Size Matters When Choosing Your Home Generators

When buying a standby generator for your home, it is very important to choose the right sized generator. If you choose too small a generator, you will not be able to run your essential appliances during a power outage. Further, overloading the generator may lead to its breakdown as well as damage to all appliances that are using its power. On the other hand, if you choose too big a generator, you would be spending more on its purchase, installation, fuel, maintenance and repairs than required for your home. Choosing too big a standby generator may lead to a huge and unaffordable initial cost.

The size of your generator depends on the number of type of electrical appliances in your home. Heating and cooling appliances like water heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators etc consume a lot of power. You would need a big standby generator to power such appliances even during a power outage. On the other hand, if you want your house to remain lit even during a power outage, you can opt for a small sized generator. Further, appliances that have moving parts like fans and pumps consume a lot of electricity at startup but do not require a lot of power to continue functioning. Hence, it always pays to increase your estimated requirements by 20% to provide for such appliances before taking a final decision.

Along with the number of appliances, you will have to consider the space available for installation as well. Unlike portable generators, standby generators need to be permanently installed and properly serviced for efficient performance. Of course, the output of a standby generator is far better than that of a portable one. Hence, you should have the necessary space to install the right sized standby generator.

A standby generator is a big investment that shall serve you and your family for years to come. Hence, it is necessary to protect your investment from the elements of nature. You should install your generator in a well protected area that is well ventilated but yet not fully exposed to sunshine, rain, snow etc. If you do not have space around your house, you may have no choice but to opt for a smaller generator.

When determining the size of your generator, you should get one that will fit not just your current requirements but also your future requirements as well. It is very difficult to anticipate your long term energy requirements accurately. However, you can try estimating your future requirements about five years from today and get a generator which will serve you well even five years from today.

If your house is due for a major renovation, it is better if you defer choosing your generator until after the renovation or consider the planned changes when taking a decision. If you are planning to install a new air conditioner or other heavy duty electrical items in your house, then you should decide the size your generator accordingly. One of the options you could look at is installing a wind turbine to generate electricity. Wind power is becoming more affordable and a small home windmill could suit your needs.

Unlike generators installed in your work place, home generators become an intrinsic part of your life. Not choosing the right sized generator can leave you ruing your decision to actually go in for a generator in the first place.

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