A generator that powers an entire house will have you prepared for any extreme weather scenario or natural disaster. Though expensive, they’re well worth the investment if your lights fail. Unlike their smaller, more portable cousins, they’re a permanent fixture to any property and their size ensures they pack more of a punch.
There’s a lot to be said for a whole house generator. Most are designed to be automatically transferable i.e. when the grid goes down, they spring into action. Unlike smaller generators, they run on a range of different fuels, from diesel and liquid propane to natural gases.
Another thing that sets these large generators apart is how long they can keep things going. Disasters and their side effects can last for days, maybe even weeks, and a whole house generator is more than up to the task. Most propane whole house generators can run for a few days at a time, while some well-maintained natural gas ones can stretch it a bit further and last a week.
There are certain factors that can impact this running time. Because it’s connected to a network, natural gas isn’t limited to on-hand fuel capacity, so can run until the source is interrupted. In addition, the higher the wattage of the generator, the more power it’ll expend. The condition of the generator also plays an important role; older or poorly maintained models won’t be able to deliver the power they did when they were new.
That said, these sizeable assets do come with a much higher price tag, which means whole house generators probably need to be budgeted for. In addition, installation isn’t just physically placing it in the home but connecting it to your home’s power grid.
Still, they’re a great way to protect your appliances, sensitive electronics, and the food in your fridge and freezer. They also play their part in keeping your home security systems active during power outages. Finally, installing one can increase the value of your home. Who wouldn’t want to buy a house knowing they had that extra peace of mind?
Key Takeaways:
- House generators work by providing power to your home when it loses power. It has an engine it uses to produce power.
- They are different than portable ones as they can provide much more power and even power the whole home.
- Home generators are going to be more expensive the more things you add for it to power.
“Whole house generators offer higher levels of power than portable generators and have the added convenience of automatic power.”
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