Thunder rolls. Lightning strikes. Rain and hail pour down. Then, the power cuts out, and you are in the dark. Worse, the loss of air conditioning or heat can leave you in dangerous cold or heat and humidity.
What happens if it takes hours, days, or weeks for the electric company to restore power? If you have ever been stuck without electricity for long periods during a humid Michigan heat wave or freezing temperatures, you know the misery of a long power outage.
You do not have to suffer through a dire loss of electricity. For a reasonable cost, Bratcher Electric can install a standby generator that covers you and your family in times of crisis.
What Is a Standby Generator?
Standby generators work like an automated insurance policy with no monthly premiums. Should a power outage occur, the standby generator starts automatically in seconds!
This means you experience no power outage. No more scrambling for flashlights and hoping the electric company can fix the problem soon. Instead, you continue about your normal activities without interruption.
In addition, if a power outage occurs while you are away for an extended period, you do not need to worry about your home becoming too cold or too hot. A frozen home can lead to terrible damage, such as pipe bursts during the Michigan winter. With a standby generator, your home will stay warm and protected. In the summer, you need not worry about pets being trapped in a boiling hot home.
How Do Standby Generators Work?
Standby generators are installed safely outside the home, like an air conditioning unit. After a power outage, they turn on in seconds. They power your entire home, not just individual items, so you can rest assured there will be no disruptions. All the following will be powered:
- Light fixtures
- Electronics
- Refrigerators/freezers
- Air conditioning units
- Electric heaters
- Sump pumps
- Well pumps
- Security systems
- Large appliances
Standby generators at Bratcher Electric deliver only the highest quality power, so there is never harm to your electronics.
Unparalleled Convenience
Losing your power is always an inconvenience, and when it is for a lengthy period, it can be devastating. Since Bratcher Electric’s standby generators are permanently installed and start automatically, there is no need to store the unit, set it up using clumsy extension cords, or monitor its operation.
Even better, standby generators are silent. No all-night engine noise that vibrates and whines. Not only do you sleep better, but you avoid your neighbor’s ire as well!
Unparalleled Safety
More than 900 Americans died of carbon monoxide poisoning due to the use of portable generators between 2005 and 2019. Another 15,000 became severely ill.
Accidents resulting in carbon monoxide poising from portable generators are common when severe weather strikes. For example, in 2021, when the extreme cold left power out for days in Texas, carbon monoxide deaths and hospitalizations from portable-generator induced carbon monoxide poising spiked.
Portable generators are great for outdoor use at places like construction sites. However, they can never be used in an enclosed space, such as a home or attached garage. Even when they are deployed outside, many injuries and deaths result from simply placing the generator too close to home doors and windows.
Unfortunately, carbon monoxide sickness often goes unrecognized until it is too late. If you feel the following symptoms, move to a well-ventilated area outdoors and seek medical help:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath
If using a portable generator, always follow these safety precautions:
- Never use a portable generator in a home or attached garage
- Never plug a portable generator directly into your home’s wiring
- Never plug a portable generator into an outlet in your home or garage
- Do not overload the generator
- Ensure the generator is grounded
- Do not store gasoline for generators indoors
- Follow all manufacturer safety directions
Standby generators offer the most convenient, cost-effective, and safest way to keep the power flowing during an outage. Michigan summers can be brutally hot and humid, and you never want to be without air conditioning. Winters are cold and dark, which can leave you in a freezing home without light during the extended nights.
With standby generators, your whole home’s power comes on safely and automatically seconds after an outage occurs, and there is no carbon monoxide poising risk.
Bratcher Electric installs top-quality standby generators at a reasonable price because we believe in providing the most effective and safe solutions for our clients. We have been providing Michigan homes and businesses with expert electrical services for more than 50 years. Call us for a Free Estimate on rewiring, electrical code upgrades, surge protection and more!