Times it Pays to Have a Standby Generator

Arkansas is known for bad weather. You never quite know what to expect year to year. Will we have floods in Little Rock? Or will we face drought? High wind? Or perhaps a tornado?

Even without these extreme events, you can lose power for a variety of reasons. Even something as simple as a squirrel chewing through a power line can have you down for hours – or days, if you’re further from the city.

Here are just a few of the disasters we’ve seen in Arkansas that show how important it can be to have a standby generator!

Tornados

Tornados are a major concern throughout Arkansas, and they always result in power outages, serious damage, and even death.

One of the worst outbreaks was in March of 1997. Five F4 tornadoes hit Arkansas, and 15 people were killed.

Another serious tornado outback happened January 21, 1999. On this date, we had 56 tornadoes throughout the state – in just one day! The destruction was extreme, and those who had a standby generator were definitely glad they did.

Floods

Besides tornadoes, Arkansas is prone to flooding. Flash floods, where rain is heavy in a specific area for a period of time, are especially common.

Especially heavy flooding happened in Little Rock in late April 2017. North Little Rock set records for short-duration precipitation. In 15 minutes in the morning, 1.55 inches fell. In 45 minutes that same afternoon, 2.51 inches fell.

Anytime there’s a lot of flooding, you can have power outages even if you personally are not affected by the flooding. Having a standby generator is vital. It’s also important to have a local company that can keep your generator in top shape so that it’s ready for any emergency.

High Winds

High winds are another common occurrence in the Little Rock area, and having a standby generator is important for any time a line is blown down. If the damage is widespread, it could be hours or even days before you power is restored.

Strong winds and hail caused widespread power outages across North Little Rock earlier this year. Interestingly, a lot of Central Arkansas had a perfectly beautiful day. North Little Rock, however, saw a major storm that brought 60 mile an hour winds.

Over 5,000 residents lost power. The damage made it hard for crews to get power back on, and it didn’t return until the next day. Those who didn’t have a generator certainly wished they did!

Buy Local For Your Standby Generator

You might think you can buy a standby generator from about anywhere, but the truth is it pays to buy local. That’s not just because of the benefits to the local economy, although that is important.

In reality, you need excellent, professional preventative maintenance and repair service regularly throughout the life of your generator. You want someone in your community who can send qualified technicians right when you need them.

If you’re ready to get your generator set up and ready to go before our next disaster, contact us today. We’ll help you find the right unit for your home!