Generators 101: Experts give their tips

From providing heat to preserving food and critical medication, generators can help people weather the aftermath of severe storms until utility crews restore power.

Generators can also prove dangerous, though, if they aren’t used properly as one Round Lake Park household found late Monday when seven individuals were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide fumes.

If you’re in the market for a generator — and can get manage to get your hands on one — here are tips on what you need to know from those who know best:

Q: How powerful a generator do I need?

A: Palatine’s Ace Hardware owner Jim Schilling, whose store is sold out of the backup power systems, said it depends on what you want to keep operating when power is lost.

If it’s simply about lighting and keeping the refrigerator going to prevent food from spoiling, between 2,000 and 3,000 watts will suffice. Adding a sump pump, furnace and appliances (a coffee maker alone can require more than 1,000 watts) ups the ante. Schilling said his 8,000-watt generator can power most of his home in Cary.

It’s important to realize that appliances require additional startup power, so the machine’s wattage has to be larger than the sum of everything you want powered.

Check the nameplates on various equipment to determine the power they require.

Q: How much do generators cost?

A: Portable generators run on gasoline and can start at just a few hundred dollars. Permanently installed generators, generally considered to be safer, are wired into a house, run on natural gas and can cost several thousand dollars.

Jason Bondy of Gen-X Generator, a North suburban dealer and installation company, said there’s also maintenance to consider. If permanent generators have been running for 72 hours straight, the oil will need to be changed. They also need to run for several minutes each week to make sure everything is working.

Portable generators should be drained of gasoline when not in use, with the fuel stored in a proper container and put outside of living areas.

Q: How do I operate a generator safely?

A: Arlington Heights Fire Chief Glenn Ericksen said any generator that’s hooked up through a home’s existing electrical system should be installed by a qualified and licensed electrician. If done improperly, you could be re-energizing downed power lines that utility workers think are dead.

“If you’re not careful, you can cause a lot of problems,” Ericksen said. “You’re becoming ComEd because you could be putting electricity in your lines and it’s going back out to the poles.”

It’s also important to turn off generators and let them completely cool down before refueling. Otherwise, Ericksen said, the muffler or engine could ignite the fuel.

Q: Where do I put it?

A: Not inside!

According to the National Fire Protection Association, generators should be placed in well-ventilated locations outside and away from all doors, windows and vent openings because deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up.

Ericksen said many people are tempted to run them in the garage to deter theft. But if the garage is attached to the house, exhaust fumes will find a way inside.

To ensure your air is safe, he recommends keeping a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm nearby. Get to fresh air immediately if you start to feel dizzy or weak.

If a generator must be operated in wet conditions, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends protecting the generator from moisture to avoid risk of electrocution. It’s also important that any extension cords used have three prongs.

Q: How can I learn more?A: Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission#146;s safety alert on portable generators at cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/portgen.html or the National Fire Protection Association at nfpa.org.