If you are thinking about purchasing a home standby generator, but aren’t sure what to look for or consider, then you’re at the right place! By reading through this quick guide, you will learn what to think about when searching for the home standby generator that fulfills your needs.
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Buying Guide For The Best Home Standby Generator
What Is A Home Standby Generator?
A home standby generator is a generator that is designed to power an entire home. Rather than being used as a home’s primary power source, though, it remains on “standby mode” until the home’s primary power source is cut off. Once that happens, a home standby generator springs into action, allowing you to power your home.
Why Should You Purchase A Home Standby Generator?
A home standby generator is a wonderful investment for one very simple reason: they allow you to power your home. If the power goes off, and you don’t have access to the electrical infrastructure that makes modern life possible, then things can quickly become very difficult. But, if you have access to a home standby generator, you are able to keep your home powered, even if there’s a nasty snowstorm taking place or a hurricane that is currently in progress.
Finding The Right Home Standby Generator For Your Needs
How Many Watts Do You Need The Home Standby Generator To Produce?
Every home standby generator is a little different when it comes to the amount of watts that it offers. Every home is, in turn, a little different when it comes to the amount of electricity that it uses.
One of the most important questions you must ask is “What devices and appliances will I be using this home standby generator to power?” By asking this question, you can determine the various devices and appliances that you rely on the most, and which of these devices and appliances you will be powering with the home standby generator. But, without asking this question, you may end up purchasing a home standby generator that doesn’t meet the power requirements you have.
Right after you know what devices and appliances you will be powering, you must figure out the wattages of those devices and appliances. More often than not, this is pretty easy, since a lot of devices and appliances write out the wattage that they use. But, if you aren’t sure, it may be good to use a wattage calculator, or to go online and do some research.
Take the time to write out the wattages of those devices and appliances. By writing these wattages out, you will then be able to calculate the total wattage, which will allow you to find a home standby generator that can power all of those devices.
Just about every home standby generator measures its power rating in kilowatts. A single kilowatt is 1,000 watts. So, make sure to consider that, while looking at different home standby generators.
What Fuel Source Will You Be Using?
Just about every home standby generator relies on one of the following: liquid propane, natural gas, or diesel. Most of them, however, rely on either liquid propane or natural gas.
Make sure to consider the fuel source that is easiest for you to procure. For most people, this will either be natural gas or liquid propane. Consider your budget, as well as where you will be getting this fuel from. And then, when you know which fuel source is ideal, you will need to find a home standby generator that works with that particular type of fuel.
Going online and reading about the amount of fuel that your home standby generator needs to run properly is a good idea. By doing this, you will have a very easy time getting the right amount of fuel to run the generator, and your home, for a certain amount of time. But, not doing this can result in you being unprepared and unable to run the generator properly, should a situation arise. Even if you don’t need to use it soon after purchasing, though, it’s always worth having fuel on hand to test the generator out.
What Price Should You Expect To Pay For A Home Standby Generator?
Every home standby generator differs when it comes to price. More often than not, this difference is due to the various features and design attributes of the home standby generator.
For example, some home standby generators come with a transfer switch and Wi-Fi functionality, which increases the price, while others do not. Another example is that a higher wattage will lead to a higher price.
Make sure you know what fuel source you will be relying on and the wattage that you need. With that information, you will be able to find home standby generators that offer what you need.
As a general rule, you should expect to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 for the generator. But, that doesn’t include installation costs, which can often be just as much as the cost of the home standby generator, if not more, due to the complexities and difficulties that arise from installation. Because of this, there is a good chance that you may spend as much as $10,000 on your home standby generator, when you factor in all of the assorted costs.
Knowing what you want, being aware of the costs, and setting a budget beforehand are all incredibly valuable actions. Doing so will make it a lot easier to stay within a particular price range, while also getting exactly what you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Home Standby Generators Come With A Transfer Switch?
A transfer switch is a simple device that allows you to transfer your home’s current power source to the home standby generator, and vice versa. Without a transfer switch, you are unable to transfer power from those two sources.
Many home standby generators come with a transfer switch, but many do not. So, if you already own a transfer switch then, assuming it’s compatible, you can buy a home standby generator that doesn’t include one. But, if you don’t, then you should find a home standby generator that does.
Why Are Home Standby Generators So Expensive To Install?
A home standby generator is expensive to install because installing a home standby generator is an elaborate and tedious process that requires specialized knowledge. Moving a home standby generator around is far from easy, and when you consider the difficulties that often come from wiring large electrical systems to another power source, things only become more and more complex.
As a result of this, home standby generators are often very expensive to install. But, once a home standby generator has been installed, it’s installed for good.
FOR YOUR SAFETY. If you have no experience installing a generator, of any sort, then you should not attempt to install a home standby generator on your own. Make sure you hire a qualified professional, so that the installation process goes smoothly and is successful.
How Much Fuel Does A Home Standby Generator Need On A Daily Basis?
The exact answer to this question depends on the home standby generator. But, more often than not, a home standby generator needs around 14-gallons to 48-gallons of liquid propane, natural gas, or diesel, every single day. It will differ, though, depending on the generator and what the generator is powering.
Conclusion
In the end, a home standby generator can be a great investment if you would like to keep your electrical system reliable and secure. By using the information that has been outlined for you, you won’t have any problems finding the home standby generator that is right for your needs!