October 3, 2016 With Hurricane Matthew driving its way through the Caribbean, it is no wonder that there are emergency warnings and preparations taking place throughout the southern U.S. In Florida, Georgia, and South and North Carolina citizens and governmental entities are bracing for the impact of this storm. One person has already died and…
Sump Pump Dilemma
If you have decided that you have had enough with flooded basements and you are considering taking the next step and get a battery back up system, you might want to reconsider that investment and think longer term. The average battery backup system, plus monitoring, plus installation can cost upwards of $1200. This is a…
What Happens During a Weekly Generator Self-test?
One of the many features of a whole house generator that makes them so reliable is the self-test feature. Your installer can schedule your new generator to perform what is called a self-test either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. During a self-test, your generator turns itself on based on a programmed schedule. Newer backup generators run…
What is THD and what does it have to do with home generators?
Your home is no doubt filled with computers, flat screen TVs, audio equipment and computer boards in systems such as your HVAC system. Did you know that these sensitive electronics require clean power? If you have an old generator in your home, you probably know what unclean power is. Basically, you might know that all…
Connecting Kilowatts – Generator Installation
If you have decided to go ahead and get a whole house generator after the last five or six power outages in your neighborhood, you are not alone. A November 6, 2012 article in the Wall Street Journal reports a 17% yearly growth in the number of homeowners that have decided that a home standby…
Generator Sales – Reevaluate Your Personal Infrastructure
Hurricanes such as Irene and Sandy have taught us all how fragile our electrical supply is and how much we all rely on power to keep our families safe and secure. Whether it is tornadoes in the Plains, or ice storms in the Northeast, or downed power lines from lightning, there is seemingly no end…
Diagnosing Stress with Load Bank Testing
Perhaps you have heard of stress testing, the procedure doctors use to determine a heart rate and level of fitness when subjected to very strenuous exercise over a period of time. You might have even gone through a few stress tests at your yearly physicals. If so, then you know that a stress test asks…
Generator Repair Costs and Facts
If your backup generator is newer and your unit has been maintained properly, you should not expect to have many repairs. Generators are solid, well-built machines and carry valuable manufacturer warranties. These warranties only require scheduled maintenance to keep them in force. A typical generator repair not covered under warranty can run from $100 to…
Available Technology for Generator Monitoring
Your home alarm system is most likely wired into a central station where they keep an eye on your system 24/7. When a breach occurs, the central station makes the call to the fire department or police to alert them of possible trouble at your address. This peace of mind is priceless for homeowners who…
Residential Generator Service or How To Squirrel-Proof Your Plans
As we were preparing this post, we received another report of a power outage – this one caused by a bird’s nest in a power substation. And as benign as this particular outage might appear (occurring starting at 1 pm and lasting 3 1/2 hours), the fact that this same substation was also involved in…