Electricity is a vital part of our daily lives. It takes just a few minutes of a power outage to remind us of just how essential it is that we maintain uninterrupted service. But despite our best efforts and the hard work of those who operate the electrical grid, the fact is that there will be occasional disruptions to the power supply. These blackouts are typically more common in the outlying areas, but they can also take place in the heart of our biggest cities. Some of the shutdowns may last just hours or minutes, but others could stretch out for days.
Whatever its length, a power outage can cause many different problems for homes, businesses, and government. Backup generators from generatorplace.com.au have proven to be a popular tool for preventing the trouble that comes from problems in the power grid.
Protecting Your Food Supply
The first thing most people think about when the power goes out is the lights, but the next is usually the refrigerator. We immediately worry about whether our food will keep until power is restored, knowing that spoilage is expensive and dangerous. When the power goes out, we have a few hours for our meat and dairy products. After that, they must be thrown out, which is very costly and also creates the inconvenience of constantly having to venture out for a fresh supply of perishables. With a backup generator, the power stays on for the refrigerator and freezer, as well as for the appliances needed to cook the food.
Medicine and Medical Equipment
Technology has done so much to improve the independence of people with various medical conditions. For example, those on home oxygen no longer have to rely on bulky, heavy cylinders for help with their breathing. They have electrical concentrators that gather pure oxygen from the air. However, a power failure gives these users just hours of battery until they must improvise with those cylinders. A backup generator eliminates this problem by keeping the air flowing. It also preserves the condition of refrigerator medicines like insulin and children’s drugs.
Sustaining Communication
Whatever the cause of a power failure, your friends and relatives elsewhere will want to check in on you. When your landline has failed for want of power, your computer is unavailable for email, and your cell has dribbled down to 0% power, you are completely disconnected from anyone who can’t physically come see you. Not only is this an issue for your safety, it’s a problem for those you care about who may need your help. A backup generator will go a long way toward keeping you connected, easing the worries of your family and friends. For telecommuters and home business operators, it can even help you stay current at work so that you never miss a paycheck.
Security & Safety
Darkness is the enemy. When a power failure has rendered your lights inoperative, you can fall victim to all kinds of problems. Criminals quickly find out about long-term power outages. They exploit the situation as an opportunity to commit burglaries with little risk of being detected. Even without a thief in the night, you and your family are in danger as soon as the sun sets. A midnight visit to the restroom can quickly turn into an injury if you fail to negotiate the stairs properly or trip over an undetected object on the floor. By illuminating key areas of the home with a backup generator, your safety inside and outside the home will be greatly enhanced.
Protecting Home Systems
Equipment such as your heating and cooling system and your water heater are designed to keep a continuous supply of power. Computer equipment in particular is sensitive to outages, and surge protectors will only ward off spikes while providing no protection from a drop in power. All equipment is subject to significant damage if the power flickers repeatedly during the failure itself or subsequent efforts to restore it. A backup generator will provide an uninterrupted power supply for essential home equipment that could prevent damage that could potentially save you thousands in damaged electronics and appliances.
Maintaining Home Temperature
One of the most important things we do with electricity is to maintain a comfortable temperature in our homes. In times of very hot or very cold weather, this can be very important, but the issue isn’t just about comfort. A very hot, humid home can quickly become a breeding ground for mold, because air conditioners remove moisture from the air. Cold weather can render the home vulnerable to frozen pipes, leading to destructive leaks when water starts flowing again. There is also a health risk to the very young, the very old, and those with fragile health when temperatures are too extreme. Whether it’s a full-house generator to operate the central system or a central unit to power space heaters or window air conditioners, backup generators provide comfort and safety.
Helping Neighbors & Family
Not every home in the neighborhood or in the family will have a generator, but when the power goes out, every home will be in the dark. The ability to maintain normal function at your home can be a lifesaver for relatives and neighbors. Most of the benefits that accrue to you as the owner of a generator can also accrue to the people you care about, because you can provide shelter, food, and medical attention in your home when they are unable to provide it for themselves in their own homes.
Backup generators have rapidly become as essential to a home as indoor plumbing. Their ability to provide functionality, safety, protection, and peace of mind makes them a great investment for any homeowner. The problems we once accepted as just the reality of an occasional power outage–spoiled food, a stuffy temperature, or damaged equipment–no longer have to happen. A backup generator can be the solution to maintaining a normal life until power comes back online.