A Variety of Home Generators

The basic function of home generators is to act as a back up power source should you need it. This is particularly important for folks with medical equipment that they rely on to breathe or otherwise survive. But even if you don't have a life and death reason for having one of these units, you can still benefit from them. For most people the reason for having one is purely a matter of preparation so that they can maintain the modern conveniences they have grown accustomed to should the power go out. Fine. That's no problem. It doesn't really matter why you want one, but there are some important things to note before purchasing one for your home.

First of all, it is important to recognize that home generators come in a large variety of sizes and abilities. It would not make any sense for you to purchase a small portable unit for general home use. That would be a great choice if you really only wanted to power up a few things, but would be completely unworkable if you wanted to maintain all your normal power use when the power goes out. A large backup generator like those made by Winpower, Winco, Gillette, or Powermate can provide whole house backup. These are expensive, but certainly worth it if it is that important to you.

Another thing to note is that you can also get home generators that are run by either diesel or gasoline. This gives backup power and true portability. This is the preference of many people because it is something that can be put in the garage and used as needed. There simply isn't the need for a hard-wired unit to be installed in many cases. Plus, if you ever do want to take it with you, say, on a camping trip, then you have that option. Personally, I think taking a generator camping is a ridiculous idea, if for no other reason than for the noise pollution.

Sometimes the towable units can be used as home generators as well. The point is that it really isn't that often when most people need back up power, so when you do, it is easy to bring in the towable unit for use at home. This is something only a few people would actually do because people who own towables are generally contractor types who use it for their work. Anyway, if this is you, then don't forget that if power goes out at home you can certainly bring in your towable.

If I was going to buy one of the home generators on the market I would likely opt for something in the 10-13 KW range. I would want to spend under about $5K and would insist on a generator that was clean and reliable. I like the Gillette SPS-120. It has all the features I would want, and at the right price. I have always liked Honda motors and this unit has one. They are durable, long-lasting, tough, and give the peace of mind that only quality machines give.