Nearly 60 per cent of all blackouts in the US are caused by violent storms, but 34 per cent are caused by equipment failure. (Editor’s note: In South Africa, in the case of Eskom, this figure is much, much higher.) So what’s a homeowner to do?
One option is a standby generator. Within seconds of a blackout, it will kick on to power your home. But these generators aren’t cheap. Here’s how to decide if it’s worth it to have one for your home.
A NEED-BASED DECISION
Whether or not you need a standby generator is strictly personal. For some, being inconvenienced by a single blackout is reason enough. But if you live in an area that has frequent or lengthy blackouts, a standby generator becomes more necessity than convenience. Once you’ve decided that you actually need one, the next step is selecting the right size.
SIZING STANDBY GENERATORS
Generators come in many sizes and can be powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas (or petrol or diesel). We’re going to discuss the gas models. A common impulse is to get the largest unit available to power the entire house. A more sensible approach is for you to buy a generator sized to run essential circuits, such as those powering the kitchen, key appliances, hot water system, security system, and a few lights and plugs. This is considered a ‘partial-house generator’.
This story is from the November/December 2020 edition of Popular Mechanics South Africa.
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This story is from the November/December 2020 edition of Popular Mechanics South Africa.
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