Summer time Storms – Safety Tips for Using Your Generator Summer is here and so is unstable weather in the form of severe thunder storms and hurricanes. When there is a power outage, many people rely on generators that are wired into your home or portable generators. What is the difference between a generator that is wired into the home and a portable generator? Generators that are wired into your home can supply power for the length of the outage in order to prevent the loss of heating or cooling which could lead to frozen pipes or mold, as well as supply power to your sump or ejector pumps to prevent flooding. Generators are available in natural gas or liquid propane. Installation includes wiring the generator directly into a subpanel transfer switch that will automatically sense the power outage, thus starting the generator. A portable generator runs on gasoline and can only operate a few items such as a light and refrigerator at one time, for a limited amount of time. With a portable unit, items must be plugged into the generator in order to run any electric devises. The National Safety Council recommends these safety tips to ensure your use of a portable generator is not dangerous for you and your family: Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions for set up and use. Portable units emit carbon monoxide. Never use in a portable generator in your home, garage, crawl space or any other enclosed areas. Toxic fumes can build up which can cause serious injury or death. Only use your portable generator outdoors, away from windows, doors and vents. Do not operate under a wet environment. Protect your unit from the rain or snow. Use a battery powered carbon monoxide detector in the area where the generator is being used and inside the home to detect any harmful fumes. Never operate the unit by explosive materials. If you have to use extension cords, make sure they lay flat, are grounded and rated for the application. Finally, never try to power the house by plugging the portable generator into a wall outlet, known as backfeeding. This will create a high probability of electrocution for you, your neighbors on the same electrical line and any workers trying to restore power. Talk to a professional about the benefits of having a generator installed into your home, especially if you are in a high storm area and lose power often. Most companies can offer a warranty on the installed generator and can provide a maintenance agreement to ensure the generator is in working order prior to a power loss. Author: Carolyn Dobson, QuoteMyContractor
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 19:13:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015