Advantages of Whole Home Generators
For some people, the need for a whole-house generator is clear. There may be people in their household who depend on medical equipment that requires electricity. You might have tropical fish or reptiles that require a reliable power source for oxygen, heat, or filtration. Even if there is no need for specific equipment, some people and pets cannot tolerate temperature extremes. Days or weeks of hot weather after a power outage could be harmful to their health.
For others, whole-house generators might seem like an unnecessary expense. However, after you suffer through your first extended power outage, their utility becomes a lot clearer. Long periods without power can lead to food spoilage. You could lose a significant amount of money, especially if you buy in bulk. People who work from home or take classes online are also in a difficult position. They won’t be able to continue with no power. Then, there is the inconvenience of having no hot water and being unable to charge your devices.
You might also wonder whether a portable generator would be sufficient. These are significantly cheaper than whole-house generators, but they have lots of disadvantages.
There are several reasons that whole-home generators are superior to portable generators.
- No manual setup necessary
- Whole-house coverage
- Longer run time
- No fuel storage needed
- Quieter
- Peace of mind
When you have a whole-house generator, you don’t have to do anything if your power goes out. It switches on automatically. This is great if you’re away from home, particularly if it’s for several days. But it’s also handy if you’re at home. It can be a hassle to go outside to start up a portable generator. This is especially true if it’s during a storm or in the middle of the night.
Another advantage of a whole-house generator is that it’s more powerful than a portable model. It can power the entire house. Most portable generators can only power a few devices. In addition, there’s a difference in runtime. Typically, portable generators don’t run nonstop. They also have shorter lifespans in terms of the total hours that they can run. Whole-house generators will keep your house going for days or weeks.
Fuel storage is another issue. You’ll need a place to store fuel for your portable generator. Depending on the number of hours you want to run it, this could require a substantial amount of storage space. A whole-house generator runs off a natural gas or propane fuel line, so you don’t have to worry about storage.
There are other drawbacks to a portable generator. They are noisy, and they require more maintenance than whole-house models. If you want a generator that you can rely on, a whole-house generator is the right choice.