Installing An Emergency Standby Generator? Know What Features To Look For
Are you getting ready to install an emergency standby generator at your home, and you're now narrowing down your selection to the exact model? You'll definitely want to know what features to look out for to know you're getting the right one.
Automatic Start
One feature that you definitely want to have in an emergency standby generator is the automatic start. This is a key feature because it ensures that the process of turning the generator on will be taken care of as soon as the power gets cut. This is especially important if you don't trust the people living in your home to operate a standby generator on their own, and you want everything to be handled automatically.
Automatic Transfer Switch
Once the generator is turned on you need to switch power to another circuit panel. This is because an emergency standby generator is typically not going to have enough power to provide electricity to your entire home. Instead, you need to select the circuits that you want to power. The transfer switch will automatically switch to the other circuit breaker where the outlets you've selected will receive the emergency power.
Fuel Source
You'll want to put some thought into what kind of fuel source you will use to power the emergency generator. If you have a natural gas provider in your area, selecting a natural gas generator is going to work perfectly. The fuel source connects directly to your generator, and you don't have to worry about running out of natural gas. Other options include propane and diesel fuel, with the main drawbacks being that you have to have your fuel source ready to go when the power goes out.
Monitoring
Your standby generator is going to have a monitoring system that allows you to see the status of the generator from inside your home. The generator will regularly test itself to ensure that it is working when you finally need it, and the monitoring system will tell you if something is wrong. A remote monitoring system allows you to easily check the generator for warnings after it performs a test, and then you can act sooner rather than later to fix a potential problem.
Not sure about what other features you should be looking for? Reach out to a contractor that sells and installs emergency standby generators in your area. They'll be able to guide you through the entire process and ensure it is done right.
Contact a local residential standby generator installation service to learn more.