So far winter 2015-16 has been very mild. We’ve seen very little snowfall and temperatures have been quite temperate. We know from previous years that winter storms can hit fast and hard, so we’ve learned to be prepared for anything from temperate weather to blizzard in the blink of an eye. The Farmer’s Almanac tells us to be prepared for heavy snowfall like last year, so we want to help you make sure your home’s electrical system is fully prepared.

Generators

An electrical generator is a great way to ensure that you have power to the most important areas during a power outage. A portable 5,000 watt gas powered generator will run several things including the heat pump, hot water heater, refrigerator, freezer, and outlets and lights in a single room on about 12-13 gallons of gas per day. Obviously this could get expensive during a lengthy outage, but it is great in a pinch.

A whole house generator, also called a standby generator, is one that is connected to your home’s electrical system and kicks on automatically when the power goes out. Most standby generators operate on natural gas or propane. We will help you decide which type of generator is best for you and install the whole house generator if that’s the one you choose.

Alternate Heat Source

Most of us rely primarily on the heat pump for heating and cooling. This is perfect, except for the fact that when the power goes out, we lose our heating appliance. If you don’t have a generator at all, you need to install one or at least purchase a heater as an alternate heat source. Do you currently have an alternate, non electrical, heat source? We recommend any of the following:

• A propane fireplace
• A tabletop fireplace
• A propane radiant heater
• A propane forced air heater
• A kerosene heater

Please keep in mind that all of these heat sources do rely on propane or kerosene, both of which are combustible and should always be used with extreme caution. Always leave a window cracked when using any type of heater that uses a flame to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

We’ve learned from previous hurricanes and winter storms that the power can go out and stay out for weeks at a time. The big winter storm in 2009 comes to mind for many of us when we think about winter storms, and of course hurricane Sandy did a lot of damage on the east coast as well. Everyone needs some type of generator or alternate heat source for winter months and for emergencies. Let us know if we can help you prepare your home’s electrical needs for bad weather.

Authorized Construction Group, LLC is located in Essex, Maryland and provides electrical services to all businesses and homeowners in the surrounding areas. We gladly work with homeowners to ensure that power runs smoothly and uninterrupted from area to area. Call us at 443-579-5701 to discuss your electrical needs with us.