3 Important Things To Decide Before Purchasing An Emergency Generator

Do you live in an area where electricity is prone to failing, whether as a result of winter storms or something else? Have you been considering getting a generator so that you can still have power even when the power lines are down? Even if all you ever use your emergency generator for is keeping your refrigerator running and checking the news in the event of a power outage, you'll likely consider this to be money well-spent. But if you've never had to deal with purchasing an emergency generator before, there are some things that you need to decide before you go shopping:

Portable or permanent: Portable emergency generators are less expensive to purchase or to replace and, due to the small size of the fuel tank, can be less expensive to run in the short term. A permanent emergency generator, on the other hand, is going to be larger and more expensive with a higher power output. The larger fuel tank makes it less suitable for short-term power outages due to the potential for stale gas if the generator is only on for a short time, but it can be more energy efficient over the longer periods of time which would make it ideal if you're in a rural location where power outages can easily last for days at a time.

Gas or diesel: A gas-powered generator tends to be the most common type and is often less expensive to purchase than one that runs on diesel. Diesel emergency generators are often more powerful and are unlikely to be portable, making them somewhat expensive to buy. However, because you can usually use heating oil to power a diesel emergency generator, the cost to run a diesel generator is usually quite low. Diesel is easier and safer to store than gasoline, but gasoline may be easier to find and obtain on short notice. You'll need to take all of this into account before making a decision.

Generator location: No matter what type you ultimately choose, emergency generators need a safe location in order to run. This location should be at least 50 feet away from your house, due to the carbon monoxide that the generator will produce. Whether you choose a portable gasoline generator or a more powerful permanent diesel one, it should ideally be housed in an open shed-type location in order to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide. Wood lattice, chain link fencing, or both may be used as walls to prevent access to the generator itself while still allowing sufficient airflow to prevent fumes from accumulating. This safe location should be in place before you ever bring any generator home.

Contact a company, like Anderson Water Systems, for more help.


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