade to a larger generator when they install a transfer switch. Replacing a small generator with a ‘whole house’ generator will automatically engage when power is out keeping all the electricity in the house flowing. I know this larger generator can run up to 3 days before the tank is depleted and that generators run on Natural gas or propane.
I also know that our power grid is aging. In my home, our need for electricity in the last five years has gone way up. We have five computers, four TV’s, five cell phones, cameras, iPods, an iPad, and chargers to charge these items. They all require electricity. Five years ago we did not have these items in our home. Now, we depend on electricity almost as much as we depend on water.
I’ve been paying attention to the news reports about the cyber threats that would take out electricity for entire cities. I’ve experienced the bad weather that knocks out my power for hours. A few years ago when our children were small, we had to check into a hotel during an ice storm when we lost power. My kids are older now, and they require more electricity.
When my power went out this week, I wish I’d had a generator of my own. If only to keep the air conditioning on (it was 93 degrees outside) and run my refrigerator. I guess that when it happens to you, the information that you know now has a personal application. Our power was only out for 90 minutes, but I had no idea when it would come back on. I started to feel a little apprehensive about the idea of not having power for a day or two in the heat. I began to wonder how I would do what I needed to do if I had to go a day or two without power.
I kept thinking, “This is 2015, and I live in Kansas City, MO., which is a fairly large city. My electric company must surely be able to get our power back on in a relatively short amount of time.” But I wasn’t sure. I like to camp (when the power goes out it always feels a little like camping to me), but I also like to decide when to camp and where.
It’s time for me to get a quote for a generator not because I think the world is going to end. It’s because I don’t know when my electricity will.