(NAPSI)—In the dark reality of living without electricity, it's best
to set an emergency preparedness plan ahead of time. Understanding backup
power supply options will be critical to surviving a blackout.
In March, a wintry windstorm in Michigan
caused a power outage so large that utility crews from other states traveled
to lend a hand. This record weather event cut power to over 1 million
residents and left hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity for
almost a week. Widespread outages like this might have caught some homeowners
off guard, but preparedness measures now need to include a backup power plan.
Is backup power supply an option?
Two basic options exist for homeowners: portable generators and home
standby generator systems. Both solutions can keep the house lights on,
appliances working and, in the event of a weather-related power outage or
other emergency, will keep the home the safest place to ride out the storm. Understanding
the differences and capabilities between these two options makes selecting
the best backup power plan much easier.

Homeowners
can visit Generac.com and schedule an in-home
consultation to learn about proper power sizing and discuss backup power
needs as a part of a preparedness plan.
Portable generators: An instant but
temporary backup power supply
Portable gasoline generators are available at just about any home
improvement retailer and work well as a quick solution to roll out during an
outage. Generally, a portable unit is low maintenance, but during National
Preparedness Month, Generac Power Systems reminds users that they should
check and run their generator and even refresh the tank of gasoline to be
ready for the season. Additionally, Generac advises on portable generator
safety: These units need to be taken outside and kept 25 feet away from an
opening to the home to keep carbon monoxide fumes outside.
Home standby generators: The
permanent backup power supply
When outages happen, the home standby generator is the automatic solution.
A unit like the Generac Guardian plumbs into the home's existing natural gas
or propane line, turning on automatically when utility power fails.
These generators are installed just outside the house like an
air-conditioning unit. They can be set to exercise weekly and can even send
the homeowner updates using a service like Mobile Link™ about its successful
exercise, change in status or low battery, as well as maintenance reminders
or fault alerts. Unlike portable generators, home standby generators need to
be professionally installed and sized to fit the home, so homeowners should
allow for an installation process.
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)