This article is sponsored by Kohler Generators. In the event of a power outage, Kohler Generators bring a sense of safety, security and convenience to a home. Learn more about Kohler Generators at KohlerSmartPower.com.
Ten years ago, when the power went out, Chevy Chase, Maryland resident Arthur Salzberg and his family used to switch on the portable generator, limiting themselves to bare essentials like the refrigerator and emergency lights while they weathered the storm.
“A portable generator is inexpensive on the front end,” says Arthur, “but I can tell you it won’t power much, it’s loud, and you’re going to be doing a lot of babysitting, refueling every six to eight hours." After 2003's Hurricane Isabel rendered his family powerless for five days, Arthur found himself refueling his portable generator 17 times.
Today, thanks to a more muscular 18-kilowatt permanent standby generator, the Salzberg household powers 70 percent of their home during an outage. Meaning not only does the fridge and freezer keep happily humming, but power is also deployed to the family phone, coffee maker, Internet, TV, laundry, microwave, garage door, air filter system and security system. They can even run seven tons of air-conditioning when the power grid fails.
The Salzberg’s permanent standby generator sits outside their home, much like a central air conditioner. It runs off of propane (can also operate on natural gas) and hooks up to existing gas lines. A transfer switch automatically monitors utility power and transfers the electrical load to the generator if power is lost. The Salzbergs don’t need to be home or go outside during a storm to start up the generator.
Just this summer, after a storm front with 75 mph winds ripped through the neighborhood and downed power lines, Arthur and his wife cozied up on the couch to watch a movie, barely aware of the calamity outside.
"Our Kohler generator automatically comes alive and within about 10 seconds, the house is up and running again. No worries…with the kids away at camp, my wife and I sit down to relax. We went back to watching our movie," he recounts.
But if the Salzberg's were blissfully removed from the storm, their neighbors weren't. And soon enough, friends started stopping over looking to cool off in the Salberg's A/C and recharge electronics like cell phones. The always affable Arthur's response? “No problem, come in. Good to see you! What’s new at your house?”
The Salzberg Kohler generator has now clocked over 260 hours of run time in a little over two years. For similar piece of mind, click here to locate your local Kohler Generators dealer -- it is a great resource to help you find a standby generator that suits your household's needs, respond to any questions that you might have, and provide you with a quote and further information customized to your situation. And to learn more about standby generators, visit KohlerSmartPower.com.
