Anonymous
Post 01/23/2016 16:47     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:Entitled much, OP? Not everyone lives in a large SFH with a huge yard. Some of us have HOAs that do not permit these things (they are very unsafe). Some people cannot afford $500-$1500 to spend on something they will use once every few years. ETCETERA...


They are safe if used properly. Its best to have a transfer switch put in so it runs through the panel. You can also get a tri-fuel generator that runs off your gas line (which is what we will do) so no need to store gas or propane to run them). Just plug into the outlet outside and attach the gas line. Done. If you have a few power outages losing food, it does pay for itself.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2016 16:46     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We just bought a SFH and don't have enough money left over to invest in a generator right now. When we do, we want to save up enough to get an whole house gas generator. Notice they pay off in Pepco territory when you go to sell your house! Also, Pepco finally started to trim trees.

I'm more worried about the summer than the winter; can always put on more clothes, cook the food on the gas stove or store it outside in the winter. In the summer though...

I don't get your concern. In the summer you can drive to wherever there is what you are missing - air conditioning, food, etc. The problem with power out during snow storm is by the time it happens you are probably stuck where you are. We lost poser in the derecho for a few days but it was never dangerous, just annoying.


Summer is far easier. We lost it for 5-6 days. It sucked but we survived.


Where are you?


Kensington
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2016 16:41     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Entitled much, OP? Not everyone lives in a large SFH with a huge yard. Some of us have HOAs that do not permit these things (they are very unsafe). Some people cannot afford $500-$1500 to spend on something they will use once every few years. ETCETERA...
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 19:35     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We just bought a SFH and don't have enough money left over to invest in a generator right now. When we do, we want to save up enough to get an whole house gas generator. Notice they pay off in Pepco territory when you go to sell your house! Also, Pepco finally started to trim trees.

I'm more worried about the summer than the winter; can always put on more clothes, cook the food on the gas stove or store it outside in the winter. In the summer though...

I don't get your concern. In the summer you can drive to wherever there is what you are missing - air conditioning, food, etc. The problem with power out during snow storm is by the time it happens you are probably stuck where you are. We lost poser in the derecho for a few days but it was never dangerous, just annoying.


Summer is far easier. We lost it for 5-6 days. It sucked but we survived.


Where are you?
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 19:34     Subject: Re:Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because our row house is NOT in the suburbs. It is a short walk from an urban metro station. We RARELY lose power.

+1! Also, gasoline is dangerous and emits VOCs, so it's not the best choice in an interior row house, which can get ambient heat from neighbors anyway.


I could be wrong, but I suspect that the timing of you having a power outage is closely correlated with the timing of your neighbors having a power outage.


OMG this made me laugh!


It made me laugh, too! Again (for all the Capitol Hill critics out there), we don't need generators because we hardly ever lose power. Also, most CH row houses use natural gas or radiator heat, so a power outage would have little effect.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 19:31     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
We've never lost power. Dumb expense.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 17:07     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We just bought a SFH and don't have enough money left over to invest in a generator right now. When we do, we want to save up enough to get an whole house gas generator. Notice they pay off in Pepco territory when you go to sell your house! Also, Pepco finally started to trim trees.

I'm more worried about the summer than the winter; can always put on more clothes, cook the food on the gas stove or store it outside in the winter. In the summer though...

I don't get your concern. In the summer you can drive to wherever there is what you are missing - air conditioning, food, etc. The problem with power out during snow storm is by the time it happens you are probably stuck where you are. We lost poser in the derecho for a few days but it was never dangerous, just annoying.


Summer is far easier. We lost it for 5-6 days. It sucked but we survived.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 16:40     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:We just bought a SFH and don't have enough money left over to invest in a generator right now. When we do, we want to save up enough to get an whole house gas generator. Notice they pay off in Pepco territory when you go to sell your house! Also, Pepco finally started to trim trees.

I'm more worried about the summer than the winter; can always put on more clothes, cook the food on the gas stove or store it outside in the winter. In the summer though...

I don't get your concern. In the summer you can drive to wherever there is what you are missing - air conditioning, food, etc. The problem with power out during snow storm is by the time it happens you are probably stuck where you are. We lost poser in the derecho for a few days but it was never dangerous, just annoying.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 16:39     Subject: Re:Why do you NOT have a generator?
We don't have one because we live in DC and have never lost power during a storm before (12 years).
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 16:36     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:1) Portable generators can't be run outside in the rain or in severe weather. Yet they produce so much carbon monoxide that if you even run it in a garage with the exterior doors open you could DIE. I don't think they're worth the risk.

2) Installed ones are expensive and my power doesn't go out enough for me to think it's worth it.


We have family members who passed away using a generator in the garage with windows open. VERY RISKY.


It says very clearly all over it to not run them in the garage. It's only RISKY if you're STUPID.


That's your response to a post about family members dying this way? You are a horrible human being.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 16:31     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering this, reading all of your responses in the snowstorm prepping topic. You can get a portable, gasoline generator for about $500 at Costco that, at the very least, can power the refrigerator, some lights, electronics, and a space heater or two.

If you spend around $1500 (for everything) you can have a large portable generator and an electrician install an outlet and switch to plug it directly into your breaker panel. This becomes (almost) a whole-house generator.

For $5,000, you can have a natural gas or diesel one that activates and switches over automatically.


What I don't understand is, why do people live in areas where you can lose power for days?

Makes NO sense in the USA in 2016


WTF??? We live off the GW parkway, and lose power because of the mature trees that surround our neighborhood may lose branches that bring down power lines. Happened during the '09-'10 winter, the Derecho, Hurricane Sandy - we lost power for days.


Sounds like a great place to live.


Yep. Good choice, PP
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 15:12     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Well, not that poster, but welcome to DC. Not exactly a great place to live overall.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 15:12     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
We just bought a SFH and don't have enough money left over to invest in a generator right now. When we do, we want to save up enough to get an whole house gas generator. Notice they pay off in Pepco territory when you go to sell your house! Also, Pepco finally started to trim trees.

I'm more worried about the summer than the winter; can always put on more clothes, cook the food on the gas stove or store it outside in the winter. In the summer though...

Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 15:12     Subject: Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering this, reading all of your responses in the snowstorm prepping topic. You can get a portable, gasoline generator for about $500 at Costco that, at the very least, can power the refrigerator, some lights, electronics, and a space heater or two.

If you spend around $1500 (for everything) you can have a large portable generator and an electrician install an outlet and switch to plug it directly into your breaker panel. This becomes (almost) a whole-house generator.

For $5,000, you can have a natural gas or diesel one that activates and switches over automatically.


What I don't understand is, why do people live in areas where you can lose power for days?

Makes NO sense in the USA in 2016


WTF??? We live off the GW parkway, and lose power because of the mature trees that surround our neighborhood may lose branches that bring down power lines. Happened during the '09-'10 winter, the Derecho, Hurricane Sandy - we lost power for days.


Sounds like a great place to live.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2016 14:58     Subject: Re:Why do you NOT have a generator?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because our row house is NOT in the suburbs. It is a short walk from an urban metro station. We RARELY lose power.

+1! Also, gasoline is dangerous and emits VOCs, so it's not the best choice in an interior row house, which can get ambient heat from neighbors anyway.


I could be wrong, but I suspect that the timing of you having a power outage is closely correlated with the timing of your neighbors having a power outage.


Not PP, but interior row houses won't get very cold in a power outage in any case, as only two walls are exposed to the elements.