When living in an area such as New Orleans, Louisiana, prone to storms and other severe weather conditions, it’s pertinent to have a generator. In fact, a generator should be a part of everyone’s disaster plan. You’ll enjoy the ability to keep your lights on, do laundry, and cook food with a whole-home generator. But it’s important for residents to know about whether to buy a portable vs. whole-home generator.

What Is a Generator?

Generators are available in several models. They are powered by either propane or natural gas and provide peace of mind during a power blackout. We tend to forget how much we rely on electricity until it goes out. Everything from your sump pump to your refrigerator needs electricity to operate.

What Is a Portable Generator?

Some generators don’t provide enough power to keep your whole home up and running in the event of a blackout. These are known as portable generators. The engine inside of a portable generator is usually small and provides only short-term power. This means you’ll enjoy enough power to operate some of your most vital appliances, like a refrigerator and air conditioner, but the power will run out after a short period of time.

What Is a Whole-Home Generator?

Standby and whole-home generators have a kilowatt range from 15 kW to 48 kW. The additional power provided by this type of generator gives you the ability to run multiple appliances at once for an extended period of time. A whole-home generator usually has a liquid-cooled engine that allows for minimal maintenance and more sophisticated programming, which translates into better load management. Some whole-home generators also provide more fuel options, like diesel, in addition to propane and natural gas.

Regardless of the type of generator you choose for your home, generator maintenance is of the utmost importance. Regular maintenance will help the generator perform most effectively and efficiently when you need it most.

Bryans United Air Conditioning is dedicated to keeping your home as comfortable as possible, especially when the electricity goes out. Contact us today at 504-208-2071 to learn more about whole-home generators.

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