Keeping Your Family Safe During Severe Weather with Generators

Severe weather is, unfortunately, becoming more common these days, and it’s more important than ever to have a plan in place for keeping yourself and your loved ones safe during power outages and other emergencies. Fortunately, generators can be a lifesaver when it comes to providing electricity and ensuring that you and your family have access to the essentials. In this post, we’ll take a look at how to protect yourself and your family during severe weather and how generators can play a crucial role in your emergency preparedness plan.

1. Have an Emergency Plan in Place - The most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family during severe weather is to have a comprehensive emergency plan. This should include a plan for communication, evacuation routes, and contingencies for essential needs like food, water, and power. With an emergency plan in place, you’ll be better prepared to handle whatever severe weather comes your way.

2. Invest in a Generator - Generators can be an excellent investment when it comes to emergency preparedness. They provide reliable, uninterrupted power, which means you can keep your home’s essentials running even during power outages. In addition to providing power for refrigerators, lights, and other household appliances, a portable generator can also be used to power critical medical equipment or run space heaters in the event of a winter power outage.

3. Practice Proper Generator Safety - While generators can be a valuable tool during severe weather, it’s important to use them safely. Never connect a generator directly to your home’s electrical system, as this can create a back feed that could harm utility workers or cause a fire. It’s highly recommended that a proper transfer switch is installed for emergency applications to isolate your home's electrical system from the grid so your generator can provide the proper power safely.

4. Keep Your Generator Maintained - If you do invest in a generator, it’s important to keep it properly maintained. This includes regular oil changes, cleaning the air filter, and checking the spark plug. Neglecting maintenance can cause your generator to fail when you need it most, so be sure to create a regular maintenance schedule and stick to it.

5. Consider Smart Generator Technology - Finally, if you’re in the market for a new generator, consider investing in smart technology. Many modern generators come equipped with advanced monitoring and control systems that allow you to control your generator from your smartphone or tablet. With these systems, you can monitor generator operation, track fuel consumption, and receive outage alerts, making generator operation more convenient and efficient than ever.

In conclusion, severe weather can be a scary and uncertain time, but with the right emergency plan and the proper preparations, you can keep yourself and your family safe. Generators are an essential tool in any emergency preparedness plan, providing reliable access to essential power even during the worst weather scenarios. By following these tips for generator operation and safety, you can keep your home running smoothly during power outages and other emergencies. Stay safe out there, and don’t forget to invest in the right generator for your needs.