Once the weather turns nasty, many homeowners debate whether or not to get a generator in case of power failure. Since owning a generator isn’t as common as owning a lawn mower or dishwasher, Repair Clinic is going to walk you through determining what kind of generator you need and how to maintain it. Consider this your very own generator buying/repair guide.
What Kind of Generator Do I Need?
Generators go by wattage, so the first step is to figure out just how much wattage your home really needs. Here’s the average wattage usage by device:
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Make a list of what’s most important to keep your house minimally running and add up the wattage. If you’re unsure how much wattage an item needs, use an energy usage meter to measure its consumption. Two things to keep in mind when doing the math: allow for three times the running wattage for starting up the devices; you should only run your generator at half of the rated wattage to get maximum run time.
Since the average homeowner probably doesn’t want to pay $5,000-$10,000 for a stationary generator, we recommend getting a portable generator. They can provide anywhere from 3,000 to 8,500 watts and cost an average of $400-$1,000.
Are Generators Hard to Maintain?
Taking care of a generator is like taking care of any other outdoor engine. Here are some basic generator maintenance tips:
Repair Clinic has a Generator Repair Help page and generator replacement parts to keep you up and running in an emergency. Repair Clinic has millions of parts available for same-day shipping and we offer a 365 return policy guarantee. Call 800-269-2609 if you need help placing an order today.
