Winter brings many joys: gatherings with family, gently falling snow, hoodie weather, and crackling flames in bonfires and fireplaces. For all these wonderful parts of the season, it also brings winter storms that range from merely inconvenient to actively dangerous.
You can ease the impact of these storms with a winter power outage survival kit to include a backup power system.
Power outages can make things difficult and uncomfortable. With a little preparation, you can make the experience much easier with generators, surge protection, and transfer switches.
Taking the Bite Out of Winter with Back Up Power and Surge Protection
When winter storms come to call, there’s nothing more comforting than knowing you’re prepared if the power goes out. Installing a whole-house generator is the perfect way to ensure you don’t go without the essentials during an outage.
They ensure your food doesn’t spoil, your lights stay on, and your family stays warm. However, when selecting a generator, select one with enough power to meet your needs. After installation, you want to perform regular maintenance to keep them in working order.
Once you’ve selected a generator strong enough for your home, you must make a few other decisions.
Automatic Vs. Manual Power Transfer Switch
One important choice is whether you want your generator to turn on automatically. Automatic power switching ensures you’re always with power for more than the length of a flicker. This is a common feature in whole-house generators, but it does increase the price point of installation.
Manual switches require you to turn them on by hand, and you’ll experience a power outage until they’re turned on. While using a manual switch saves power, it means important appliances will be without power until the generator is activated.
Gasoline or Natural Gas Generators
When you select your generator, you’ll notice you have a few fuel options available. Many generators are powered by gasoline, but propane, diesel, and even natural gas are options. Several factors indicate which one is right for your home.
● Gasoline: An easily available choice, it doesn’t require any special preparation to use.
● Propane: Requires a generator configured for it and an external propane source.
● Natural Gas: If you live in an area with natural gas, you can hook into the civic line that feeds your home. Winter storms rarely impact these lines, making them a reliable fuel source even during the worst storms.
● Hybrid: Hybrid systems are available to provide choices as circumstances change. One popular choice is a natural gas generator with a gasoline tank. If your natural gas supply is interrupted, you can easily switch to gasoline until it’s restored.
Whole House Surge Protection
Power surges are a serious concern during outages, even when using a generator. When power returns to your home, the wires are rapidly flooded with electricity. This can damage electrical equipment, especially delicate electronics. A whole-house surge protector ensures that your devices are protected. A surge protection device helps control this initial burst, restoring power smoothly and gently.
Rely On Expert Electrical Services for Power Preparation Needs
Contact Bratcher Electric in Wayne when you’ve decided to take control of your power during winter storms. Our electrical contractors are experienced, professional, and always employ safe protocol.
In addition to surge protection and backup power, our electrical services encompass everything from rewiring and service upgrades to electrical service maintenance, whole house fans, and more. Don’t let winter storms be a source of worry. Contact us today and make power outages in your home a thing of the past.