Re: QC any knowledge about Nat Gas home Generators
A former coworker got a generac generator several years ago. She chose propane powered (natural gas not available to her home). Gas (propane) won't age like gasoline, diesel, or kerosene so she doesn't have to drain and refill tanks, nor does she have to worry about refilling a fuel tank in a blizzard. It also burns cleaner so it requires less engine maintenance. She says she can run everything except her air conditioner if she wanted to, but then she doesn't have a lot of power-hungry habits, either.
You will definitely need a transfer switch to disconnect from the grid, start the generator, and switch to it, then reverse those steps when power comes back on. Because of the complexity / safety issues, please have that professionally installed. (I do a lot of home maintenance of my own, but I wouldn't touch installing a transfer switch).
If you're on propane, also let your propane company know. They usually calculate usage based on degree-days etc to decide when you need more fuel, so help them do their job by letting them know about possible additional usage.
This coworker's generator fires up for about 15 minutes each week as a self-test.
If we ever move far out of town, a generator would be a must.
As for brands, others made suggestions. This coworker likes her generac, but then she's not had to run it for more than a couple days at a time, either.
