Choosing the right size generator for your home is not as easy as it may seem. There are many factors that you need to take into consideration before making a decision, and there are some generators that simply don’t fit well with certain homes. In this blog post, we will discuss several tips on how to determine which size of generator is best suited for your home’s energy needs.
Generator Sizes For Different Home Needs
The generator size needed is contingent on how much power you will need to keep your necessities running in the event of a blackout, and this depends upon many factors such as the number of appliances that run off electricity, or if you have a well for water or an electric heating system.
If you want your essentials like lights, refrigerator, and fans running during a blackout then the generator should have at least eight hours of run time on its fuel tank. It would also be advantageous to know how many amps each of your appliances use to help you determine the size of the generator needed.
You also need to take into consideration if you have additional needs that require more power, such as a freezer or other major appliance, then it is time to buy one with higher wattage so it can accommodate whatever else you may need in addition to what was mentioned above.
What Are The Different Types Of Generators?
There are several types of generators available for purchase. The three most common ones are gas, propane, and diesel-powered machines. Each type has its own set of advantages that make it unique from the others in some way or another. This is important to consider when choosing which one will work best on your home depending on what you require it to do.
For example, gas generators are the most popular types of generators because they provide a good amount of power and can be easily stored in your home garage or shed without taking up much space since it is not that large compared to other models with higher wattage. It also does well for powering necessary appliances during an outage as long as you have a full tank of gas.
There are also advantages to owning a propane generator, such as its ability to run for longer periods without having to refuel it because the fuel tanks can hold more than twice that of gasoline models and they start up easily even in cold weather or high altitudes. This makes them great options for people who live in areas where the weather is less than ideal for gasoline generators to run properly.
However, propane models are also larger and heavier compared to other types of units. Lastly, diesel-powered generators have a great amount of power but can be relatively louder when running at full capacity because they operate off an engine that produces more noise.
Portable vs Built-In Generators
There are also two different types of generators, portable and built-in. Built-in models can be a great option if you don’t have much room in your home to store the unit because it is permanently installed into your garage or somewhere else that won’t take up too much space within the house itself.
Portable generators are the type that everyone thinks about when they think of a generator because they can be carried around easily. However, this also means that it does not have as much power to run many appliances at once since there is less wattage available due to size limitations.
You should choose which one will work best for your home by taking into account what your power needs will be and how much space you have in your home to store the generator.
Tips On Installation And Maintenance
The generator should be installed by a professional unless you are an experienced person when it comes to installing power equipment. This is important because the unit has fuel, oil, wiring, and other components that can become hazardous if not handled correctly.
To ensure your generator will work properly in the event of a blackout, make sure to have it regularly serviced by a professional. It is also important to make sure that it has the right amount of oil in its tank and change it out regularly as well. Allowing your generator to run low on this crucial fluid can cause irreparable damage because the engine won’t be able to function properly without lubrication.
Lastly, you should always turn off the generator when you are not using it. This is because some models can be left on but will still deplete the fuel in their tank over time since they use gas as a source of power, even if no appliances or lights are plugged into them which causes unnecessary waste over time.
Get A Generac Generator With Central Heating Cooling Plumbing & Electrical
There are few things more frustrating than a generator that isn’t working in an emergency. At Central, we install industry-leading Generac generators that connect to your natural gas or liquid propane supply. Call 406-756-6656 today and discover the peace of mind a standby generator backed up by over 25 years of professional service can offer
