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Pros & Cons Of Having A Home Standby Generator

Pros & Cons of Having a Home Standby Generator

Back in 2020, Hurricane Isaias caused power outages in Fairfield County that lasted days for several towns. In fact, at the peak number of outages, at least 715,000 households were without power. 

As Connecticut’s trusted generator expert since 1990, we have installed over 8,200 generators throughout southwestern Connecticut. And call us biased, but our residential standby generator units go a mighty long way in the face of hurricanes and natural disasters. 

Yet, many homeowners hesitate to install a generator because of the regular maintenance it requires and the large upfront investment. So, are home standby generators really worth it? 

If you’re debating whether or not you need a generator for your home, here are some pros and cons to help you decide:

Pro: Home standby generators will give you peace of mind during storms and power outages.

The most obvious benefit of a generator is that it will provide your home with power in the event of a power outage. However, the peace of mind comes with the fact that you don’t even have to lift a finger once your generator has been installed by a team of technicians.

When a blackout occurs, your generator will kick in on its own in a matter of seconds. 

Whole home generators are far more advanced than portable generators. They’re equipped with sophisticated technology that automatically switches your power to be supported by the generator. 

This means that your home, loved ones, and even local utility workers will be protected from any back feed. This automated transfer switch also sends power to appliances such as heaters or sump pumps.

Long story short: no matter how chaotic it seems outside, you never have to worry about what happens in your home.

Con: You will have to make a sizable investment.

Generator units and installation costs are no small investment. Add on recurring maintenance and upkeep costs and it’s easy to be deterred by the number. 

We encourage you to think of this type of investment like insurance. Although it might not seem worth it, the money you save yourself in worst-case scenarios can change the calculation dramatically.

A simple cost-benefit analysis of your situation may turn out to be beneficial to you and your family to make your decision. In fact, some insurance companies offer a discount on your homeowners insurance if you have a generator installed. 

Pro: Home standby generators save you money in the long run.

Consider your home’s valuable appliances: refrigerators, dehumidifiers, central air, sump pumps, etc. When all these continue to operate during a power outage, you’re not only protecting your property from damage, but you’re also saving yourself from any insurance claims or money spent to fix potential damage.

In fact, home insurers will often offer a discount of 5% to 10% on the property portion of your homeowners policy with proof that your home standby generator was permanently installed by a licensed professional

And it gets better. According to Consumer Reports, a generator unit can actually increase your home value by up to 5%. That’s a win-win if you ask us.

Con: You will have to take time to perform regular maintenance on your unit.

Unfortunately, without regular maintenance, your generator could fail to kick in when you actually need it most. We understand that it may seem counterintuitive to make a large investment in a generator and then still have to put work in to take care of the unit. 

However, a premiere home generator dealer will provide you with all the information you need to perform routine checks on your generator and even take care of the maintenance for you. At Cannondale, we offer flexible, cost-effective maintenance service plans so our customers can sit back and enjoy the benefits of having a generator while our certified technicians handle the hard parts.

Pro: Home standby generators are easy to monitor from anywhere.

The beauty of modern technology is that you can rely on your generator to work and track what it’s doing – all without being anywhere near it.

Let’s say the power goes out while you’re at work, but the kids are home from school. Instead of panicking, you can easily pull out your phone and monitor your generator’s performance until you can find a way to get home.

With our home generator models, you can add on remote monitoring tools that allow you to check your unit right at your fingertips. Here’s why you need remote monitoring for your home generator.

Con: They can be an unsightly permanent fixture on your property.

Residential standby generators require a whole host of safety precautions during installation to ensure that you and your home is not put in harm’s way. For instance, your generator has to be a certain distance from windows and other openings to prevent carbon dioxide from getting into your home.

However, this can mean that your generator is placed in a very noticeable position, making it a rather unsightly permanent fixture on your property. 

The certified technicians at our home backup generator company take all of this into account when they install your unit. We can work with you to select a safe location for your generator so that you can maintain your home’s aesthetic as much as possible without sacrificing home safety.

Pro: Home standby generators will protect your home and your loved ones.

From regulating your home’s temperature to prevent pipes from bursting to ensuring that your home stays up and running with heat, Internet, water, and food, standby generators are a layer of protection during particularly stormy times. 

| Related: 4 Reasons to Get a Home Standby Generator in Fairfield County

Additionally, many home medical devices require electricity to run. Although many may have backup batteries, having a generator keeps you and your loved ones from getting into life-or-death situations in the event of a power outage. 

If you have a loved one using such devices in your household, please check with a licensed healthcare professional for alternative suggestions on how to manage power outages with your particular medical device.

family in a tent using electricity from backup generator

Ready to install your residential standby generator? 

With decades of experience, Cannondale Generators is the best home generator dealer in New England. Serving Connecticut and New York counties, our technicians can help you find the right model for your needs and install it for you.

Request a FREE consultation or speak with a team member at 203-762-2608 to learn more about our generator sizing and installation services.

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