Home Emergency Preparedness The One Home Essential You Should Invest In Now When you need it, you'll be glad you have it. By Ashlyn Needham Ashlyn Needham Ashlyn Needham is an expert decor and design writer with 6 years of writing for brands and personal clients. She has been published in The Spruce, Southern Living, House Digest, Family Handyman, and more. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on September 10, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article What Is A Generator? Who Needs A Generator? Reasons To Invest In A Generator Close Photo: Getty Images Power outages can happen at any point during the year, and if you've ever been caught in one, then you know how inconvenient they can be. Food is usually spoiled, temperatures become uncomfortable, but most importantly, life feels far from normal. Thankfully, by investing in a generator for your home, you don't have to worry about power outages throwing off your schedule anymore. Here's everything you need to know about generators from how they work, to who really needs one, and reasons why you should invest in one. The Best Home Generators, According To Our Testing What Is A Generator? Generators are outdoor appliances that supply power during an outage. These appliances work by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy to keep your home running normally during an unexpected power outage. Like HVAC units, these appliances sit outside your home and are hooked up through a gen cord into a nearby outlet so that you can turn it on whenever the need for it arises. Who Needs A Generator? Anyone can benefit from a generator since power outages can occur from other instances besides weather. But, if you live in an area that's prone to violent storms and power outages, especially lengthy ones, then you're first on the list for homeowners who need a generator. However, the need for a generator spans beyond the weather in your home's location. Since these appliances can be used for any power outage, those who rely on electricity for medical devices are another top candidate for owning a generator since it keeps the devices running. 5 Reasons To Invest In A Generator It's true that generators are a hefty investment and on average cost several thousand dollars, but there are a few benefits to owning own and saving for a literal rainy day when you face an unexpected outage. Here are a few reasons to consider when thinking about investing in a power generator for your home. Peace of Mind You can't put a price tag on the peace of mind having this handy appliance brings. If you're like us, the first thought that pops into our mind when the power goes out is a mix of panic combined with the question, "When will the power turn back on again?" But, with a generator, you won't have to worry about being without power for long and not being able to use your favorite appliances (or not being able to charge your phone). Keep Food from Spoiling One of the worst aspects to losing power is the loss of food in your fridge or freezer. But, with the help of a generator, you don't have to worry about that. Generators keep your electricity running which means your fridge and extra freezers will stay powered to keep cooling your food and keeping them from spoiling. Home Office Power Do you own your own business or work from home? If so, then you know that losing power is even more costly since it keeps your business down until the power returns. With a generator, you'll have power to continue using your computer or other business tools. Increase Home Value If you're looking to make a few home upgrades that increase property value, then you need to add a generator to the list. Whole house generators can increase your home's value by 3-5% and will be very appealing to potential buyers since it gives your home an extra sense of security. Medical Devices Stay Running Since home generators keep your power running, this is a very beneficial appliance to have if you or someone staying in your in-law suite needs to use an electric medical device, like a lift chair. Because generators keep your electricity running, devices that are plugged up via outlets can continue to run as normal. 7 Things You Should Never Store In Your Garage, According To Experts Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Southern Living is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. https://www.keefes.com/does-a-whole-house-generator-add-value-to-your-home/#/