7 Ways Home Generators Save You Money and Headaches

So many things in modern life rely on electricity. Our businesses, schools, homes, and even traffic signals rely on power. Anyone who’s ever been late for work because a loss of power reset their alarm clock knows what I’m talking about.

Nature isn’t always kind, and storms can take out the power grid, sometimes for days. In rural areas like ours, where there are thousands more miles of power lines, one fallen tree can mean the lights go out for a huge area.

Having a home generator isn’t just about convenience. A home generator can make a huge difference in your daily life, and can even save you thousands in home repair costs.

Here are just a few of the ways home generators can help you live normally during a power loss crisis.

1. Flood Damage Prevention

Most homes now have finished basements. If there’s a flood it means thousands of dollars to replace drywall, flooring, TVs and anything else that we use in our basements. It can mean damage to irreplaceable family heirlooms.

As we learned with the spring floods of 2017, there are some areas where it’s really smart to have a sump pump. But for that pump to work, you need electricity.

If you live in a low lying area, a home generator will make sure that sump pump system will keep pumping even if Hydro gets knocked out.

2. No Frozen or Burst Plumbing

In winter, heat isn’t just a cozy luxury. It also keeps water in our plumbing systems from freezing. Many heating systems today, even natural gas systems, rely on a small amount of electricity to keep the fan and other key components going.

The Ice Storm of 1998, many people lost their heat as well as electricity, and plumbers worked overtime thawing out frozen pipes. In some cases, the damage was done and when the heat came on water poured out through the leaks in the plumbing.

3. Stay in Your Home During Power Outages

While we’re on the topic of the Ice Storm, you may remember that thousands of people were forced to leave their homes.

If they were lucky, friends or family could provide a place to stay. But most flocked to hotels and motels where the power was still working.

This not only cost money, but meant constant worry about the condition of the home and the possibility of theft or vandalism.

4. Save on Spoiled Food

If you’re like most of us, you rely on your freezer to take advantage of specials at the grocery store. Many people also love to hunt and fish, or save on meat by buying in bulk directly from a local farmer.

These are great ways to eat quality food and still save. But all those savings could go out the window if the electricity supply fails.

In the August 2003 blackout, most of Ontario and several US states were affected. One of the downsides of this summer power outage was that people lost everything from fridges and freezers.

5. Keep Well Water Pumps Going

Most of us who live beyond city water supplies need electric pumps for our wells.

No water means you can’t flush your toilet, take a shower, or wash clothing. Effectively it means you can’t stay in your home.

6. Stay Connected and Even Work from Home

If you work from home or need to keep computers powered so your kids can do their homework, not having a power supply can be a major problem.

These days most of us also need to keep mobile phones charged up to stay connected with family and work. In the event of storms or even regular blackouts, you will want to get access to weather and other emergency information.

7. The Important Details

Electricity powers the alarm clocks that wake you up in time for work, and brews hot coffee to help you on your way. Air conditioners keep the heat of summer tolerable so you can sleep. Imagine having the TV cut off during the playoffs, and having to find out what happened after the fact.

While most of us can live without these things for a brief time, it really makes a difference to our quality of life to have them.

Ask for Professional Advice

When choosing a home generator it’s important to get a professional to assess the electrical load for all of the things in your home you will need to power when Hydro goes down.

Not only has ATEL been doing licensed electrical work in Eastern Ontario for over 65 years, we are also licensed gas fitters who can install your generator safely.

We can help you choose from our wide selection of home generators for sale:

• We provide natural gas generators and propane generators in a variety of sizes.
• Offer easy payments solutions
• Provide wifi control- right from your smartphone from anywhere in the world
• If noise bothers you we can help you find a quiet generator.

Our experts can help you decide what works for your needs and your budget. We have a friendly approach that keeps you informed and in the driver’s seat.

Find out More About Our Home Generator Options

Call today or ask for a quote online. We service the entire Eastern Ontario region (click for map).

• Call Toll-Free: 1-888-535-2720
• Williamsburg: 613-535-2720
• Kemptville: 613-258-2400
• Cornwall: 613-937-0707
• Brockville: 613-342-2338