No matter where you live, losing power is never fun and many homeowners don’t prepare for the eventuality of a blackout. This is why having a guide to standby generators can come in handy. Let’s break this down so you see why a standby generator is an effective way to protect your Kansas City home next time there’s a power outage.First, let’s look at how they work…

Standby generators are designed to provide you with needed power when your electricity shuts off. When the system detects a loss of power, it automatically switches control over to the generator. The standby generator is usually connected to your home’s natural gas, fuel oil or propane gas lines, and is wired into your home’s electrical grid so that it can supply power directly. Once normal power returns, the switch reverses and the standby system shuts itself down.

For the most part, it’s as simple as that. If your goal is to power your entire house, the generator will need to be quite big. A smaller one, however, is all you’ll need if you simply want to keep the “essentials” running while you wait for the power to come back on. Some models will rotate to circuits as they’re needed.

Now, let’s discuss the cost…

The cost of a standby generator is going to be a primary concern. They’re not as expensive as, say, a new A/C system, but it’s still a consideration, especially given the fact that it’s probably not something you’ll use very often. When you do need emergency power, of course, the cost immediately starts making more sense, especially when considering the potential damage to your home, food, belongings and home comfort during a power outage. Plus, their non-use much of the time means that the system will last quite a while before experiencing problems. To keep your cost low, you will need to do some calculating to figure out how big the unit should be. This is something an HVAC technician can help you with.

For more expert advice to complement this guide to standby generators, or for any home comfort concerns, contact the professionals at Overland Park Heating & Cooling. We’ve been serving Kansas City and the surrounding area since 1983.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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