Selecting Your Solutions: How to Buy a Generator for Your Home

You might be alarmed to learn that America experiences a higher number of power outages than other developed nations. If you’re a homeowner, you want to keep your home powered during a blackout. But when you’re in the market for a generator, it can be tough sorting through the options.

We have you covered! Read on to learn how to buy a generator.

Know Why You Need a Generator

When buying a generator, consider what you’re hoping to do with it first. Will you use it on camping trips? Or are you hoping to haul it out for emergency power outages?

Some people want to live off the grid and will use a home generator as their power source. Whatever your intentions are, you need to find a match. Consider how long the generator will need to run at a time and whether there will be a secondary power source.

For occasional use to power up a laptop or other small electronic items, a portable generator is ideal. Standby generators, on the other hand, can be installed as permanent structures to power your home.

Generators can be noisy — but you don’t want to use them indoors, where the carbon monoxide risk is real. Operating them outside will keep exhaust from building up in a contained space. 

Explore Different Types of Generators

Looking for a generator means exploring your options. A portable generator remains a popular choice for its ease of use.

A home generator can keep your entire house functioning during an outage. As you can guess, they tend to be pricier, with some costing $15,000 or more. But if you have multiple refrigerators or medical machines, these generators can help you avoid waste or disaster.

And determine where you’ll protect generators from corrosion or other issues when not in use. Knowing how to store diesel generator machinery is critical to getting a long life from it. Empty the remaining fuel and store it in a dry and covered space!

Look at the Generator’s Power Potential

A smaller home generator can keep your coffeemaker going, and maybe a toaster. But to operate a refrigerator or chest freezer, you’ll need more power. Plan on getting a generator with around 7,000 watts to power vital appliances.

Be aware that the higher the voltage or amps, the heavier the generator. Even a portable generator can become heavy. When you go above 2,000 watts, you may need multiple people to move it.

If you go with an undersized generator, you could shorten its lifespan or deal with more frequent repairs. And if you use the wrong type of fuel, you could damage the internal parts.

Check to see if your generator uses gasoline, propane, or diesel. For the most efficient choice and least amount of odor, go with propane. Gasoline generators tend to have the shortest lifespan.

Learn How to Buy a Generator

When you understand how to buy a generator, the process is a little less daunting. Consider your needs and the power levels of different types of generators. Then check your budget and see what provides the most value.

To discover more tips to keep your home going strong, check back soon for new articles!