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Choosing the Right Generator for Your Home

July 28, 2021

No matter the circumstances nor time of day, power outages are always a huge inconvenience. After all, every device and appliance in your home runs on some level of power. So, you should consider having a whole-house generator installation in your home. And the best generators are provided and installed by the home appliance professionals at RA Dobson.

We have dedicated ourselves for over 45 years to providing home appliances to residents throughout Ashburn, VA. Additionally, we offer expert services in maintenance, repair, and installation across a wide range of specialties—plumbing, heating, indoor air quality, and more. If you require a repair or installation in your home, speak with a professional from RA Dobson and get a free estimate for the specific service you need.

Here, we outline some crucial details to help you identify the right generator for your home:

Types of Home Generators

Before we discuss how to choose the best generator for your home, let’s review the different types of available generators. As you might be able to guess, different generators produce different wattage capacities.

The higher a generator’s capacity, the more appliances that it can power. You have an array of options to choose from according to your budget and preference.

Specifically, we’ll be talking about inverter generators, which are suited for home emergency power. The general types of inverter generators include:

  • Recreational Inverter Generator – Small, portable generators that produce up to 2,000 watts of power, usually used as a portable power source for camping or small-scale construction. However, they can also power a few appliances in your home during a power outage.
  • Mid-Sized Inverter Generator – Larger portable generators that, as their size suggests, produce more power—usually up to 3,500 watts. Thus, they can also act as a short-term power supply for several appliances in your home (at least a few more compared to the previous generator type).
  • Large Inverter Generator – The largest type of portable generator, producing up to 7,500 watts. One of these will power a good deal of your home’s power supply, though not its full capacity.
  • Home Standby Generator – Essentially, a second generator for your entire home. These produce around 20,000 watts, enough to power the essential appliances and more. These are also installed directly into your home’s power system, meaning that in the event of an outage, your system will immediately switch to this generator, making your lack of power almost seamless.

Along with increasing capacities, these generators are also in order of lowest to highest cost. Below, we’ll discuss how you can choose the right generator for your home based on the situations regarding your climate.

Situations That Require A Generator Installation

While price and preference have their weight in your decision of which emergency generator installation to buy for your home, the climate around your home–and the situations that result–is also another important factor to consider.

  • Power Outages Are Frequent – These usually occur in homes located in climates that involve frequent severe weather events like blizzards, storms, and hurricanes. In this case, you should invest in a home standby or large inverter generator, as the high frequency of outages requires a more consistent source of backup power.
  • Outages Are Occasional – In a climate where outages occur every so often but are not prolonged, it’s best to go with a mid-size or large inverter to maintain some if not most of your home’s power when it is needed.
  • Outages Are Rare – Though the likelihood of an outage is small, preparing to maintain your home’s power in the potential event of one is still important, so having a recreational or mid-size inverter generator around your home is a practical choice to make.

RA Dobson: High-Quality Generator Installation in Ashburn, VA

The above information should help you narrow down the generator you want to install for your home. In the end, what counts the most is the service you choose for assistance in making the necessary setup and premium generator installation work. Hiring RA Dobson will not only get you high-quality generators but also other excellent home appliances, as well as great services in plumbing, heating, HVAC, and more. Our team has over 45 years of experience in the industry, which means our technicians are qualified and seasoned in providing the best heating, HVAC, and plumbing services possible. Contact us at  (703) 481-3700 to learn more and get a free estimate for one of our services.

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