As spring arrives, many of us will be experiencing inclement weather conditions. While most civic electrical grids provide excellent service, Mother Nature is still very powerful and can put a crimp in our plans. A generator is an ideal way to provide protection for your home, allowing you to stay connected and ensure that the power supply to your vital appliances is not interrupted. Before you make a significant investment in a new system, here are some installation tips to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Get it Properly Sized:
Generator systems have a power load that reflects the number of devices and appliances it is able to support. In an ideal scenario, your generator should have sufficient capacity to support all the electrical components of your home. If your generator does not have enough capacity, you will be forced to decide which appliances are vital and which will need to be left off. This could mean that in the event of a blackout, you may have your refrigerator running, but you will be bored with no TV or music.
Consider the Location:
Another important consideration is where your generator will be located. The ideal location of your generator will depend on a number of factors, the most important being how it is fueled. Some generators use natural gas that is piped into your home. Others use diesel or other types of fuel. This may dictate the location of your generator. After all, you won’t want to have to keep carrying cans of diesel through your home to get to the generator.
Regardless of your chosen fuel source, your generator will need to be located in an area that allows proper ventilation. It may need to be connected to the gas line for your home or be convenient for other fuel sources. Additionally, it needs to be in a convenient location to power your home’s electrical grid. Your generator also needs to be placed in a location that is easy to reach in the event of a crisis.
Consider Your Fuel Options:
As mentioned above, there are a number of fuel options for home generators. The most popular are fueled with natural gas or propane, but diesel is also an option. Before making your final purchase decision, you need to consider which fuel is the best choice for your home. Natural gas tends to be one of the most efficient choices, and it is more convenient as you don’t need to keep cans of spare fuel around. Unfortunately, if there is a major crisis which impairs the gas network, you will be without fuel for your generator. If you do choose a propane or diesel generator, you should always have at least several days worth of fuel. This may influence your choice of generator system or where you choose to place it. The fuel will need to be kept in a safe place, where it is not a fire hazard to your home, but is easy to reach during a blackout.