As National Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 1-7, 2022) is in full swing, Kohler Power challenges homeowners to start thinking now about the upcoming hurricane season – just a few weeks away – and to consider how their power needs are reshaping what is being prepared means to them. Colorado State University (CSU) estimates the 2022 hurricane season will bring above-average activity to the Atlantic coast region. The forecast includes at least nine hurricanes this year, four of them being major hurricanes.
“When most people think about preparing for hurricane season, they think of the primary essentials of food, water, and safety,” said Melanie Tydrich, Senior Channel Manager for Kohler Residential Power. “Of course, those are most important, and reliable power is increasingly imperative in today’s world to ensure those essentials are met. Recent weather events have shown us what can happen when there is an outage and power is slow to be restored. To be most resilient and ride out a severe storm or hurricane, you must prepare for the extreme, which might be no power for days or even weeks.”
Now is the ideal time to prepare for the Atlantic hurricane season, which starts on June 1, 2022, and ends on November 30, 2022. It’s essential to consider a backup power source during the season, especially if individuals have appliances, home offices, medical equipment, or other important technology to stay on when power fails.
Power outages are very common during hurricane season, especially now as storms are becoming more frequent and more intense. According to Rhodium Group, Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma in 2017 caused customers to go without power for 83 days (nearly three months). * Fortunately, there are a few different options that homeowners can use to keep their power on, depending on their living situations and power needs. The most common options include portable generators, energy storage systems, and automatic standby generators.
Portable Generators
For those looking to keep a few systems and appliances up and running during an outage, a portable generator is a good-value option. They are easy to use, as they just need oil and gasoline to get started. Homeowners will need to have plenty of fresh fuel on-hand and be at home to operate the unit. Place the portable generator in a properly vented area and never run them inside an enclosed garage or house. Also, it’s very important to run properly rated extension cords from the house to the generator. Do not plug portable generators into a home’s electrical system.
Energy Storage System
An energy storage system, like the KOHLER Power Reserve, is an excellent option for those who have solar panels installed on their homes. The Power Reserve stores solar energy that is captured throughout the day. Homeowners can use the energy whenever they want, even during a power outage. For non-solar powered homes, the KOHLER Power Reserve energy storage system offers a way to store energy from the grid and then act as backup power in case of a power outage.
Automatic Standby Generator
The best option for most homeowners is an automatic standby generator. A standby generator turns on automatically when power is lost and is permanently installed outside a home, like a central air conditioning unit. It runs on natural gas or propane and hooks up to the home’s existing fuel lines. An automatic transfer switch continuously monitors utility power and transfers the electrical load to the generator if power is lost, protecting the home even if the homeowner is away. A standby generator from KOHLER can power critical and sophisticated appliances and systems in a home, including lights, heating/cooling systems, refrigerators, sump pumps, home security systems, computers, and more.
