Residential Generator Buying Tips

First thing you need to do before buying a generator, of course, is determine how much power will you need. As a rule, the greater your needs are, the bigger the generator you need. If you wish to power an entire house, a generator in the 3,500 to 6,500 watts would probably be sufficient but if you only wish to power up a few circuits in your house (and not all of them) just to keep the mission-critical appliances running even during blackouts, you will need to take note of those appliances and jot down their wattage requirements. This is where your arithmetic skills will come in handy. Aggregating the wattage requirements of the appliances you need to power will give you an idea of how big a power generator you will need.

Take note that some appliances have two wattage ratings, one of their starting wattages and one of their running wattage. There are appliances that have higher wattage requirements when you start them up but when they are already running, the wattage requirements drop as well. Examples of this are air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. Examples of appliances that do not have differing starting and running wattages are microwave ovens, televisions, etc.

Another consideration is whether you want a standby or fixed generator that stays put in a designated location or a portable type that can be mobile and can be brought to different locations. An advantage of a fixed standby generator is that you can hook it to a continuous fuel source so you would not need to refuel it every time it dries up.

Portable generators have the advantage of being flexible in terms of location and can be brought anywhere with you so you do not only use it at home. You can also bring it with you during outdoor activities (Want to learn more about portable and silent generator power systems?)

There are three common types of generators as far fuel types are concerned: gas, diesel and propane generators. They have relative advantages and disadvantages. Gas residential generators, for instance, are the most affordable but they usually require more maintenance as it can easily wear itself out. It burns more fuel and can require higher refueling funds. This is also the case for propane fueled generators.

Diesel generators on the other hand are the most durable of generators because the fuel itself, the diesel, is low grade oil and can provide protection to the engine. It will require less frequent maintenance and is the most fuel efficient. The problem is they are quite hard to start during extremely cold weather.