
Generator use
First, let’s get a clear definition of what generators meaning for a home. Generators convert gasoline or propane to electricity through a motor system for your house when the local power supply is off. Home generators may seem frivolous. For some people, they even believe it is needless to have generators for home use until you don’t have electricity.
It is at that time, when the whole neighborhood, even an entire city is without electricity, you realize how beneficial home generators can be for anyone at any time.
How does the generator start?
If you have ever survived a natural disaster such as an earthquake, hurricane, ice storm, or tornado, you may have also lost power to your home. That aftermath period can be stressful. Not only is the internet and television out, but the refrigerator isn’t getting power either. These are examples of when and why home generators are a convenience, not a frivolous purchase.
Many homeowners that have gone through these types of things will purchase either gasoline or standby home generators, and that is what they do. They standby until we need them. A standby generator is left in and automatically turns on when the power goes out. They are like your own mini power plant.
Gasoline-powered home generators are kept in the garage or other storage, some emergency crews will bring some into a devasted area. They require gasoline or propane gas to operate and start and run the same as a gasoline-powered lawnmower.
What size generator is needed to power a house?
Home generators are powered in a measure in watts, like a light bulb. Home generators with a power rating of 5000 watts to 7500 watts will supply enough electricity for the important household equipment. This is equipment essential to survival, like light bulbs, freezer, refrigerator, well pump, etc.
What size generator do I need to run a refrigerator and freezer?
To determine what size of the different home generators are the best for your ho, you need to pay attention to the starting watts of your refrigerator. This is the amount of power it takes to get your fridge started, which requires more than it will once you have it going again. The average refrigerators require between 2000 and 2500 starting watts and 700 running watts.
It is important for home generators to be large enough they can support these starting watts because of possible power spikes could damage the generator and the refrigerator. You should expect your refrigerator is safe on a generator for 8 to 9 hours.
Can you run a generator overnight?
They design some models of home generators to run for eight hours, other for 12 hours, and some home generators longer. However, it is recommended not to run home generators for long periods of time without allowing them to rest, partly because of how they are built.
Home generators are like any machinery with a motor. They require fuel and grease, and proper maintenance. When a generator runs out of gasoline or propane, it is nothing more than an oversized paperweight. If they run out of the fuel that is powering them, they shut off automatically.
With that being said, for home generators to run overnight, it requires making sure it has enough fuel to do that, or plan on getting up in the middle of the night to fill the tank again. Other issues running home generators overnight that you may entail:
- Carbon Monoxide – Carbon monoxide isn’t visible and is odorless. Having a CO monitor in your home is recommended when depending on home generators for power.
- Noise – You’ll have a motor running inside or nearby.
- Theft – Often during disasters, theft is high for anything that can be carried off.

Can generators explode?
As we mentioned above, carbon monoxide poisoning is possible from home generators and is the primary hazard to be aware of. Other dangers to be cautious of are electrocution or fire. For a home generator to have any danger of exploding, the situation would have to be right, like being enclosed in a house with no ventilation.
If you are ever faced with a disaster, having staples on hand is important. This includes generators plus canned food that has a long shelf life, portable water, flashlights, matches, a transistor radio, and anything else you can think to have for survival.
If we haven’t given you enough reasons to look at home generators, let us share the following reasons with you:
- Keep your critical appliances running
- Sump pump stays on
- Keep the lights for safety and convenience
- Peace of mind
If you live in a region prone to power outages due to high winds, hurricanes, or tornados, home generators are something you should give serious thought to buying. Dial 985-764-8191 today for installation of your home generators in Norco and New Orleans, LA.
