Prepping For Winter: Essentials For A Power Outage
Winter is here and we are less than a week away until Christmas. In Southeastern, PA our first snow storm was this past week, dropping 7 inches of snow in some parts of our region. When the snow, ice, and wind greet us in Montgomery County and Berks County, PA, homeowners need to be prepared in our area for power outages. Let’s go over some crucial supplies to have in your home for when the lights go out, especially a generator that is worth the expense for keeping your power on year-round.
The Essentials For Winter Power Outages
- Backup power (portable or whole house generator)
- Gasoline for portable generator
- Propane for whole house generator (if you do not have natural gas line)
- Flashlights
- Non-perishable food and water
- Batteries
- Warm clothing (think layers as well as blankets)
- Power banks for charging devices
- Coolers and ice for preserving food
- Battery-powered radio
Generators For Power Outages
As electricians, the most important item we would recommend for a winter power outage is a portable or whole house generator. While it is the costlier item on the necessity list, it’s still a no-brainer. It could be days, or even weeks without power restoration depending on the severity of the outage. Generators will give you backup power for preservation of food, heat, cooking, etc. during uncertainty, giving you the best peace of mind. As a homeowner you have two options: a portable generator or a whole house generator.
What is a portable generator?
Portable generators are gasoline powered and provide you with backup power for a number of appliances in your home. The main difference between a portable generator and a whole house generator is that whole house generators can power your entire house, whereas the portable can only handle a certain number of items in the house (because of the power output). For example, when you have a portable generator, your electrician will install a transfer switch or interlock kit along with a generator inlet (for plugging it in). The portable generator will then power on a few breakers in your main electrical panel. You get to pick which breakers in your panel you want the portable generator to operate on, providing you power to crucial home items like your fridge, some lighting, cook tops, etc.
What is a whole house generator?
A whole house generator is a source of backup power for when your main power goes out. Simple as that. Once the power from the utility line is cut off due to storm damage, surge, or any other disruption, the whole house generator will kick on automatically so that you can have continuous power. These standby generators work on a natural gas line or propane as its fuel source to keep everything that needs electricity up and running (lights, heat, air conditioning, etc.) Unlike its counterpart (a portable generator), a whole home generator can power everything in your home because of its large power output.
Who Should I Call For A Generator Installation?
A licensed and insured electrician can install any portable or whole house generator. The master electricians at KB Electric LLC are your go-to generator professionals. KB Electric is a Generac authorized dealer, specializing in sales, service, and installation of the Generac brand generators. We are fully licensed and insured to handle all types of generator installations including portable generators and whole house generators. Call us today to get on our schedule! (267) 467-3178