Home Improvement

5 Quick Tips for Choosing and Using a Generator Safely

Story Highlights
  • #1 - Powers all your needs
  • #2 - Select a dry, ventilated area for storage
  • #3 - It has to have enough outlets
  • #4 - Test the generator once a week
  • #5 - Store the fuel in an appropriate container

Power failures are as common as ants in South Africa and with unpredictable load-shedding peering around every corner, it is no surprise to hear that South Africans are investing in generators.

Generators have many different benefits and the most important one is mainly keeping your lights and appliances running when the power is out. Plus, it protects the appliances from any type of surge or default when they are running and the power trips.

However, many people are not clear which generator to choose and how to use one safely especially when it comes to diesel and petrol generators:

#1 – Powers all your needs

Before you set out to buy a generator, you will have to calculate the wattage of all the things that you want running in the event of a power outage or load-shedding situation.

You then need to ensure that the generator that you buy will deliver that type of wattage or just above it to be sure. After you have calculated this, check out the starting wattages of your appliances and select the highest one.

You need to ensure that your generator has the capacity to deliver that starting wattage.

#2 – Select a dry, ventilated area for storage

Most of the time, generators are left outside of the house.

If you choose to leave your generator outside, you need to ensure that the space provided is dry and ventilated.

It should be away from any air intake into your business or home, so in other words, not in a garage, shed or basement. The generator will build up carbon monoxide whilst it is on and this can be very harmful.

Simply opening windows and doors to let fresh air in will not get rid of the toxic substances in the air.

#3 – It has to have enough outlets

If you are planning on powering more than one appliance during a power outage, you need to ensure that the generator has enough outlets for these items to be plugged into it.

You don’t want to be caught with the lights off and then only realize that you only have space for one light and not the fridge, for example.

What you could also do is look for a heavy-duty generator cord that has four outlets at the end, so that you don’t have to worry about managing several different extension cords.

#4 – Test the generator once a week

If you haven’t had any power failures in a while, then you should count yourself lucky.

Nevertheless, you should test-run your generator every week for at least 15 minutes to ensure that it is working properly.

Prevention is better than cure, so avoid being stuck with a faulty generator when the power does go off. The oil and filters should be changed at least once a year.

#5 – Store the fuel in an appropriate container

The fuel that you buy for your generator has to be stored in an appropriate container for the next time you need to use the generator.

It should be stored away from any food and flammable items. Store it as far away from the generator as possible and any other possible appliance that needs ignition like the stove.

If you want to check the fuel, never use a match or a candle to do so. Follow the instructions on your generator manual in order to determine what the fuel level of your generator is.

The last point is to remember to be mindful of neighbors. A generator produces a sound of 90-95 decibels when it is on, and when there is no power, people are prone to be more sensitive to noise.

ImmoAfrica.net

South Africa's fastest-growing, independent property portal, offering affordable solutions for real estate professionals. A hub of info covering topics for #homebuyers, #homesellers, #renters and #lifestyle enthusiasts!

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button