Prepared- Buying a Generator for Your Home...which one do you need?
Dr. David Powers
Just a guy mixing multiple streams of income and multiple kids into a maximum-fun lifestyle.
Today's lesson...Which generator do you need for your home?
The power went out again, and you've finally decided it's the right time to buy a generator.
But which one?
There's so many to choose from, so many different brands, and every wattage and fuel source under the sun available to you. I?bet?you could find one that runs off your household poo if you really wanted to.
Generators are an important topic, but I waited until I bought my own generator to write this article because I wanted to focus on personal experience and not second-hand knowledge.
After Hurricane Helene swept through my area September 2024, I lost power for 8 days. All the food in the fridge that we couldn't eat in a day or two had to be tossed. I had to drive in to town to charge devices. I would sit in the gazebo in town square and plug in all my phones, laptops, and battery packs in various outlets spread around the square and then work on things while they were charging.
I know what you're thinking..."why didn't the prepper guy already have a generator?"
The main reason is because we live in an old farmhouse with a really crappy electrical setup. The house can't handle a whole house generator. Because we're eventually planning on demolishing the current house and rebuilding, we didn't want to spend thousands on a system yet.
Also, our power has never gone out?for more than a day before. Like so many people, Hurricane Helene surprised us all by smashing areas that have never been affected like this by a hurricane.
"So why go buy one now?"
Number one, it's finally in the budget and hit the top of our list of "To Buy" items.?
Number two, I believe there are a lot more trees that were damaged by Hurricane Helene that will fall in the next storm or if there's an ice storm this coming winter.
In other words, for the forseeable future, I believe the power will go out again and for longer.
The electrical woes also keep me from buying a really big portable generator that I can hardwire into the house. That leaves me with the option of buying a portable generator big enough to power a few big items and a few drop cords to run into the house to those areas like my office, the kitchen, and the laundry room.
My plan was?to buy the biggest generator I could afford that had the features I wanted. Below is what I ended up getting, but your needs may be vastly different.
I just got off the phone with a recent client who lives in a much newer house and has a natural gas hookup. He's getting bids on a whole house standby generator hardwired into the home and powered by natural gas.
If you want a concise decision tree to help figure out your generator needs, I have that available inside the Prepared membership on a one page round up or you can order specific one page round ups from my store.?
Generator- I chose a WEN 11,000 Watt Dual Fuel Generator. After doing my research and checking prices and availability, it was the best buy and option for what I needed. I ordered mine from Lowe's, used my 10% off military discount, and they delivered it to my front porch.
There were other larger power options, but the larger ones had fewer plugs on the generator. The even larger ones are primarily meant to wire into a home and not plug a lot of drop cords into.
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This one also hit my price point at under a $1,000 bucks. I also wanted the dual fuel version so I have the option of using gas or propane.
If you don't buy from a reputable local store like Lowe's or Home Depot, here's a few safe options on Amazon.
Cords- I want dedicated durable drop cords. I don't want to go searching?for them?in the Christmas decoration boxes when I need them. My cords and the surge protectors will be with the generator and not used for?other purposes.
This is an important preparedness principle you need to apply with all other areas as well...dedicated items.
It may seem redundant (it's supposed to be), more expensive (it is), and wasteful (it's not), but having dedicated preparedness items like cords, medical gear, safety gear, etc. can?save your life when it's needed. Check my last article on tourniquets for a good example.
Misc. Items- Have extra items on hand for your generator like oil, fuel, and spare parts. I hope seeing the generator buying process through my eyes helps you with your choice.
Dr. Dave
PS- The original builder of our house was murdered in my basement, and I rent out campsites in our Haunted Barn if you ever want to visit.?
PSS- For whole home generators, Generac is not the only option. A lot of folks reported to me about problems with both customer service and technicians.?