Choosing a Backup Generator

By Greg Pahl
Published on February 1, 2004
1 / 4

If you have a natural gas or propane-powered generator, you need to have a licensed plumber or pipe-fitter install the gas connections. "That way, you know it's been done correctly and that it will meet all the codes," Flowers says.
If you have a natural gas or propane-powered generator, you need to have a licensed plumber or pipe-fitter install the gas connections. "That way, you know it's been done correctly and that it will meet all the codes," Flowers says.
2 / 4

Used with or without renewable energy, a backup generator can eliminate the headaches of long-term power outages.
Used with or without renewable energy, a backup generator can eliminate the headaches of long-term power outages.
3 / 4

A permanent standby generator can be an inconspicuous addition to your house.
A permanent standby generator can be an inconspicuous addition to your house.
4 / 4

Portable generators, such as this Honda EG 5000, are a cheaper option than permanent standby models. This generator’s engine runs on gasoline and is designed with overhead valves, a feature that helps reduce emissions and noise.
Portable generators, such as this Honda EG 5000, are a cheaper option than permanent standby models. This generator’s engine runs on gasoline and is designed with overhead valves, a feature that helps reduce emissions and noise.

Backup Generators: Preparing for Power Blackouts

Don’t get left in the dark. Here’s what you need to know for emergency power.

Power failures can be a real pain — and downright dangerous — if you’re not prepared. At the very least, blackouts disable heating and air-conditioning systems, freezers, refrigerators, water pumps and lighting. If the power outage lasts for any length of time, your home can become uncomfortable and possibly uninhabitable: Your water pipes may freeze and burst, the food in your freezer may thaw and spoil, or your sump pump may fail, flooding your basement. Any of these events can quickly become expensive. If a blizzard blocks roads and you’re snowed-in during subzero temperatures, grid failure can even be life-threatening.

But you can make your home blackout-proof. Installing a solar PV system or a wind generator is the greenest option, letting you cut your ties to the fossil fuels and nuclear power that produce nearly all grid-based electricity. (For more on these options, see “Install a Solar Photovoltaic Roof to Generate Free Electricity“.)

Another possibility is buying a backup generator, usually powered by a conventional internal combustion engine. Used with or without renewable energy, a backup generator can eliminate the headaches of long-term power outages.

In 1985, I lived at the tail end of along electric distribution line in rural Vermont. One January night, a severe ice storm hit and the electricity went off, as usual. But this time it did not return hours later, or even the next day. The morning after, I surveyed the damage outside — our electric lines were lying on the ground across the driveway and the power line right-of-way had disappeared in a tangle of bent, ice-coated trees. The utility company’s crews were overwhelmed by the damage. We went without electric service for a week.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368