During the mid-20th century, solar power was all the rage. Cars, homes, towns, it could all be powered by the ever-present sun! While an exciting concept, reality turned out much different. While a good option for some, the disadvantages of solar have made it a relatively lesser used energy source.
While energy independence is an alluring goal, a smart home or business owner knows to do their research before committing to a long-term investment. So let’s consider whether solar power or a whole home generator would be right for you.
Solar Batteries
Since smartphones have become a part of our lives, portable battery banks have also been around. When thinking of solar power for your home, you can think of it as being a permanent battery bank attached to your house that is charged by the sun. This comes with some obvious pros:
Ultra-quiet operation.
Extremely low maintenance.
Completely renewable energy.
However, solar power generally has a higher price tag to set up, as well as a battery that will need to be replaced within 5 to 10 years. Additionally, here in the northeast, our power usually fails in the wintertime. Days are cloudy, and depending on your power needs, solar-powered batteries may fall short.
Whole Home Generators
A tried-and-true method, our Generac-certified whole-home generators have a proven track record of keeping homeowners safe. Their sound level is comparable to a modern washing machine, and they’re usually situated outside the home. Consider several key pros:
Much more affordable to purchase.
Extremely long lifetime, on average between 10,000 – 30,000 hours running.
Seamless connection to the existing natural gas line in your home.
Not reliant on external conditions to provide immediate power to a home.
While some people scoff at buying used goods, there is a reason why garage sales, thrift shops, and auction websites have never gone out of style. When choosing a potentially life-saving piece of equipment like a whole home generator, however, should you outright dismiss the idea of buying used? Consider some informed reasons why it may not be a bad idea to consider purchasing second-hand.
The Obvious: Inexpensive!
It goes without saying that a used generator is less pricy than a new one, but the difference could be more significant than you expect. Purchasing a pre-owned, gently used model could net you anywhere between 20% – 70% in savings! Depending on your requirements, the cost savings may make all the difference in the quality of the model that may have leapt into your price range.
A concern, however, could be the condition of a used model. However, the advantage to purchasing a used home generator through New England Electrical is that you will not be sacrificing quality for price. You’ll still have our 24 hours, 7 days a week guarantee that we’ll be on-site for emergency assistance. Our award-winning service and consultations will be just as quality. Finally, our maintenance plans will keep your used generator running for many years after your purchase.
The Advantage of Whole Home Generators
There are many types of generators, but perhaps the best kind of used generator would be a whole-home model. Why? These are strictly used as a backup source of power. When assessing the quality, or value, of the unit, likely the first thing you’ll want to do is see just how long it’s been run. A backup generator is only used when power is out! This, more than anything, should provide convincing evidence of how lightly these used models will be.
Your Environmental Footprint
A natural gas generator already emits far lower levels of pollutants into the atmosphere than gas or diesel-powered generators. In fact, the EPA relaxed its guidelines for the regulating of natural gas generators. There is also zero risk of fuel spill contamination with this type of generator. Noise pollution is lessened because they run quieter than gas, and they emit the lowest levels of CO2 of all the IC generator types.
Compounded to these benefits, a used generator represents one less wasted unit. Rather than salvaging the used unit into parts or dumping it in a landfill, you’ll be contributing to a more sustainable Earth and minimizing waste.
Used, not Used Up!
The takeaway from this should be that a lightly used generator can be nearly as high quality as a new model, but with a serious reduction in price! If you’re still on the fence, call us at New England Electrical for a consultation. We’ll break down what your property requires, and will help you find the best whole-home generator, new or used, to fit your needs.
When determining the size of your whole home electric generator, there is a common misconception that the size of your home relates to the size of your generator. ‘A large house or business will require a more robust generator.’ However, if its purpose is to supply power, size alone is not necessarily the best deciding factor. Instead, the number of appliances, electronics, and circuits is the biggest factor.
Making a Choice
What power-outage experience would you prefer? It goes without saying that you want to be impacted as minimally as possible. If every single circuit in your house is powered, you would probably barely notice an outage! After receiving an alert, you would likely continue on with your day. While that sounds nice, having every circuit powered can add up over time. It can be redundant, or even completely unnecessary.
Generally, home and business owners first choose which circuits on their property are the most important. They do this by making a list of every appliance, room, or outlet they would like powered. After tracing these circuits back, one of our qualified electricians would connect those to the whole home generator. So first: Choose what you want powered!
Wattage and Wastage
Now it’s time to calculate wattage. If you’re unsure what to choose, first make a list of the essentials. When refrigerators, water heaters, sump pumps, and lights are connected, the most important aspects of your home have already been kept safe! Food won’t spoil, showers can remain hot, the basement won’t flood, and adequate lighting will keep your family safe. Putting these appliances on the essential list could prove a wise decision.
At New England Electrical, our professionals are trained to do these calculations for you. You just tell us what you’d like protected, and we’ll do the rest. However, if you’d like to run your own numbers, just make a list of the power being drawn from each appliance and device, add it up, and calculate the total. It’s that simple!
That being said, a warning: Refrigerators, sump pumps, and AC units have two types of power draws. One when turning on, and one when running. Go with the larger number and you’ll have a good idea of what wattage generator your property will need.
Final Tips
Generators can go from smaller 5,000-watt units all the way to hefty 14,000-watt and higher. The types of units within that range can be even more diverse. Each homeowner or business needs will be different, and two similarly sized homes may need different sized generators.
When doing research on a whole home generator, a few basic questions stand out: Which is the best generator for the money? How durable will it be? Which has the best features for my lifestyle?
With that said, we’ve curated a list of the March 2022 top five standby generators according to Forbes.
As generators come, this guy is pretty impressive. There’s a reason we specialize in Generac generators, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Its durable construction, modern features, and a very low noise threshold for its size (67dbA), all make the Guardian a very solid choice. The reason it’s marked last is because it doesn’t come with an automatic transfer switch, so you’ll have to purchase that separately.
4) Generac PowerPact 7,500 Watt Standby Generator
If you have a small home and don’t need much power, this is the perfect generator for you. With a 7,500 watt max capacity and a price point that’s hard to beat, it’s no wonder this is a best seller. By only powering up to 8 circuits, its footprint is so low that you can easily place it discreetly out of the way.
3) Champion 14-kW aXis Home Standby Generator with 200-Amp Whole House Switch
Offering a whopping 14,000 watts, this workhorse is not only the most powerful on this list, it’s also the quietest option, measuring at a mere 62 dbA! It does have a bit larger footprint than the others, and no remote monitoring system, but it more than makes up for that lack with its other features. Better yet, Champion offers a 10 year warranty and free lifetime technical support!
This Briggs & Stratton generator has such a narrow footprint, you’ll wonder if it’s even a generator. Despite being so small, it comes in at one of the most powerful on the list at 12,000 watts. While it can be a bit louder than many other generators, its features may more than compensate. It comes with an automatic voltage regulator and even has a Wi-Fi smart control app you can use right from your phone!
With an impressive 10,000 watts of power provided by either natural gas or propane, this Generac generator is top of the list. From its Wi-Fi phone monitoring, temperature regulator, automatic transfer switches, 16 circuit backup or the low noise threshold of 63 dbA, this home generator would be well placed in any medium to large size home or business. We found the price point to be great compared to other similar units.
As the ranking shows, Generac generators are always in the running for top generators, year after year. If you’re in the market for a standby generator, be sure to check out our selection of Generac generators. We have a variety of sizes and types to choose from, all at great prices! If you need any help deciding which one is right for you, don’t hesitate to give us a call. Our certified Generac technicians are ready to help give you the best whole-home generator to suit your needs.
Do you hear a buzzing sound coming from inside your home electrical panel? If not resolved, it could be an indicator of a serious problem.
The home electrical panel is what connects your home’s electrical system to external power. The electrician, opening this panel is a familiar sight. As a homeowner, you may know that the electrical panel helps to distribute power and electricity to different systems around your house. These connections throughout your home can and should be labeled properly.
Inside, you’ll find a series of switches, or breakers, which prevent circuits from overloading and damaging your property and or appliances. It’s also possible that you have a fuse box, which have fuses that blow in case of overload.
Blown fuses obviously need to be replaced, and in most cases electrical switches can simply be turned back on after an overload switches them off. What do you do if you hear humming coming from your electrical panel?
Why Is My Electrical Panel Humming or Buzzing?
There are a few potential causes. The first is that there could be a loose wire somewhere in the box, which can arc and cause friction as well as heat. Another possible problem stems from an overvoltage situation, where one of your circuits has been overloaded to dangerous levels.
Too Many Appliances
It’s possible you may have too many appliances running on the same circuit, in which case you should contact an electrician to install more circuits. It’s also possible that your electrical panel is old and worn out. If this is the case, it needs to be replaced by a qualified professional as soon as possible.
Loose Screws
A buzzing sound can also be caused by loose screws in the box lid or cover. If this is the case, you can tighten them up yourself. Be careful, though: if you’re not comfortable working with electricity, it’s best to call in a professional.
Still Hearing Noises From Your Electrical Panel?
If after inspecting your electrical panel you still can’t determine the source of the humming noise, it’s really the best and safest option to contact an electrician for assistance. This problem should not be ignored!
Here at New England Electrical Contracting, we pride ourselves on troubleshooting and repair of all electrical systems including the electrical panel and everything it’s connected to. Even if you need emergency after-hours work, we are specially trained to deal with emergency electrical situations.
