2019 Spring Home & Garden

PAGE 24 2019 SPRING HOME & GARDEN LINCOLN DAILY NEWS MAY 2, 2019 running watts and the highest starting watts of those appliances. Each device or appliance has a running wattage (the amount of power needed to keep running) and a starting wattage (how much power needed to turn on). How to: Buy a Generator by Ryobi Tools USA A downside to portable generators is that some models have limits, according to Consumer Reports - “Some generators weren’t able to handle the power surges that occur; for example when the water pump cycles on.” Experts recommend portable generators with a power capacity of over 5,000 watts. “That will power your refrigerator, your heat in the winter, your water pump, your air conditioner in the summer, and your lights,” says DiLauro. Stationary units, on the other hand, should fall in a range of 6,000 to 8,000 watts. Smaller portable generators, those in the area of 3,500 watts, could run “a couple of appliances, maybe a refrigerator, a heater - if someone has it hooked up to a furnace, it could run that,” according to Terry Sytsma, a hardware store manager in Michigan. A smaller generator in that range could run a handful of important appliances and a few lights, but that limit is another thing to consider when searching for a generator. Some portable generators are large enough to handle that much wattage. A 6,500 watt machine, for example, could handle a water pump or a sump pump, says Sytsma. Stationary generators will always be able to handle that much power and then some. Portable generators for homes are almost always going cost several hundred dollars or more. Even smaller units used for activities like camping can be relatively cheap by comparison, but shouldn’t be used for emergencies. Stationary generators are always going to reach into the thousands of dollars for cost. Regardless of which type of generator you choose, noise is often a concern. Some stationary generators feature noise reduction technology in their design, and can perform weekly self-diagnostic checks to look for errors. CONTINUED u