Almost everyone experiences temporary power outages from time to time. In most cases, dealing with the situation entails little more than grabbing a phone and putting in a call to the power company. This simple gesture reassures us that the power company is aware of the outage and attempting to fix it.

It also gives us an estimated timeframe for when the power will come back on which, for the most part, ranges from about an hour to four hours or so.

It’s an inconvenience, but it’s easily manageable with a little patience and willingness to rough it for a short time.

That being said, not all power outages are so short-lived. If you’ve ever forged through an extended outage, you know just how upsetting it can be. Aside from that, such a scenario can even be costly and dangerous.

For those who live in an area where prolonged outages are common or who simply want to be prepared in case something like this happens, portable or standby generators could be the solution.

Of course, finding the right generator to cover your specific needs is crucial. Otherwise, you won’t be much better off than you would with no backup plan at all.

Understanding the Severity of Prolonged Power Outages

Those who have never been through an extended power outage generally believe that living without electricity is just a minor frustration. People on the other side of the fence might beg to differ, though.

Without electricity, you can’t cook or heat food. You have no hot water for bathing or cleaning and no way to charge electronic devices.

Since the refrigerator isn’t getting power, you could lose hundreds of dollars worth of food. Having no heating and air conditioning and being unable to clean can lead to serious illnesses.

On top of all that, power surges associated with outages can severely damage appliances and electronics, bringing about thousands of dollars in repair and replacement costs.

Looking at the Ongoing Increase in Power Outages

Not very long ago, extended power outages were fairly uncommon. That’s no longer the case. In fact, they’re becoming more common every year. According to a recent report, this is largely due to America’s aging power grid.

This report states that a significant portion of the grid was put into place during the 1950s and ’60s, and it was designed to last about 50 years. That means most of the grid should have been upgraded anywhere from 10 to 20 years ago.

Due to a continually growing population and localized electricity issues, though, the power companies are struggling to keep up with the more widespread demands.

They’re essentially having to ignore the bigger problem to deal with the smaller ones. This is only going to get worse moving forward, and it’s only part of the problem.

Another write-up points out that the number of power outages caused by severe weather has surged over the last several years. Climate change has brought about monumental changes in Earth’s weather patterns.

Severe storms almost doubled from 1980 to 1999, and they increased by nearly as much from 2000 to the present. Those storms are placing even more strain on the nation’s power grid while causing an ever-growing number of widespread and prolonged power outages.

Choosing a Backup Generator to Mitigate the Problem

With all this in mind, more people than ever before are looking for backup generators for their homes. Numerous types of generators are on the market, so deciding which one is best suited to your needs can be difficult, to say the least.

Considering a few key factors can help you determine which generator is best for your home and your unique…
 
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