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Ahaaaa! The JOYS of a Whole House Generator!!

By
Property Manager with Gibson Management Group, Ltd.

Living in the country has its challenges.  We are on a well and septic system. Our electricity is through a coop which is usually very responsive and when our whole house propane generator came on this morning around 10A I was not worried.  At noon, I called the electric coop and found that a transmitter had gone off line, and when the next door neighbor came to plow my drive, he indicated the large home (on 200 acres) next door was also on generator at the moment.  At 6P the generator is still on and neighbors' homes are dark and many have left for area hotels with power.

I'm not sure why, but somewhere my husband decided to put in a whole house generator after a September hurricane 7+ years ago and he had to deal with dog issues as I flew home from a real estate convention in Hawaii.  I drove into our drive with a small Honda generator in the driveway and extension cords running everywhere.  The refrigerator was plugged in and he had the NASCAR race on so the tv and satellite were powered also.  I had NASCAR and cold Diet Pepsi!!!  I was fine * the house was steamy; however, we had gas for the generator and could grill on the deck.

After this event, he researched  whole house generators and started the process of ordering the equipment, pouring the concrete pad, having the propane tank buried, etc.

This morning I barely realized it was on.  The only glitch is that when the power is interrupted, the ceiling fan in our family room stops, the light comes on and the fan reverses * easily fixed.  The generator can run for almost a week and I know the propane tank is full...this is MUCH EASIER than transporting 2 dogs to my sister's apartment and dealing with her cats!!

 

 

Posted by

Wallace S. Gibson is a Certified Property Manager with over 50 years of property management experience and expertise.  She maintains a specialized property management business in Central Virginia serving Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna and Louisa counties  

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"...to be a Virginian, either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from the Almighty God...." Anonymous

 

Comments(13)

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Melissa Anderson
Be My Neighbor Mortgage - San Antonio, TX
Your Texas Lender

Wallace- I would definitely want one of those if I lived where you do.

That's awesome. 

33 and dipping here in SA, TX.

Jan 31, 2010 09:44 AM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

These are great to have.  Alot more houses have them these days after that big ice storm about 10 years ago that knocked power out for weeks.

Jan 31, 2010 09:52 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Country properties around here have them because they have animals * we have llamas down the road as well as horses * and they need to keep water running.

Jan 31, 2010 09:58 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Power just came back on * about 10 hours on generator.  Neighbors' exterior lights are on; however, I think they have gone as their house lights are off.

Jan 31, 2010 10:00 AM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

This is such a terrible time to lose power.  Thank goodness for the generators for the animals.

Jan 31, 2010 10:01 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

I have a day's supply of clean dog-water; however, we all need heat in 10 degree weather.

Jan 31, 2010 10:05 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Wallace, 

Great idea to be prepared with whole house generator.  We have underground utilities in our neighborhood, so almost never loose power.  However two neighbors at least have part house generators to take care of part of the house in case of emergency.  

Glad you and the animals are good.  My husband loves to be prepared, so he would love your setup. 

All the best, Michelle

Jan 31, 2010 11:02 AM
Broker Nick
South Florida Real Estate & Development, Inc. - Coconut Creek, FL
Broker Nick Relocation Broker Service

We here in Fort Lauderdale know what it means to have whole home generators - I feel for ya Wallace - give the babies a kiss for me

Jan 31, 2010 11:25 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Power's back on and I'll deal with blinking clocks tomorrow.  Hounds are asleep on the sofa while I watch BIG LOVE!

Jan 31, 2010 11:33 AM
Ann Hayden 636-399-7544
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties-St. Louis Missouri 314-775-2050 - Des Peres, MO
SelectAnn.com

Wallace,

I need one of these.  How did you decide on which one to purchase?

Ann Hayden in Wildwood, MO

Jan 31, 2010 01:29 PM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Ann * My husband did the research and put the gears in motion....there are firms who will do the entire operation and finance it.  We have a Never Dark Whole House Generators which may be a franchise so I'd start there.

Jan 31, 2010 09:18 PM
Ann Hayden 636-399-7544
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties-St. Louis Missouri 314-775-2050 - Des Peres, MO
SelectAnn.com

Wallace,

Could he send me the link he used to search?

Ann Hayden in Wildwood, MO

Feb 01, 2010 09:01 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/pickperfectstandby3a.php

You can talk to your local HVAC service firm as they sometimes install them.

Ours is a propane and we had a tank put into the ground * the tank is a 500gal tank.

Feb 01, 2010 09:24 AM