Hurricane Prep More Critical in the Age of COVID-19, Reports Power Equipment Direct

Generator Industry Chimes in on Preparing for the 2020 Hurricane Season

News provided by

Jun 24, 2020, 10:37 ET

BOLINGBROOK, Ill., June 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With June's official start to the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season coinciding with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, generator manufacturers are anticipating a busy summer of helping customers prepare for storms.

"The number one issue people face in the aftermath of a storm is losing power," says Larry Teeling, Director – Marketing, North America for Kohler.

The impacts of power loss are heightened in today's unprecedented environment. "Preparation is even more important during this time of pandemic," says Amie Alvarado, Vice President of Marketing for Generac. "As more people work from home, backup power becomes critical not just for convenience, but for livelihood."

To protect one's home and livelihood, industry experts emphasize the importance of having a source of backup power ready before the storm.

"Hurricanes are extremely unpredictable relative to the area of impact and the intensity of storm damage," says Todd Welzbacher, Vice-President Sales & Business Development – Champion Power Equipment. "Having the security of an emergency back-up generator allows the homeowner to be prepared for power outages and offers the comfort of knowing that you can continue to operate your essential household appliances after a storm."

Homeowners can choose between portable and standby generators. "A larger portable with a manual transfer switch has a lower price point for initial purchase and installation, however, it requires the homeowner to be home to manually transfer power to the portable and then back to the utility power once the outage is over," explains Teeling. Portable generators are also limited in what they can power.

In contrast, standby generators are permanently installed units that switch on automatically when they detect a power outage. "They can provide all the power needed to back up an entire home, including 'hardwired' equipment such as furnaces and air conditioners," says Alvarado.

Although many homeowners like to wait and see if they will be impacted by a hurricane before investing in a generator, it may be too late at that point.

"Choosing the correct generator solution for each household's needs and budget can take as long as several weeks from start to finish," says Alvarado. "With the summer storm and hurricane season upon us, waiting even a few days at this time of year may be the difference between protection and being left in the dark."

The advice of industry experts: Don't procrastinate. "We often see a last-minute run on generators before a hurricane strikes," says Tony Composono, category manager for generators at Electric Generators Direct. "It's best to order your equipment well before hurricane season to make sure it's there for an emergency.

"The need to 'shelter at home' will take on a dual meaning in the 2020 hurricane season," says Welzbacher. "It may be more important than ever to be prepared for power outages caused by hurricanes and essential that you have back-up power for your home as the only means to 'shelter at home' comfortably."

SOURCE Power Equipment Direct