Page 12 - Piedmont_Spring_2022

naturalChoice

Be prepared for Mother nature

Generators offer peace of mind and convenience.

By Monica Stavish Skaggs

ou’ve had a long day, and it’s time to kick back and enjoy tial and power products, Kohler Co. “All of this comfort, security and
some quiet time at home. Suddenly the lights go out, the convenience adds up to priceless peace of mind for the homeowner.”
refrigerator stops humming and all other appliances shut Ross and Leila Hallan of Arlington, Texas, can attest to the peace
Y off. Stumbling through the dark aided only by a small light of mind and convenience that a natural gas generator provides. The
from your cell phone, you anxiously wonder how long it will be before couple’s home was among millions that lost power during the deadly,
power is restored. massive winter storm – billed ‘Snowmageddon’ – that struck Texas
For those who have installed a standby natural gas generator, this and neighboring states in February 2021.
inconvenience is easily prevented. During a power outage, a gen- Prolonged Arctic cold caused a huge electricity-generation failure
erator can provide a seamless transfer of power within 10 seconds. that led to shortages of water, food and heat.
“Installing a home standby (HSB) generator gives homeowners
peace of mind,” said Keith Wasula, national account manager for SeaMleSS TranSiTion
Generac Power Systems Inc. “The uptick in severe storms and recent Leila Hallan was returning from a brief stay at the hospital that
home-office transitions over the past year have put a greater spotlight day when the power went out and stayed off for about 12 hours.
on the concept of home as a ‘sanctuary.’” The couple was concerned about the heat being off and food in the
When a utility power outage occurs due to a storm, vehicle accident refrigerator spoiling.
or peak demand shortage, a generator’s automatic transfer switch “I called an installation company about getting a generator and
senses utility power loss and begins the backup sequence within they told me they had received 1,500 calls,” Ross Hallan said. Since
seconds, he said.
In a world of technology-
driven convenience, maintain-
ing power is vital. A generator
will help keep the lights on and
appliances working during an
outage. For millions of home-
based businesses, maintaining Photo Courtesy of generaC Power systems inC.
power can be invaluable. In
more extreme situations, a gen-
erator will provide power dur-
ing a hurricane or tornado and
can protect the lives of children
and the elderly. It can even mean
the difference between life and
death for those who rely on
medical devices such as oxygen
equipment to breathe.
“Whether it’s a TV, tablet or
computer that keeps them pow-
ered and ensures that work or
schooling can still be done from
home,” said Melanie Tydrich, se-
An automatic home standby generator delivers power directly to a home’s electrical system, backing up the entire home or
nior channel manager, residen- just the most essential items.

12 naturalliving ❙ Spring - Summer 2022