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How to Buy a Backup Generator

In 2004, Hurricane Charley found its way into Tampa, Florida, causing more than 13 billion dollars in damage. Many Tampa residents lost power for several weeks. As the power in your home fails, you’ll begin to lose the amenities in which you are accustomed. You’ll immediately lose lighting and air conditioning. Within several hours, the food in your refrigerator will spoil and you will be without hot water until your power returns.

The loss of power and overall comfort in your home is why we see a surge in generator sales each hurricane season. Before purchasing a generator, you’ll need to consider several important guidelines to buying a generator in the Tampa Bay area.

This is the Home Generator Buyers Guide for Tampa, Floridaand worldwide Coastal Areas

The most common backup generator in the United States is powered by a small gas engine. The key to safely using a generator is to understand the technical qualities of a standby generator system. Prepare yourself by knowing your generator, choosing the correct size, trusted brand and then frequently testing the generator.

You’ll need to talk to a certified generator dealerto be sure you have selected the right size and output for your home standby power system. However, always remember that the generator’s wattage must be larger than all simultaneous loads. To do this:

Tally all the watts of the appliances and devices you will use at the same time.
Add to startup wattage of the largest motor operated load that may run concurrently with other loads.

Remember, motor wattage is three to five times greater at startup than when running at a steady state. Wattage is listed on a motor’s nameplate or on the electric data plate attached to an appliance. If wattage is not listed but amperage is, you can determine the amount of watts by multiplying amps by volts. W=AV. Also remember to have you calculations checked by a certified electrician and generator dealer.

When choosing a generator, select a home standby generatorsystem that is built specifically for your home and concurrently running all of your appliances. A small generator powered by a gas engine will not provide sufficient energy output to power your home in the instance of a power outage. In fact, a small generator can lead to negative health impacts.

The Consumer Protection Safety Commission estimates that in 2005, for 10.6 million portable generators, 85 carbon monoxide related deaths occurred. You should always keep your portable generator away from your house and enclosed areas. Choose a home generator system that is encased outside of your home for the most ideal protection and safety. Permanently installed home generators are much safer because they are fueled by clean burning natural gas or propane.

Always install a Tampa generator with the help of a professional electrician. Historic homes in Tampa have old and sometimes faulty wiring that may lead to shock or fire related occurrences. Finally, test run the machine. You’ll want to start up the machine on a regular basis to be sure it operates properly. Prepare your home and family for the next power outage with a standby home generator system.

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