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To further minimize the effect that the frequent test runs have on the peace and quiet around the home, most standby generators enable the homeowner to set the time of the day that the generator will perform this function. “Homeowners can set it for the middle of the day, when they are at work,” suggests Betker.
More for Less
“One of the biggest improvements in generators over the past four years has been larger kilowatt developments,” says Dan Giampetroni, marketing manager for Kohler. “Today’s generators have more horsepower, so they can handle homes with large AC systems.” Kohler’s line of LP and natural gas-fueled standby generators range from smaller 8.5kW systems to a whopping 125kW system. But, as Giampetroni points out, “as the power has gone up, the prices have gone down.” Four years ago a 12kW standby generator would have cost close to $4,400, not including the necessary transfer switch--which could have added another $1,000 or more—or installation costs. “Today an 18kW Kohler standby system has an MSRP of $4,769, which includes the transfer switch,” Giampetroni adds.
The increased affordability of the permanent generator systems could see more homeowners considering this option over the less-convenient, less-powerful portable generators. The growing trend across the country of homeowners investing in their home and aging in place might also result in greater consideration toward the backup power needs of the home. “Many in the older generation don’t want to be in a nursing home, so they are looking at their house as the last one they are going to buy and the one they will live in longer,” says Giampetroni. “This is where a generator comes into play. The elderly are less resilient to a loss in power [in the home].” A permanent standby generator that starts automatically during a power outage powers the home’s vital components and can be purchased for an affordable price can seem like a sensible investment for any home, but particularly for those—like the elderly—who might find an interruption in power to be as much a safety and health concern as an inconvenience.
Smart Features
In addition to all the improvements in power output, sound attenuation and affordability, the modern generator is also getting a technological makeover. In today’s “smart home,” advanced controls and wiring connect the home’s subsystems (lighting, heating and cooling, security, etc.) to one another and to the Internet. The smart home can now add the generator to the list of Internet-ready devices. Some of Kohler’s newer models of standby generators have Ethernet ports to bring the generator online. According to Giampetroni, a connected generator, used in conjunction with Kohler’s OnCue™ Home Generator Management System software (to be released in June or July this year), can send an email or text message to the homeowner or installer when the generator comes on.
“If there is a stoppage or a fault of some sort, the generator will tell you,” says Giampetroni. Homeowners away on vacation can access their generator online to run a diagnostics and check that the generator is prepared for an impending storm or outage. “These generators are robust and proactive, and can talk to you or the dealer who installed it,” adds Giampetroni. This kind of remote access feature adds additional assurance to homeowners that their generator will be ready to operate when needed.
Generac has also added a technological boost to their generator package. Rather than forcing the homeowner outside to check on the status of the permanent generator, Generac’s wireless remote monitor feeds real-time information from the generator to a small, battery-operated control device that can hang on the wall or be placed in some convenient location inside the home. From the device, homeowners can run a test on the generator or check to see if the unit needs maintenance. “People want to know that their generator will work,” says Thomas. “With the wireless remote monitor, people can get this info. inside the home.”
Added features, added power, reduced cost—the next generation of home generators brings a lot to the table. The initial investment will quickly seem like money well spent during the next blackout or power outage when generator-powered life in the home can continue uninterrupted.
Read more about generators here.
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Text by Benjamin Hardy
© 2009 BobVila.com
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