Backup Power Solutions For Homeowners During Storm Season

MILWAUKEE, May 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In preparation for strong summer storms and hurricane season, Briggs & Stratton Corporation is encouraging homeowners to take preventative steps to manage power outages to keep their family and home safe and sound.

"It's estimated that 87 percent of major power outages are caused by severe storms¹," said Dan Roche, director of marketing for Briggs & Stratton's portable power and cleaning systems division. "When the power is out for an extended period, a family can incur additional expenses because they are forced to stay at a hotel, or worse – a home sump pump may stop working resulting in a flooded basement, and then there's the cost of mold removal."

What is backup power?
Portable generators and permanently-installed standby generator systems are the two most common types of backup power solutions. Both keep a home's lights and appliances working in the event of a power outage, but understanding their differences and capabilities makes selecting the best generator for a family's needs much easier.

Portable generators: The immediate backup power supply
Portable generators are a convenient and efficient backup power solution during an outage. These units require the homeowner move the generator outside, away from the home or building, before using it to power a few essential items and appliances². Popular home appliances that can be powered by a portable generator include refrigerators, TVs and basic lighting. Portable generators are commonly powered by gasoline, require minimal maintenance, and are compact and easy to maneuver.

"Our customer research shows more than 80 percent of new portable generator sales are intended for emergency power outages and 70 percent of those customers spend time researching which unit is the right fit for their needs before opening their pocketbook³," said Roche.

The new 8,000 Watt⁴ Elite Series^™ Portable Generator with StatStation^® Wireless featuring Bluetooth^® technology⁵ gives homeowners the power to monitor generator performance without having to brave the outside elements. Consumers may now purchase the Briggs & Stratton 8,000 Watt Elite Series Portable Generator with StatStation Wireless on Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com and PowerEquipmentDirect.com for a MSRP of $1,199⁶.

"Investing in a home backup power generator system like a portable or home standby generator system ensures families and homes can weather storms that cause power outages," said Phil Cappitelli, Briggs & Stratton's vice president of marketing and product development.

Standby generator systems: The long-term backup power supply
Home standby generator systems are an ideal solution for families who want a backup power source that offers automatic, uninterrupted power. Unlike most portable generators, home standby generators must be professionally installed, so homeowners should allow time for the installation process and associated costs. These home generators are connected to the existing propane or natural gas line of a house. When utility power to a house is interrupted, the home generator automatically turns on within seconds.

Briggs & Stratton's best-in-industry warranty⁷, premium-grade Fortress^TM standby generators range in size from 10kW up to 60kW⁸, so homeowners won't have trouble finding the right-sized generator to power their home's power needs. The Fortress line can come equipped with Symphony^® II Power Management, which gives homeowners the ability to select high-wattage appliances, like air conditioning units, stoves and clothes dryers, and the system pro-actively monitors and manages the distribution of power to the electrical loads. Briggs & Stratton Fortress generators can also be monitored with remote monitoring systems.

Homeowners interested in Briggs & Stratton generators and assistance determining which backup power source is the right for their home can visit www.briggsandstratton.com. Visit Ready.gov for life-saving severe weather preparedness tips.

About Briggs & Stratton Corporation:
Briggs & Stratton Corporation, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is focused on providing power to get work done and make people's lives better. Briggs & Stratton is the world's largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment, and is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of power generation, pressure washers, lawn and garden, turf care and job site products through its Briggs & Stratton^®, Simplicity^®, Snapper^®, Ferris^®, Vanguard™, Allmand^®, Billy Goat^®, Murray^®, Branco^® and Victa^® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries on six continents. For additional information, please visit www.basco.com and www.briggsandstratton.com.

¹ U.S. Department of Energy. Economic Benefits of Increasing Electric Grid Resilience to Weather Outages. By the President's Council of Economic Advisors and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. Aug. 2013. Climate Central. Blackout: extreme weather, climate change and power outages, 2014
2 Briggs & Stratton 2016 Portable Generators PowerPulse^TM
3 If connecting a portable generator into your home electrical system, have a licensed electrician install an Emergency Manual Power Transfer System.
4 This generator is rated in accordance with CSA C22.2 No.100-14 and ANSI/PGMA G300:2015.
5 The Bluetooth^® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by Briggs & Stratton Corporation is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
⁶ While portable generators can provide users with flexibility and comfort, they need to be used appropriately in order to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. As a member of the Portable Generator Manufacturers' Association, Briggs & Stratton invites homeowners to visit www.TakeYourGeneratorOutside.com to learn more about portable generator safety.
⁷ Warranty details available at briggsandstratton.com.
⁸ This generator is rated in accordance with UL (Underwriters Laboratories) 2200 (stationary engine generator assemblies) and CSA (Canadian Standards Association) standard C22.2 No. 100-04 (motors and generators).

SOURCE Briggs & Stratton Corporation

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