A portable generator has become an essential item for households to have on hand for emergency preparedness. With the increasing frequency of power outages from severe weather events and grid reliability issues, portable generators provide backup electricity to keep your home running.
Beyond just emergency preparedness, portable generators also enable outdoor adventures, home improvement projects, business continuity, and overall peace of mind. Keep reading to learn the top 5 reasons why every household should invest in a portable generator.
1. Emergency Power During Electricity Outages
Power outages can happen when you least expect it. Severe storms, heatwaves, equipment failure and even squirrels can knock out electricity in your neighborhood. Without power, everyday household necessities come to a halt:
- Lights – No ability to see at night or navigate safely indoors
- Refrigeration – Risk of food spoilage and food-borne illness
- Water Heaters – Inability to heat water for bathing or washing
- HVAC Systems -No heat or air conditioning leading to extreme indoor temperatures
- Medical Devices – Critical devices do not function, risking health and safety
- Communications Networks – No internet, TV/cell service or ability to request help
A portable generator solves all of these risks by supplying backup power to keep essential appliances and devices running.
Power Outage Frequency Is Increasing
In the era of climate change, extreme weather is becoming more frequent and severe. Events like hurricanes, ice storms, floods and derechos leave tens of thousands of households without grid power every year.
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Outages | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.1 |
With the average household experiencing between 3 to 4 blackouts annually, it’s prudent to have backup power readily available.
Length of Power Outages Is Growing Longer
Not only are power outages occurring more frequently, but they also tend to persist for longer durations:
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Duration | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.4 |
Outages lasting up to 8 hours can spoil refrigerated food and drain device batteries. Outages extending beyond 24 hours also present dangers from extreme heat or cold. An emergency home portable generator is essential for multi-day grid failures.
Read More: How to Prepare a Generator for Storm Season: A Quick Guide
Who is Most At Risk From Power Outages
While power failures cause some level of inconvenience for every household, certain groups bear a disproportionate risk:
- Households with infants & elderly – Medical equipment may not function, inability to regulate indoor temperatures
- Households with well water – Outages cut off the home water supply
- Rural households – Tend to experience more frequent and longer lasting outages
- Households reliant on electric stoves – Inability to cook meals
- Households in extreme weather zones – Extreme heat/cold raises safety risks
Because of these dangers, having an emergency generator on standby provides protection for the most vulnerable households.
2. Outdoor Adventures & Recreational Activities
For many households, portable generators also serve an important role in enhancing leisure and recreation. Powering outdoor adventures with compact generators alleviates hassles and expands possibilities.
Camping & Tailgating
Camping trips often occur off-the-grid without electrical hookups available on site. A portable generator allows campers to replicate common household amenities:
- Run small appliances like blenders, coffee machines and mini-fridges
- Power lighting inside tents and pop-up canopies
- Recharge batteries for phones, cameras and other personal electronics
- Operate TVs for entertainment
- Use power tools necessary for setup like drills and saws
- Illuminate pathways outdoors at night for safety
Similarly, generators are a popular necessity for powering tailgates at concerts, sporting events and races.
RVs & Travel Trailers
Travel trailers and RVs need a portable generator when dry camping or boondocking without shore power electrical sources. Running the generator enables convenient functioning of onboard amenities like:
- Air conditioning & ventilation
- Interior and exterior lighting
- Refrigeration
- Hot water supply
- Electric stoves
- Heating systems
- Charging house batteries
generators supply steady power for longer durations so RVs operate like homes instead of just vehicles. This facilitates comfortable long-term trips and living while in transit.
Power Equipment & Tools
To support mobile equipment use, portable generators allow powering of devices like:
- Pressure washers
- Air compressors
- Concrete mixers
- Electric lawn mowers
- Drain cleaners
- Garden tools like trimmers and tillers
At remote worksites, portable power removes limitations on getting projects done.
Weather Resilience
Unfortunate outdoor event cancellations can occur when extreme hot or cold temperatures present health risks. Portable temperature regulation enabled by generators helps prevent this.
Powering fans, misters, heaters and air conditioners allows events to safely continue as planned. This prevents wasted revenue and disappointment for event organizers and attendees.
Investing in backup generator power facilitates uninterrupted recreation anywhere, anytime.
3. Home Improvement Projects
For households constantly upgrading and improving their living space, portable generators provide the flexibility to take on DIY projects anywhere on your property.
Enabling Electricity in Remote Areas
Permanent electrical wiring often doesn’t extend to detached structures like garages, sheds, barns and pool houses. Running power cords from the central house panel is also rarely feasible over long distances.
Portable generators solve this by creating temporary, remote electrical sources. By generating electricity on-site, home improvement tasks can be safely completed by powering essential tools like saws, sanders, air compressors and more.
Powering Tools & Equipment
Generators supply steady backup electricity tailored to the level needed by various power tools and machinery:
- Table saws – 15 amps
- Belt sanders – 10 amps
- Circular saws – 15 amps
- Air compressors – 20 amps
- Pressure washers – 30 amps
Matching electrical output to tool requirements prevents tripped breakers and interrupted operation while working.
Sufficient generator capacity ensures home DIY warriors can take on tasks like deck building, shed installation, painting preparation, remodeling and much more.
Operating Electrical Safety Equipment
In addition to powering tools directly, generators also enable vital safety equipment to illuminate workspaces and protect homeowners:
- Job site lighting – Position bright work lights exactly where illumination is needed most for the task at hand while avoiding shadows.
- Ventilation fans – Clear out dangerous paint fumes, dust and other hazardous airborne particulate matter.
- GFCI protection – Prevent electrocution accidents with portable GFCI receptacles.
- Security systems – Set up camera and monitoring systems to watch over valuable equipment.
Proper visibility, airflow, precautionary equipment protections powered by generators lead to markedly safer DIY working conditions.
Enhancing Property Resilience
Severe weather like heavy rains, flooding and high winds can seriously damage loosely assembled temporary structures and building supplies.
Storing materials in a protected area powered by generators lets homeowners mitigate external risks that threaten progress on home improvement work. Attach the generator to a secure shed or garage so projects stay safeguarded against external threats.
Reliable electricity no matter the location unlocks new potential for creative upgrades and expansions across the entire residential property.
4. Business Continuity & Remote Work
The modern economy’s shift toward remote work has been accelerated by recent world events. For smooth business operations, electricity is a prerequisite. Portable generators prevent disruptions for residents and remote employees when main power sources fail.
Protecting Assets & Inventory
Running a business from home comes with inventory and equipment vulnerabilities that could incur major financial losses in a power outage. Backup generators prevent incidents like:
- Frozen/refrigerated goods – Food products, biological materials and chemicals
- Server equipment – Hard drive failures and data losses
- Battery depletion – Laptops, phones and other electronics
- Equipment overheating – 3D printers, CNC machines and precision tools
Cycling on automatically when the grid fails, home generators keep businesses running seamlessly through outages. Preventable damage is avoided and assets remain reliably powered.
Enabling Remote Work
Broadband internet and wirelessly networked tools underpin remote work. Since most networking equipment like modems and routers rely on grid power, an outage can instantly render telework impossible.
Portable generators allow residents to sustain continuous internet connectivity so remote work can go on unaffected, regardless of external power availability.
Keeping productivity and operations humming for self-employed business owners through power reliability gives peace of mind. Automated applications also stay functional to serve customers without interruption.
Protecting Income Streams
Power failures during business hours lead to costly lost revenues from:
- Downtime and inability to conduct transactions/orders
- Late order fulfillment leading to contract violations
- Interrupted services unable to be delivered
Guaranteeing uninterrupted electricity generation eliminates this threat of profit and productivity losses. Customer experiences also benefit from steady service availability.
Home-Based Business Compliance
Many locales regulate home businesses differently than traditional offices. Permitted electricity usage is often restricted for zoning compliance. Portable generators may enable expansion of home operations without exceeded wired electrical limits.
Strategically supplementing wired electricity with generator power can facilitate permitting and launch of compliant home-based small businesses. Custom-configured generator electrical output helps avoid noisy fossil fuel generators in neighborhoods when appropriately sized units run quietly and emission-free.
5. Peace of Mind & Emergency Preparedness
Beyond powering specific household items and equipment, owning a reliably stocked generator also provides invaluable intangible benefits.
Reassurance & Comfort
Simply the reassurance of having backup electricity can provide emotional relief from anxiety about losing perishable food stocks and medications. Providing for family safety gives peace of mind during turbulent times.
In an emergency scenario, focus can shift to urgent needs rather than scrambling to acquire a generator. Instead, conveniently press a button to restore order.
Self-Sufficiency
Grid independence is a mentality growing in popularity as households take control of their own energy needs. Solar panel installations demonstrate this self-reliant principle using the sun’s energy.
Portable generators similarly allow independently generated electricity using the stored potential energy of fuel. Taking charge of personal energy production protects against vulnerabilities of centralized utility distribution failure.
Insurance Against Uncertainty
While generators protect against common hazards like storm seasons, their backup capability also holds value against rare and unpredictable events.
Pandemic lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, grid cyber attacks and climate change induced mega-storms could threaten electricity availability. Generating personal electricity helps buffer against these seemingly improbable but high-impact circumstances.
Owning a generator limits downside risk exposure so households can be ready for anything.
Greater Household Resilience
Related to self-sufficiency and emergency preparation, resilient households can bounce back quicker. Reliable access to electrical power facilitates a return to normalcy and recovery after adverse events.
Fostering this resilience through owned backup generation means faster restoration of healthcare, refrigerated food stocks and sanitized living conditions if primary infrastructure ever gets compromised.
Getting installed generator assistance from a professional electrician is also prudent to ensure optimal setup for household needs and risk circumstances.
Protecting Vulnerable Family Members
Finally, preparedness responsibility can motivate households with elderly residents, those relying on medical equipment and small children to prioritize backup power.
Obtaining peace of mind that vulnerable family members remain protected through an emergency situation is an invaluable generator benefit.
Also Read: How to Protect Your Appliances in a Power Outage
Conclusion
Portable generators serve essential electricity needs for households facing an increasingly uncertain world. More frequent extreme weather drives power grid instability. Simultaneously, home-based self-reliance is growing.
Rather than leaving households powerless, portable generators empower. Appliances flow with electricity. Devices recharge. Vulnerable family members experience reliable comfort. Home improvement projects progress uninhibited. Outdoor adventures realize their full potential. And small businesses hum along through disruptions.
A small upfront generator investment delivers security against the costly impacts of power failure events. Eliminate chaos and anxiety while avoiding food losses, equipment damage and expenses of relocating family during outages. Enjoy greater everyday freedom and flexibility to use electricity how and when you want.
While no one knows what the future holds, portable generators promise reliable energy access when you need it most. Protect household safety along with quality of life by getting a portable generator this season.