If you are building a home and adding everything possible for comfort, then you should not miss out on a whole-home generator. Well, you might think, what’s the need for an entire home generator when power outages are so rare nowadays? You are right, but we don’t know when things will go south, and you don’t have electricity at home, and you are left to live in the dark.
Investing in a whole home generator is a really good move, especially if you are living in an area prone to storms, frequent outages, or even just the occasional power failure. It might seem unnecessary and expensive, but you will get the benefits in the long term, and every penny you have spent will be worth it. Backup generators can be really helpful in financial protection and creating peace of mind. Here are five ways that will help you save more money in your pocket in the long run by investing in a whole home generator.
1. Protects Your Food from Spoiling
PeoplWhole Home Backup Generators – EcoFlow USe often miss out on the basic thing that a whole home generator can do: It can help save money by keeping your fridge and freezer working when the power goes out. Well, you must be thinking that’s what generators do, yes, but when it maintains the temperature inside and doesn’t let it go above 40°F (about 4°C) for more than two hours, it helps in keeping food inside fresh. If the food gets spoiled, then you have to throw it away, which means you could lose a lot of money on wasted groceries.
Average cost of spoiled food
In a typical household, if the fridge and freezer stop working, food can be lost at any time, amounting to $200-$500.
Multiple outages per year
If you live in an area where you face a lot of power outages annually, then the cost can multiply quickly.
2. Prevents Costly Home Repairs
Power outages can be very irritating and inconvenient, but they also bring some serious and expensive damage to your home that you often give a thought to. When electricity goes out, our house has many systems that get damaged, like sump pumps, heating systems, or smart home alarms that may fail. Whole home generators are great for such situations because they keep your home’s critical systems working and save you from massive repair bills.
Flooded basements
Sump pumps become especially important during a storm. When they stop working, your basement could be filled with water, destroying stored things, flooring, and walls. This would be expensive damage, especially if you have a heater or air conditioner in the basement.
Frozen pipes
People who live in cold weather would understand that a power outage stops heat, which leads to frozen pipes. These frozen pipes often burst, and when they burst, your home can turn into a pool of water that will require even more money to fix.
3. Reduces Hotel and Emergency Living Expenses
Sometimes, power goes out for a long time, and you don’t know how many days the power will be out at your home. In these situations, families turn to hotels for comfort and safety, and there is nothing wrong with that, especially if they are living in extreme weather.
However, depending on hotels for a long time means you have to spend a lot of money to stay at hotels, and the more family members, the higher the cost. Even the most basic hotel room can cost $100–$200 per night, and if it’s peak season, then prices would be even higher.
4. Protects Electronics and Appliances from Power Surge Damage
When power returns after an outage, it can cause a sudden spike in electricity, which leads to an electrical surge and damages sensitive electronics and appliances like
- Televisions
- Computers and hard drives
- Smart devices and home assistants
- HVAC units
- Washing machines and dryers
These appliances are generally expensive, and repairing or replacing them would cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. That’s why a whole home generator with automatic transfer switches can work best and help smooth the transition of power without damaging any electronic appliances.
5. Adds Long-Term Home Value and Insurance Benefits
People generally don’t think about the resale value of their homes when installing a whole-home generator, but it greatly increases the resale value. In the future, if you sell your house with the generator, then buyers will see backup power as a plus point, especially if your house is in an area of common outages.
Conclusion
A whole-home generator is expensive on the first purchase, including its installation, the expenditure could be between $5,000 and $15,000. However, once you start using the generator, you will truly understand its importance. In the long run, it would save you from additional expenses, and you can safely and comfortably spend your time at your own home instead of moving to a hotel or a relative’s place. So, investing once and enjoying its benefits for a long time is better.
Tommy Hardy, an alumnus of the Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, has been a go-to figure in residential upkeep and innovation for over 18 years. His career commenced in a leading home appliance manufacturing company, where he mastered the intricacies of household systems. Joining our platform in 2020, Tommy quickly became a reader favorite for his practical and easy-to-follow guides. He took the helm of our DIY section in 2019, consistently delivering content that empowers homeowners. Beyond his professional pursuits, Tommy is a passionate gardener and enjoys woodworking, skills enhancing his hands-on approach to home care.
