The winter brings a lot of enjoyable aspects, but there's one part that can be disastrous: the possibility of a long power outage. When an ice storm strikes the power lines, it can knock power out in a home for days or even weeks depending on the severity of the storm. When you're trying to stay warm and comfortable in your home, the prospect of not having power for that long is an unbearable one. That's when you need to be certain that you have a reliable emergency power supply to both keep your home warm and establish power that your home needs in order to function the right way. A generator can be a great way to make sure that when the power is out, your family doesn't have to worry about having to find ways to cook food without electricity or having enough candles in the house. However, a generator is not something that should be used lightly. The equipment can be disastrous if it's not used correctly. Here are a few things to keep in mind to stay safe. Never Use It Indoors A generator emits a lot of carbon monoxide, and carbon monoxide is deadly when inhaled in the right quantity. Plus, it's a colorless and odorless gas, so you'll never know you're in trouble until it's too late. That's why it's never a good idea to start your car in a closed garage, and it's not a good idea to run a generator indoors either. A generator can produce as much as 100 times the amount of carbon monoxide as a car, which means that it can produce a major problem in a hurry. Even if you think your garage is ventilated, there's no guarantee that you're right, which makes it a risk that is completely unnecessary. The best thing to do is to always run your generator outdoors and to keep a carbon monoxide monitor plugged in or powered batteries nearby so that you have an alert if you have a problem. Find A Sturdy Space A generator needs a dry, sturdy area in which to operate properly, and that can be difficult if you're in a snowstorm and your entire yard and driveway have been covered by snow and precipitation. To solve this, you have a couple options. First, you can use a carport to place the generator, keeping the snow off the surface and keeping the space dry. With the snow on the roof and not on the ground, the surface is safe and sturdy. Another idea you can try is to keep a dry tarp in your home and pull it out when you bring out the generator. By stashing the generator on the tarp, you can keep it on a flat and dry surface and get the most out of it. Keeping the power on during an ice storm with an emergency power supply is important, but it's even more important to make sure that you stay safe while providing it. By responsibly using your generator and only using it on a firm space outdoors, you can make sure that you keep the power on when Mother Nature causes problems.
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