Connecticut

Storm Safety: How to Use a Generator

Mariah Chadukiewicz knows what it means to go without electricity.

"Our house got hit by lightning and we were out of it for several months,” said Mariah Chadukiewicz.

So, when she moved back into her Cromwell home, she said the family bought a back up generator.

Edward Ingalls, president of Connecticut Home Generator Systems, says a generator can be a lifesaver during prolonged outages, but they can be dangerous if not used correctly.

When Hurricane Florence made its way along the coast, the company fielded a lot of calls from Connecticut residents and those living in the South. Ingalls says it’s important to plan ahead.

"It's almost an insurance policy. You have to buy your insurance policy before the event happens. Very difficult to install a standby generator in a storm-ravaged area. Very difficult,” said Ingalls.

There are two types of home generators you can buy. An automatic standby generator is permanent and runs on natural gas. It needs to be installed by a professional. Ingalls says one of these costs between $5,000 and $6,000 for the system.

The other option is a portable generator which runs on gasoline and range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

"People going to a local store, hardware store or a convenience store, buying a generator, taking it home and plugging it in, that's where we tend to see the most risk,” said Richard Branigan the Chief Program Officer of American Red Cross Connecticut.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 66 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning related to improper generator use.

"It's scary to think that people go through and install generators, portable generators in their own garages,” said Branigan.

The number one rule: never run a generator indoors. Fans, open windows and doors won’t provide enough ventilation to keep you safe. And make sure the generator is at least 20-feet-away from your home.

"What tends to happen is during the winter, people will move it closer to the house because it's more convenient, they don't have to shovel a path to it. Let's think about that, folks,” said Branigan.

Experts suggest following the manufacturer’s recommendations and running the generator on a level surface. And always remember to direct the exhaust away from doors and windows. If you have an automatic backup generator, you should have it serviced annually.

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