Should You Buy A Backup Power Generator For Your Business?

With today's outlook for unexpected happenings taking place through natural disasters, man-made intervention or just plain bad luck, it behooves business owners and managers to ask themselves, "Should we buy a backup power generator for our business?" The answer may seem obvious, but our article below covers other questions that you may ask about having a backup generator for business.

Do You Need A Standby Power Generator?

Since staying open for business is a cardinal rule of having a business in the first place, it has become crucial today to have a standby power generator doing just that, standing by.

Does your restaurant need refrigeration? Of course, it does. Does your office setting run without office equipment? Not very well. In other words, virtually everything on this planet needs electricity. And if you use electricity, then you'll be subject to having power outages of one kind or another. Prices in generators generally range from $800 upwards for starters; how much will you lose from staying close for just one day?

Before Doing A Backup Generator Installation

- Knowing what you want to be backed up and what size backup power generator you should have to support your business needs goes first. For instance, do you want the air conditioning on and certain office equipment only? Then, you'll need to have an electrician, utility company representative or other backup generator technician calculate how much wattage will be needed to keep the power going--depending on the building's specifications and requirements.

- Will you be going with a propane gas system or a fuel-generated system, and where will you store the needed fuel or propane gas system if using canisters? Both systems have their benefits and disadvantages so, once again, you'll do better by consulting with an electrician or power company representative first before beginning a full backup generator installation.

Preparing For Your Business Emergency

Unbelievably, nearly 87 percent of responding business owners admitted to not having any emergency preparedness strategy at all. Setting up an emergency preparation plan to power all critical assets requires first testing a standby power generator as being in good working condition.

Having enough fuel to operate a backup power generator for at least 72 hours; possibly having another backup standby generator in case the first one doesn't work, and delegating who will start and monitor the generator; are all marks of good management acumen.

Which Is The Best Backup Generator For Business?

Having determined the size and fuel system you'll be using, you'll have to decide whether a portable-sized or a permanent full-sized backup generator for business is best for you. You'll also have to decide how much interaction you want to have, if any, and your budget.

Generally, if using gas generators, keep portable generators at least 10 feet away from the building to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. A full-sized permanent backup generator installation is generally safer as it's powered by cleaner-burning natural gas or propane. For larger industrial applications, you may find that diesel-fueled generators suit your needs better.

As for choosing the best brands, this can be problematic as there are admittedly so many good ones out there in the market -- as well as badly made, cheaper models.

In portable generators, you have several good choices such as Honda, Yamaha, Briggs & Stratton, and Honeywell to name a few.

In permanent models, you have Generac, General Electric, Kohler and newer Kubota generators are among the most reliable. Also, new solar-powered models are coming off their own in the portable standby generator market and are worth researching as well.

Please remember to keep this in mind: not every need can be met with one kind of standby generator. The best you can do is plan for the essentials needed for running your business for several days during an emergency. In any eventuality, a backup generator, or two, should always be part of any emergency preparedness plan--so plan wisely.