Do you need a backup generator? According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2016, Americans went without power (due to electricity outages) for an average of four hours per year. If you think your home doesn’t need backup power, take a look at the reasons to reconsider residential standby generator use.
Your Medication Requires Refrigeration
Does your medication require constant cold storage? Common prescriptions that need refrigeration include unopened insulin (such as Humalog, Byetta, or Lantus), Enbrel, Humira, and Dupixent. The length of time a medication can go without refrigeration depends on the specific prescription and the manufacturer’s recommendations.
While some medications, such as Humalog insulin, can remain outside of the fridge for almost one month (after you open it), others may need constant cold storage. A power outage can leave these types of medications unusable or damage a stash you have stored for the future.
A backup whole-home generator provides uninterrupted refrigerator use — even during or after a powerful electrical storm. This keeps your medications safe and ready for you to use.
You Store Already-Pumped Breast Milk
Are you a new parent? If you nurse (or your significant other/co-parent) does, you need safe cold storage for pumped breast milk. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that pumped, fresh breast milk can stay in the refrigerator around four days at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It can stay frozen (at zero degrees) for six months to a year.
What happened if the electricity goes out and you have milk in the refrigerator or freezer? If the power outage is long enough to cause the refrigerator or freezer’s temperature to rise, you’ll likely need to throw out the breast milk. This means you’ll need to start over and pump an additional supply.
If you have concerns about stored milk spoilage and loss, a backup generator can keep your stash safe. Like with refrigerated medications, the generator will power the refrigerator or freezer and keep the breast milk at either 40 or zero degrees.
A generator allows you can open the appliance during the outage and continue to feed your baby freely. This isn’t always possible without a backup electricity supply. When the power is out, failure to keep the fridge or freezer door closed allows the cold air out and the internal temperature to rise.
You Use Electricity-Powered Medical Equipment
Do you use a breathing machine, suction, or home dialysis machine? Electricity-powered home medical equipment are life-saving items that some patients can’t go without. If these, and other similar types of home healthcare equipment, don’t come with backup battery power, you may need a generator.
A whole-home generator supplies the power necessary to make these machines work properly — without interruption. If you haven’t considered this electrical supply option, talk to your medical provider and the electrician about how a backup generator can keep you healthy and safe.
You Work From Home
Does your employer allow you to work from home, or are you the boss? If your home and office are the same space, you need electricity to stay in business. Whether you need light to see your inventory or electricity to power your computer and WiFi router, an outage can cost you a full or partial paycheck.
A backup generator is an employment-related investment. Even though you’ll need to pay an upfront price to buy the generator and for professional installation, the initial cost may not outweigh the money you’ll save in usable work time.
Do you need a backup generator to keep the power on during an electrical storm or other outage? Contact Oak Electric for more information.
