With Hurricane season officially beginning in just a week, many families are looking at installing a whole house generator to keep their family comfortable and safe in case the power goes out.
“Families of all sizes and incomes are installing generators in their homes in case their power goes out due to summer thunderstorms and hurricanes,” said Miguel Silva, plumbing manager for Cornerstone Pros Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical in Land O’ Lakes. “This is especially true when a family member has medical issues that require treatments needing power.”
Cornerstone installs Generac generators, the country’s largest and most advanced manufacturer of backup generators that run on natural gas or liquid propane, and automatically activate when there is a power outage.
“Choosing the right size generator for your home is just as important as the quality of the generator. Our technicians do a full load calculation on every home we quote, and specify a generator that best meets a family’s needs and budget,” said Silva.
Because generators can be costly, Cornerstone Pros offers permanent and portable generators, and has low-interest financing in place to make monthly payments affordable.
“We want to encourage everyone who wants to protect their family’s health, comfort and safety to give us call,” said Silva. “We do everything possible to make a generator fit their budget and payment ability. Plus, we’re currently offering $150 off all generator installations.”
Modern generators are compact, quiet and able to power some or all of a home’s electrical appliances, all at the same time.
“Many people think of backup generators as giant, noisy units that can be heard all around the neighborhood. This is no longer the case,” said Silva.
A generator will prevent almost all of the problems associated with power loss, including spoiled food, extreme temperatures, sickening mold, and no running water if a home is on a well.
Plus, the American Red Cross recommends permanently installed backup generators because they are a safer way to provide backup power to a home than a portable generator.
“Because all generators emit carbon dioxide, which is a dangerous, odorless gas that can kill, proper installation and venting is imperative for all generators,” said Silva. “Our technicians specify the safest and most economical location for a generator, and pull all necessary permits from the county to complete the install.”
Silva adds that portable generators can also be dangerous if they are not properly installed.
“A new transfer switch is usually needed for portable generators, so that a home’s electrical panel is not blown up when the utility turns the power back on,” said Silva. “And, when that happens, the homeowner has no power until the panel is replaced, plus it can be a very dangerous situation if someone is near the electrical panel when it blows.”
Cornerstone Pros pulls all the permits needed to install a generator, and the permitting process typically takes between two and five weeks.
“Because of the time permits take, people need to call now to get their generator installed before the peak storm and hurricane season,” said Silva.
For homes with natural gas, Cornerstone Pros technicians do the plumbing that ties the generator directly into the home’s natural gas line, so the homeowner never has to worry about filling a gas tank. Homes without natural gas require a propane tank, which Cornerstone Pros connect to during its installation.
“Generators provides protection 24/7 whether you’re home or away, and turn themselves off when utility power returns, so there is no need to monitor the unit during an outage,” said Silva. “Plus, most models today offer Wi-Fi connectivity, so no matter where you are, you can monitor the status of your power and generator’s operations from a smartphone, tablet or computer.”
Call Cornerstone Pros with your generator questions and to request a quote at (813) 990-0561.
Published May 22, 2019
