15 Facts About Propane Generators

Should You Invest in a Generator for Your Home?

When the weather gets wild and the power lines go down, are you prepared? We get plenty of thunderstorms in the summer, along with the occasional hurricanes plus and ice and snow in winter. And we get our share of tornadoes, too.

What Should I Know About Propane Backup Generators?

Adding a backup propane generator is a power move when it comes to protecting your family and your home. Here are 15 facts about propane generators that you need to know. It can help you decide whether your home would benefit from the option of backup power!

1. A backup propane generator comes on within seconds of a power failure to keep your lights, your refrigerator, and other systems running until the utilities get the lines back up.
2. Propane generators come in all sizes, from “essential power” models that will run essential equipment such as your refrigerator, heat, and lights, to true whole-house generators that can manage the demands of most extra-large homes, even during extended outages.
3. An average 5000-watt whole-house generator will run for one to two days on a 100-gallon tank. A 500-gallon tank would keep the same generator running for 7 to 10 days. Most homes have storage tanks that are 100 to 500 gallons.
4. Propane generators are quiet, extremely efficient, and clean burning, with low emissions, and they are less expensive to run than gas-powered options.
5. Security systems protect your property even if no one is home with the assistance of backup power.
6. Medical equipment keeps running in times of extended outages.
7. Power for heat or air conditioning, water, lights, stove, and refrigerator mean you can shelter in place.
8. Having a back-up generator can lower home insurance costs. Many insurance plans will offer discounts on your homeowner’s insurance plan if you install a standby generator!
9. Refrigerated food can start to go bad after only four hours without power—and that’s if you don’t open the fridge. Frozen food can last a little longer. With a standby generator, your food is safe—and you don’t have to worry about lines at stores to get supplies.
10. During an extended outage, “camping” at home stops being “fun” quickly. The cost of a hotel room—if you can find one—is an expense you avoid with a standby generator.
11. A generator that keeps your heat on can protect you from frozen and burst pipes, and repairs that can cost up to $10,000—or more.
12. No need to wrestle a portable generator out of the garage and get it set up and started, while messing with fuel, possibly in the dark or in treacherous conditions.
13. According to Consumer Reports, a properly installed whole-house generator can increase the value of your home by as much as 5%. That’s a great return on your investment, even before you even need to use it.
14. A portable generator is less expensive out of the box, but it can cost you a lot more in the long run. Just keeping it full during an extended outage will add up quickly, not to mention potentially having to wait on long lines for more fuel.
15. Automatic turn-on means you have peace of mind of knowing that your home and loved ones will be safe, even if you aren’t home when the power goes out.

Looking to Install a Generator? Call SWVA Gas Service…We Can Help!

A power outage lasting any longer than an hour or two can quickly shift from inconvenience to crisis—and an expensive one, too. A standby propane generator will keep your home and family safe, while saving you money and adding value to your home.

The pros at SWVA have the experience and training to connect the lines to your propane tank, so it powers up your home without damaging your home’s electronic equipment or appliances. And we can provide you with safe and reliable propane delivery, too.

Contact us today for more information.