It’s officially summer! Time for barbecues, beaches, suntanning, swimming pools…and hurricanes? Yes, hurricanes are, like bees and ants, unwelcome visitors come the summer months. In fact, the height of the hurricane season is between July and September, so there’s an increased risk that you could be in the path of a storm sometime during this season.
As you know, a hurricane power outage is a very real possibility if you live in an area that experiences frequent storms. If you’re nervous about hurricane season and the inevitable power outage that accompanies the wrath of Mother Nature, you might consider a backup energy source to provide you with electricity so you can still run your refrigerator and other essential appliances. A propane generator is a perfect solution!
We’ll take a closer look at a propane generator for a house and why it’s a smart investment if you are often faced with winds, rainfall, storm surges, and other power-zapping elements of a hurricane that could leave you without electricity for days and even weeks. There may even be some benefits to cooking with gas vs. electricity.
When is Hurricane Season?
The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1st and runs through November, so pretty much your entire summer is at risk of the sort of intense weather that could lead to a prolonged power outage if you live in states like North Carolina, South Carolina, and even Pennsylvania.
According to researchers, the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to see between 15 and 18 named storms; of those, between seven and nine could develop into hurricanes, with the likelihood of three to five fully developed storms in the coming months.
Ben Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Perhaps the best way you can combat the effects of a hurricane power outage is to equip your home with a propane gas generator.
What In Your House Will Your Generator Power?
This question is best answered with: how large of a generator do you have, or are expecting to have installed?
A typical home backup generator ranges from seven kilowatts (kW) to 20kW. The 7kW will power several essentials, such as well and sump pumps, a heating system, a refrigerator, and some but possibly not all lighting. The larger sizes (at least 15kW) could normally provide enough juice to run a home as if the electricity is not out; this would include electric stoves, lighting, and even A/C. If you are looking for what else propane can power in your home, here are some propane use ideas!
How Long Can a Propane Generator Run?
Again, size and the number of items being powered will play a part in how long a propane generator can run, but basically, a home propane backup generator will burn about two to three gallons per hour.
The size of your propane storage tank also figures into the equation. If you have a 500-gallon storage tank (which holds 400 gallons when full), then you would be able to run your generator for about six or seven days. In many cases, this would be sufficient to endure a power outage, which may last several hours to a few days. It is recommended that homeowners using a backup propane generator have enough gas storage to run the unit for five days.
If you live in an area that’s prone to extended outages following a hurricane, you might want to consider a 1,000-gallon tank, but in many cases, this would likely be unnecessary. The good news is, we have many options for propane storage tank options!
How to Choose Your Generator Size
How much you want to power will decide how you will choose your propane generator size. Do you want to run only a couple of appliances and a few lights or the entire household?
Figure out the wattage of the things you want to power during an outage. This will allow you to choose the propane generator size you’ll need to do what you want it to do.
Let Diversified Energy Help!
A propane supply company will be your best friend when you decide it’s time to get yourself a backup propane generator. If you’re a resident of NC or PA, you’re in luck: you can rely on Diversified Energy, a leading East Coast propane retailer, to help you every step of the way.
Gas Up Your Home
Propane-powered generators can really bring you peace of mind during hurricane season, as well as during some of the more rough winter seasons.
Diversified can help ensure you have the generator size you require to power what you need it to power. They can also install your propane generator and supply the propane you need on a monthly basis, so you have peace of mind that you have the gas on hand to run your generator when you need it, for as long as you need it. Diversified offers an automatic “watchdog” delivery system that brings the right amount of gas to you on a prescheduled basis so you never have to figure out how much you need at any given time or even worry about calling to schedule a delivery.
And, Diversified also sells propane storage tanks and delivers and installs them as well—both above and underground. So, Diversified Energy truly is your go-to for all your propane needs. Even if you are doing some new construction or remodeling, we can help!
Let Diversified back you up when it’s time to choose a backup propane generator, so you’re set to weather ANY storm!
