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If you live in an area that is prone to blackouts, a reliable backup generator can be a benefit to your household.  The right generator can provide your family with power during outages and allow them to continue enjoying their favorite modern-day conveniences.  If not properly handled; however, backup generators can prove very dangerous.  You can help keep your family safe by applying the following generator safety tips.

1. Keep the generator a Safe Distance From Your Home

When running a generator, carbon monoxide poisoning is a very real risk.  For this reason, it’s imperative that you avoid running your generator in your garage, under your porch, in any enclosed or partially enclosed area, and around any doors, windows or openings in your home.  NEVER run a generator inside your house.  For maximum safety, the generator should be installed at manufacturer and NFPA specified distances and never be operated inside enclosed spaces.

2. Make Sure Your Generator Can Be Serviced Locally
   

If your generator breaks down or when it’s in need of a routine tune-up, it’s only natural to want the problem fixed as soon as possible.  This is why it’s recommended that you invest in a local generator company.  Anyone on the hunt for affordable Generac generator service, maintenance, or installation in Spring, TX and surrounding areas should get in touch with our experts at Grasten Generators.

3. Know the Warning Signs of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

One of the things that make carbon monoxide so dangerous is the fact that it can’t be seen, tasted or smelt.  As a result, it’s important to know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning especially, if you own a backup generator.  Some symptoms include — but are not limited to — nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and headaches.  If you or your family members experience any of these symptoms, shut off the generator and seek medical attention immediately.  As an added precaution you should install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home, which is a good idea even if you do not own a generator.

Backup generators do a lot of good for countless homes and businesses. Still, these devices can be very dangerous if the necessary precautions that come with proper installation and routine maintenance are not taken. For an installation you can trust or maintenance you can depend on, rely on the professionals at Grasten Generators!

To schedule an appointment, give Grasten Generators a call today at (281) 259-6500!

Grasten Power Technologies has earned the home service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of customer service to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2016.

This achievement is particularly significant as Angie’s List experienced unprecedented member growth in 2016. More than 1.6 million consumers, many of whom were eager to quickly hire highly qualified service pros, joined Angie’s List after the company added a new, free membership tier.

“Companies that can meet higher demands without missing a beat in their exemplary performance standards truly do stand apart from their peers,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “Only a fraction of the standby generator sales & service companies in the Houston Area were able to do it.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2016 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade. The SSA winners must also be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List as new, verified consumer reviews are submitted. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

For more than 21 years, Angie’s List restricted access to its verified reviews to consumers who paid membership fees. When the company removed that barrier, some companies worried that the new, non-paying members would not be as engaged as members of the past. Experience has shown, however, that these newly added members are just as engaged – across all age groups – as prior members. Also, because the company continues to adhere to its review verification process, there has been no degradation of review quality.

“The biggest change at Angie’s List is that we are connecting even more consumers to high quality service professionals,” Hicks said. “And that’s good for everyone.”

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Angie’s List helps facilitate happy transactions between more than 4.5 million consumers nationwide and its collection of highly rated service providers in more than 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. Built on a foundation of more than 10 million verified reviews of local service, Angie’s List connects consumers directly to its online marketplace of services from member-reviewed providers, and offers unique tools and support designed to improve the local service experience for both consumers and service professionals.

A power outage at your home or business is inconvenient and can be dangerous. If it lasts a long time, food can spoil, pipes may crack, sump pumps will not work and security systems will fail. A backup generator will allow your home or business to continue working as usual. A company that sells portable and standby generators in Houston can help you choose the right type of generator for your needs.

Portable and Standby

Portable generators are used for homes, businesses, RVs, and recreational applications. They have to be started when the power goes out and are connected to an extension cord or a manual transfer switch subpanel off your main circuit panel. Portable generators for industrial use run on gasoline or diesel. Some can be transported to a construction or industrial site.

Sizes

Backup generators come in many sizes, from small ones for RVs to large ones for commercial use. To get the right size, you need to know the maximum wattage you will need and buy the generator that can supply it. As an example, the average house will need a 5 kilowatt generator that will use a gallon of gas every 2 hours if it is running at 50 percent capacity. A generator should not be operated at more than 75 percent capacity so you need to buy one that is a little more powerful than you need.

After learning more about the different varieties of backup generators, you need to find a trustworthy company that can help you find the generator that’s just right. Whether you’re looking for portable or standby generators in Houston, GrastenGenerators.com is here to help.

A backup generator will provide power to your home or business when the power fails due to storms, equipment failure or traffic accidents. If you are considering buying a generator for your home or business, contact a trustworthy company that provides generator service in Houston TX to explore options and prices. Here are some facts about backup generators.

Types

The two basic types of backup generators are portable and standby. The portable ones need to be started and plugged into an extension cord or a sub-panel. Portable generators are suitable for recreational, residential, and industrial purposes. On the other hand, standby generators will start automatically after a power outage and are powerful enough to power your heating and air conditioning systems and appliances. These are suitable for homes, businesses and agricultural uses.

Fuel Sources

Generators run on propane, natural gas, gasoline, and diesel. The most popular choice is propane because it is cheaper than gasoline, easy to acquire and no electricity is needed to refill the generator’s tank. Natural gas is the most environmentally friendly choice because it burns cleaner than other fossil fuels. Since natural gas is connected to a supply line, you don’t have to worry about shelf life like you do with gasoline and diesel.

Maintenance and Safety

Fortunately, maintenance is not difficult for generators. They need to be tested regularly by starting them or using the exercise feature of permanent generators. Fuel needs to be available at all times and it’s important to note that gasoline and diesel have a shelf life. For safety, never fill a generator when it is operating and do not place a running portable generator in the house or garage.

Benefits of Having a Backup Generator

• Generators supply power for the internet and television to monitor weather alerts
• Home and business security systems will remain operational
• Sump pumps will continue operating
• Pipes can be prevented from freezing
• Heating and air conditioning will continue a backup generator

In our last blog, we talked about ways you should prepare your backup generator for the fall and winter weather. Read on to learn more!

Stock Up

It is always a good idea to keep a stock of backup oil and other maintenance supplies. This ensures that your backup power source can always stay running!

Run Your Generator

The best way to test if your generator needs maintenance is to just let it run and do it’s thing. Listen to see if you hear any weird noises or any other issues. If you do hear or see anything weird, it’s best to call a professional for a checkup.

Overall, the best thing you can do for your backup generator is to run regular maintenance checks. Generators are great for any home and for any lifestyle because it never hurts to have a backup source of energy.

If you need generator repairs in The Woodlands, TX, or surrounding Southeast Texas area, trust in the experts at Grasten Generator. Our professionals provide a high quality and efficient 24-hour emergency service to our customers!

To schedule visits for generator repairs in Houston, TX, and nearby regions, give our friendly staff a call today at 866.322.0715.

With the fall and winter weather approaching, it is important that you properly prepare and maintain your backup generator for the colder climate. A generator is a great thing to have because it serves as an extra source of energy for your home. Having this backup ensures that you will not have to worry about losing power.

Fall is the best time to start running maintenance checks on your backup generator to make sure it is running at its best. Below freezing weather and snow can make it harder to start and run the generator so preparing your generator now is a great idea. Thankfully, in Texas, there is not much snowfall but it is still important to maintain your generator as the weather gets cooler!

Clean

Keeping the area around your generator clear and clean is always important. You should remove all the leaves and dead grass from around the generator, clear out any debris in the vents, etc. Proper air flow is essential for the generator because it prevents it from overheating.

Replace Oil, Filters, and Plugs

Since the weather is still bearable to be outside in, now is a great time to replace any fuel, oil, filters, and plugs that need maintenance. This is especially important if you keep your generator running in the summer as well. You will not want to have to go out in the freezing air and wind to change plugs, oil, etc.!

For more tips on generator maintenance during the fall and winter months, please refer to our blog often!

If you are interested in purchasing standby generators in Houston, TX, and surrounding areas, please trust in the experts at Grasten Generators! Give us a call today at 866.322.0715 to learn more.

In our last blog, we shared some tips on selecting the best generator and where to place it! For more tips, read on.

Proper Powering

A major safety issue when you are powering your generator is not properly connecting it to a power source. You should not connect your generator to a wall outlet. This can electrify your house’s branch circuit and poses a fire and shock hazard. Instead, you will want to invest in heavy-duty exterior extension cords to plug your appliances into the generator. Another option is to use a power-transfer switch, a specialized circuit-breaker panel that wires into your house’s regular circuit panel. This isolates circuits and blocks generated current from flowing into the grid.

Test Run

The best way to ensure you have properly installed your generator is to test it out. Start running all the appliances you want the generator to power and use them how you usually would. If you are using generator extension cords, test the machine with all the cords set up to ensure everything will work as it’s supposed to. Do test runs regularly to ensure it works properly and add a gasoline stabilizer to the fuel.

For more tips on standby generators in Houston, TX, and nearby areas, trust the expert staff at Grasten Power Technologies.

If you need superior generator service in Houston, TX, and other nearby places, schedule a visit with our experienced staff by calling (866)322-0715.

Investing in a generator is always a great idea but with all the different models in different sizes and types, it can be difficult choosing the best one for you and your family’s needs. Before deciding on a generator, it is important to discuss options with a professional. At Grasten Power Technologies, we are more than happy to help you with this decision. Read on for some tips!

Correct Calculations

When choosing a generator, you want to make sure you buy a properly sized generator. The generator’s wattage should be larger than the amount of watts you will need for all your appliances and devices. You will want to add up the wattage of all the appliances you are going to be using with the generator. Once you tally this total up, you will also want to add the startup wattage for your largest appliance. For example, a furnace fan or well pump will require a lot of energy. You can usually find the wattage on the motor’s nameplate or on the electric data plate. If you are unsure, just ask the experienced staff at Grasten Power Technologies.

Maintain Distance for Carbon Monoxide

Generators pose a risk of carbon monoxide production but if you are smart about where you place it, the risk is lowered. The suggested distance is about 10 feet away from your home. You will want to make sure the distance meets the manufacturer’s specifications and the building and zoning codes.

For more information on generators, please refer to our blog and website often!

If you are interested in purchasing standby generators in Houston, TX, and surrounding regions, give the experts at Grasten Generators a call at (866)322-0715.

In our last blog, we discussed the reasons why you should invest in a backup generator. To learn more reasons, read on!

Working from Home: If you work from home, it is a great idea to invest in a backup generator so that you will not be interrupted during your work day. Also if you own your own small business, it is also good to keep a backup generator handy. This will ensure your business stays open no matter what and this will keep you competitive.

Those Who Buy In Bulk: If you are into buying things in bulk to save, any money you may have saved will go to waste if it needs to be refrigerated but the power goes out.

Security for Your Home: If you have an electric security system for your home, it is important to have a backup supply of energy. During times of power outages, thieves will be more inclined to try and rob stores and homes. They will know that security systems and lights will be down due to lack of electricity.

Recreational Use: If you are into camping, a standby generator would be a great investment for you. You can use it to power electrical camping stoves and other appliances that make your trips more comfortable.

To learn more about our standby generators in Houston, TX, and surrounding regions, give the experts at Grasten Generators a call at (866)322-0715, today.