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Scherer Electric Blog

Whole-House Generator Myths—And the Facts

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There was once a time when the most common definition of the word myth was stories about ancient gods and heroes. Today, the common definition is anything that’s widely believed yet untrue.

There are whole shows, podcasts, video channels, and books based on breaking about the myths that circulate through our society and which the internet has only made harder to squash.

Are there myths about whole-house generators out there? You bet! 

We’re experts when it comes to whole-house generators, and we’d like to go through a few common myths about these devices and dispel them with the facts.

Myth 1: Whole-house generators are a poor investment

This is a myth that gets attached to almost any expensive piece of equipment. If it’s costly, somebody out there will claim it isn’t worth it. (Honestly, sometimes they are right.) However, the last decade of regular power outages, increased extreme weather conditions, and trouble with the electrical grid has made the whole-house generator a better investment than ever before.

A generator protects your family, and there’s few better investments than that. Just the peace of mind alone makes it worth it. With proper care and maintenance, you’ll get many good years out of your whole-house generator.

Myth #2: Whole-house generators need too much maintenance

We mentioned maintenance just a moment before, so this is the next logical place to go. Yes, generators require maintenance—it’s essential to ensure that they’re ready to work when needed. A generator that you can’t trust to turn on when the power goes out isn’t very good!

The maintenance isn’t excessive, however. It’s simpler than the regular maintenance you get for your HVAC system and is only required once a year. You don’t even need to do it yourself: it’s a job for professionals, and they can get it done fast.

Myth #3: Whole-house generators make too much noise

Generators once made a tremendous amount of racket, so there is some factual basis for this myth. But it doesn’t apply anymore. A whole-house generator is already stored outside your home, so you won’t hear much of the sound it makes. And generators today run at low noise levels, producing around 65 dbs, and that’s about as loud as a modern air conditioning system and barely as loud as casual conversation. 

Myth #4: Whole-house generators require modifications to homes

This is rarely the case. The only situation where a whole-house generator would require modifications is for homes with electrical systems that are decades out of date. Those homes desperately need those upgrades, so they might as well get them in conjunction with a generator.

Myth #5: Whole-house generators are tough to install

First of all, you don’t need to install the generator. In fact, you can’t—unless you’re a licensed electrician with the right experience. You’ll need pros to install one. It isn’t a difficult job for the pros, either. We can handle most installations in a few hours. 

If you’re looking for a whole-house generator installation or generator repair in Buffalo, NY, reach out to our technicians. 

Scherer Electric Is Western New York’s Favorite Electrician! Arrange for all your generator services with our licensed electricians. 

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