Working Remotely. Working from home has become the new normal over the past couple of years. A power outage could force you into using earned vacation days because you cannot connect to Wi-Fi or charge your devices. Keeping your devices charged and operating is essential to keep businesses running smoothly. With no internet you cannot join meetings, connect to servers, or access files. If you work for a large company with employees in different locations, you may be the only one without power possibly causing others to miss deadlines.
Learning at Home. Remote learning days have replaced snow days for many schools across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Without power, your children cannot access online learning platforms. They could miss live lessons or not be able to turn in assignments. Laptop and tablet battery life will only last so long and since you can't predict when the power will go out, your devices may not be fully charged when it does. This could prevent completion of assignments even if internet connection is not required. Although many teachers would be understanding in this circumstance, a backup generator could mean less stress and could help keep your child from falling behind.
Food Spoilage. A well-stocked fridge and freezer is usually a good thing, but you could face throwing out a significant amount of food if the power is off for more than a few hours.
Home Security. Many home security systems do not work when you lose electricity. Surveillance cameras often do not have backup batteries, and unfortunately, burglars can take advantage of this. Another security concern is not being able to contact emergency services if something were to happen that required you to call 911. This could include a medical emergency, a tree falling on your home, or a fire due to candle use.
Heat Source. Aside from staying warm in a winter storm, heat is essential for protecting pipes from freezing. Without heat, frozen pipes could burst and flood your home. This can be extremely costly to repair, and could leave you without running water. Generator power can also ensure that you have hot water by keeping your hot water tank or electric boiler running during a power outage.
Why a Home Standby Generator?
Home standby generators are wired into your electrical panel and kick on automatically when the power goes out - unlike portable generators that need to be manually turned on. There is no need to worry about going outside during a storm in the dark to set up a standby generator. According to Consumer Reports, portable generators often produce less power and may not allow you to fully utilize everything in your home. Although a standby generator will need to be professionally installed, it connects to a home propane tank or natural gas, allowing it to run for days or even weeks.
A standby generator can be crucial for a consistently reliable power source. Most people don't want to be connecting a portable generator in the middle of a workday, making them late for a conference call or Zoom meeting. Standby generators can give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing the electricity will be on no matter the weather.
Electricity is often taken for granted – you don’t know what you have until it’s gone! If you are interested in buying and installing a standby generator and need financing, consider applying for a Generator Loan from BankFive.