Increasing severe weather patterns and an increasingly frail infrastructure mean that power blackouts and brownouts are most likely going to become even more common within the next few years.

While a short-term power failure is merely an inconvenience, a longer-term power failure can be severely hazardous or even fatal. This is especially true for power failures that happen during extremely cold or hot weather.

We highly recommend having a backup generator of some kind for your home, but it’s also important for your business to be prepared.

Why is a backup generator important for my business?

When we think about power failures, we tend to think about the home– keeping the refrigerator closed to avoid spoiled food for as long as possible, charging devices in the car, etc.

However, it’s just as important to ensure that your business has uninterrupted access to power.

While the home is incredibly important because that’s where your family lives, your business is your livelihood– and a loss of power at your business might result in thousands of dollars of spoiled merchandise or expensive damages caused by burst pipes.

What kind of generator is best for my business?

Typically, the best way to choose the right generator for your needs is to consider what’s essential for you to power during a power failure and calculate the wattage that you’ll need. 

This number will vary based on what type of business you own– a frozen foods warehouse will require a lot more wattage than a small antique shop, for instance.

Calculating wattage also requires that you account for the surge that various appliances, like refrigerators, require when they turn on (versus when they’re merely maintaining a temperature). 

Failing to account for this increase in wattage could result in an overloaded generator that could even fail.

What types of generators are there to choose from?

There are a few main categories of generators that could work for your business.

An emergency generator is as it sounds– able to power the absolute essentials to keep your business safe in the event of disaster. Typically, these power things like lights and fire alarms.

A standby generator is a heavy-duty generator capable of powering your entire business. These run automatically, and will kick on when an interruption in power has been detected. 

They run off of natural gas or propane, and can power a building for much longer than an emergency generator– if they’re hooked up to an accessible fuel supply.

Finally, a primary generator is a generator that’s used all the time as the main source of power for your company. These might be used for companies who aren’t located within a power grid or who experience very frequent interruptions in power.

How can I make sure I’m choosing the perfect generator for my needs?

The experts here at Northside Power are here to talk you through the details of exactly what your business needs to survive in the event of a power failure– including required wattage, site conditions, specific needs, and more.

To talk generators with us, just give us a call or reach out for a free quote today.