Why Every Household Should Have a Portable Generator?
Power outages happen for different reasons in different parts of the world. In developed countries, it happens due to bad weather conditions like storms, blizzards, lightning strikes, earthquakes or other natural disasters. In developing countries outages happen due to an imbalance between demand and supply. Irrespective of the cause of the outage, people are left with no electricity which lasts from a few hours to days. Having a portable generator in such situations will be beneficial. Read below to know what a portable generator is and why you should have one at home.
What is a Portable Generator?
Portable generators are also called recreational generators and are useful in powering up appliances when the main power supply is cut off due to various reasons. These are small and compact in size when compared to other types of generators. Since these are not installed permanently and can be moved, it comes with handy wheels or handles to carry it around. These come in various models, makes and fuel options. The most common fuel option available is diesel and gasoline. Some of the latest models run on natural gas or propane.
Reasons To Have A Portable Generator
There are many reasons for using a portable generator at home ranging from recreational purposes to convenience to safety. The major reasons why power backup is essential are mentioned below.
In the case of Natural Disasters
Power outages are common in areas that are more prone to hurricanes. The wind speeds are so high that it can take the power poles down. It can also cause damage to power plants and hence power is cut off as soon as the hurricane approaches. When this happens it may take days for power to be restored and hence people should be prepared for such incidents. Having a backup power source ensures that the most needed electrical appliances are running until the mains come back to life. If you think that these are situations that happen once in a while, then they are not!. The weather service has predicted that the coming years will see more such calamities. Thus homeowners should be prepared to face these and have a reliable source of power as standby.
Living in a Fire-risk Zone
If you live in places that are hot and are heavily wooded then there is a high risk of fire. Power companies often shut off electricity in such places when there is high wind as it poses risks of fire. Those are testing times for homeowners as there is no guarantee when the mains will be restored. During these situations, having a portable generator will help tide over this shutdown.
To prevent Food from getting Spoilt
Due to the busy schedule most of you will stock up the fridge with cooked food to reduce everyday burdens. But if for some reason there is a blackout for a few hours, that food can get spoilt. Even if the food is not fully spoilt, as per recommendations, perishable food should be thrown out if the fridge has no power for more than four hours. It is in times like these that a portable generator of any type, as seen in https://www.ablesales.com.au/diesel-generators-perth-melbourne-brisbane/ becomes beneficial. The refrigerator can be connected to the generator and when the mains are not available it uses the backup source power. By doing so, you save the food that is present in the fridge and you also don’t have to go through the hassle of restocking items.
Having a Basement Sump
If flooding is common in your neighbourhood, then basement sump pumps will also be a common feature at home. These pumps are used to remove the water before it can cause any further damage. But these pumps can become non-functional when there is a blackout due to heavy rains and the water gets accumulated. When you have a portable generator, you can plug it to the outlet and remove the water. This ensures that the basement is dry and your house is safe during a power outage.
Using Power Tools
If you are a keen DIY person then it goes without saying that you will be using a lot of power tools. If you are working on a project, for example, fitting a fence or working in the backyard, you might need power to use these tools. These are places where even the extension cords won’t reach. One of the solutions is to use portable generators as they can plug-in power tools to their outlets and work is done. This saves you time and helps to work without batteries which need frequent charging.
Running a Home Business
While running a home business continuous power is critical, as an outage means that your work will come to a standstill. With most of the businesses done online or by using laptops and computers it is important to have a portable generator at home. This becomes your backup power source so that you can keep the PCs, printers, internet and other devices up and running despite an outage.
Depending on Electrical Medical Device
If you or anyone in your family uses an electrical medical device like an oxygen tank, power chair or a heart monitor, it is vital to have a constant supply of power. A portable generator will provide backup power when there is an outage so that the devices keep running. When dependent on the electrical medical device, make sure to stock up on fuel and some extension cords.
Driving an Electric Car
If you own an electric car and depend on it for everything from going to work to picking up groceries, having a portable generator is handy. During a blackout, you can charge your car batteries using it, instead of feeling crippled without a car due to lack of fuel.
The above-mentioned are some of the top reasons to have a portable generator at home. Apart from the above, it can also be used for recreational activities like taking it as a backup source for your camping trip, to charge your mini coolers and much more. So these portable generators are a blessing during blackouts!