Texas’ Power Outages Lead to South Carolina’s Preparation
Millions across Texas are suffering from the effects of extreme weather across the state. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures led to millions of power outages, a statewide electrical grid failure, and extreme utility costs from “variable rate” energy plans. Back in South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster has called for a task force to study our state’s electrical grid and how we would fare in a similar event.
It’s unfortunate that it takes a catastrophe to spark a serious conversation about re-thinking our state’s distribution of power. However, homeowners don’t need to wait for changes at the state-level to feel confident that emergency power will be there when they need it.
Imagine Life in Your Home Without Power
Stop for a minute and think about the energy you are consuming. Are the lights on? Heat or air-conditioning? Do you plan to cook refrigerated food in an oven or microwave? What about basic hygiene and self-care? How does energy factor in to washing, cleaning, and daily maintenance?
For many, we’ve become accustomed to life with continuous power–always there and always on. Events like the one in Texas remind us just how precious a utility it can be, and just how quickly it can go out at any moment.
Because the outages occurred during an abnormal cold spell, it’s more than the inconvenience of not having power. For many, a lack of electricity means a lack of heat and hot water. Life in a make-shift shelter presents more challenges, but for most, it is better than risking their health in a cold, dark house.
Residential Generators Provide Power to Your Entire Home
Forget the image of the loud portable generator on wheels, guzzling gasoline from a portable can. While these tools can be helpful, they are really for short-term outages and preserving a handful of essential appliances or power function.
In contrast, a residential standby generator is a permanent fixture alongside your home, providing instantaneous power the second the power goes out. With a standby generator, there is no refueling, no loud noise, and no extension cords. Your unit connects directly to your electrical panel, which distributes generated power across your whole home. You may hear a quiet hum outside, but other than that, you probably won’t notice anything different.
Residential generator systems draw from fuel sources underground like natural gas and liquid propane. When utility power is interrupted by downed lines or a problem at a local substation, your generator system automatically takes over. When utility power is restored, the system transfers back to utility power.
Thinking About a Residential Generator System?
Adding a generator system to your home is a smart way to prepare for extreme weather. Unexpected weather is just that–unexpected. Only those who prepare for the unexpected are truly prepared for power failure.
Additionally, in Myrtle Beach, generator systems make attractive home investments, given our proximity to the Atlantic hurricanes. If you are curious about investing in a standby generator, let us know. We are happy to answer your questions and give you information to consider.