There is a good reason the demand for whole house generators has gone up dramatically; people can no longer afford to be without power for hours and days at a time. In locations where power outages are common, homeowners are realizing that they must have a plan for backup power that kicks in immediately and can run for hours and days at a time. It goes without saying that a homeowner cannot use a portable generator to power their entire home for days on end without going through an inconvenient refueling and maintenance process. Only whole house generators are suited for such a purpose.
These generators function best with an automatic transfer switch designed to turn the unit on as soon as it detects that there has been an electrical power failure. Even if the voltage suddenly drops due to a fluctuation, the automatic transfer switch disconnects the house from the grid and the whole house generators take over the job of providing the home with continuous power at the proper voltage. One of the greatest benefits about this system that separates it from portable generators is the fact that the whole house units come on and turn off automatically. There is no need for you to go outside, set the unit up and then crank start it; this feature is crucial, especially in inclement freezing weather.
There are numerous whole house generators available on the market. The unit you choose depends on the size of your house, the number of electrical appliances want to power during an outage and if you want to go with a brand name versus a lesser know manufacturer. If you can avoid using air-conditioning, hot tubs and other luxury items during an outage, you can opt for a smaller less expensive brand name unit. Look for a unit known for reliability, fuel efficiency, quietness and above all can generate the required capacity with ease.
Backup power for the home has clearly become an essential element. For some homeowners, a portable unit may seem like the ideal solution. However, it is important to take into consideration these factors. How often do you experience power outages? If the answer is frequent, a portable unit might not be your best option. The next consideration is; do these outages occur during the winter? If they do, it is vital that your decision be well thought out. Trying to set up and start a portable generator in the midst of a winter storm can be brutal to say the least.
Before making your final decision take a look the various whole house generators. Price them based on the capacity you need, fuel requirements and the features they provide. You will be pleasantly surprised at how the prices have dropped due to their popularity and competition from manufacturers.
