June
16
Choosing the Right Generator for Your Home
A generator might seem like a worthwhile investment for your home. It’ll provide you with an alternative source of power – which, if you live in a rural area where the grid can’t be relied on, might be a game-changer.
With that said, there exists a myriad of options when it comes to generators, and it can be difficult to distinguish between them. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer.
How much power do you need?
When determining the size of your generator, you’ll want to think about how much power you’re going to be consuming at any given time. Certain appliances, like electric ovens, dryers and washing machines, will tend to consume a lot of it, but you should also factor in other things, like televisions.
If you have a smart meter installed, then you’ll have an easy time determining your consumption. Just take a look at the figure when everything is turned on. When buying the generator, of course, you’ll want to leave a safety margin: consistently pushing your generator to its limit will shorten its lifespan.
Of course, you can always buy an underpowered generator – just be sure that you aren’t running all of the appliances in your home at the same time when you’re using it.
Home Generator Types
When you’re trying to distinguish between the many generators on offer, you’ll come across several types. These are: whole-house generators, inverter generators, and portable generators. Let’s consider each of them.
Whole house propane generator
As the name might imply, this is a device that will keep your entire house running in the event of an outage. They’re built to automatically leap into action when this condition arises, and keep you running. If you’re working from home in a rural area, they might serve an essential function.
Portable generators
These generators can be carried from place to place, providing power wherever it’s needed. If you’re working with power tools or other appliances outdoors, then they might be essential. If you’re camping, the availability of your own power supply can make a significant quality-of-life difference.
Inverter generators
Inverter generators make use of high-voltage converting components, which turn the AC signal generated by the motor into a clean DC signal, and then back into the kind of AC signal that you’d get from your wall socket at home. They’re great for powering sensitive components like laptops