Do you frequently experience power outages and tire of being without electricity? If so, you're likely to be looking into buying an emergency backup generator to ensure that you always have electricity.  Here are some tips for deciding what kind of generator to buy.

What Do You Want To Run?

Households tend to have different priorities when it comes to selecting a backup generator for their home. You may be looking for the bare minimum to get buy if you were to have a power outage. This typically means having an air conditioner that's working, a refrigerator that is powered so that your food will not go bad, lights for the main rooms of your home, and maybe enough power for some entertainment to keep you busy. If so, you'll be looking at a small generator that will get you through the outage.

However, other households may want a generator that can power your entire home. This is because they want minimal disruptions and for life to carry on as normal when the power goes on.  If this is the case for you, then you'll need a much larger and more powerful generator.

What Appliances Use The Most Electricity? 

The biggest concern when selecting a generator is knowing what size your generator will need to be, based on your appliances. This is because an air conditioner can be one of the most power-consuming appliances that you own. If you plan to go without air conditioning for a bit, then you can get a much smaller generator.  Large chest freezers and oversized water heaters can also require a powerful generator to keep things running.

How Can You Make The Most Out Of A Smaller Generator?

If you cannot afford a big generator, but want to run more appliances, you should look into a generator that has load management. When big appliances turn on, there is often a spike of electricity needed.  However, some generators have load management abilities so that big power-consuming appliances are not used at the same time so that the generator doesn't shut down from having too many appliances running at once. 

Still not sure about the type of generator that you need? Bring in a professional that sells and installs generators to help find the right one for you. They'll help perform a load calculation to figure out how much electricity you need to keep your home powered. 

For more information about generator installation, contact a local professional.