Don't Be Left in the Dark

Automatic generators are insurance against disasters, big and small.

Written by Marion Butterworth

Photo courtesy of Bell Builders

Many upscale builders and in-the-know homeowners are installing automatic backup generators as insurance against inconveniences and possibly catastrophic consequences of power outages at home.

Storms Forecast

Imagine a tree-lined street in Chevy Chase, Bethesda or Vienna that exudes the stately charm of older neighborhoods. Now think about the above ground wires and rotting or decayed tree limbs often found in mature communities. Trees and electric poles are like matchsticks in the face of winter blizzards and summer thunderstorms or hurricanes.

Bob Kinzie, chief marketing officer of Kinzie Backup Generator Systems, says that local residents "regularly experience three- to five-day power outages" resulting from snowstorms and unsettled summer weather. Hurricane Isabel, the only Category 5 hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season, left part of the Washington metro area without power for 12 days. Some 50 million residents in eight states and Canada discovered what happens when the power goes out suddenly. The 2004 hurricane season triggered a record number of power outages along the Gulf Coast, reaching as far north as Maryland, some of which lasted for weeks.

Photo courtesy of Kinzie Farms Inc.

Post 9/11 Precautions

In addition to Mother Nature's perennial threats, Kinzie says that people are buying backup generators for their homes "to prepare for the extended disruption of our infrastructure that could be caused by another terrorist attack." The government acknowledges that an attack on Washington is a possibility and power outages a likely consequences.

Explains Kinzie, "The Washington Post reported that Constellation Energy experiences hundreds of attempts to hack into its control system every day." A recent study by the Department of Energy suggests that the most likely source of future blackouts will be overworked power grids. In the past decade, the demand for power has increased 35 percent while overall capacity has grown only 18 percent.

Camping Out Is for Boy Scouts

Boomers dominate as owners of Washington's more expensive real estate, and no one is getting any younger. Kinzie says, "We geezers are not as capable of camping out in our homes as when we were younger. A power outage can be a life-threatening situation to oldsters." As our population ages, an increasing need for in-home medical equipment drives the requirement for uninterrupted power, not to mention how important good lighting and heat are to our safety and comfort.

Suburban Sprawl

Since population growth stretches well beyond the suburbs and public utilities, septic systems and wells are a fact of life for many. These living situations require an even greater degree of contingency planning. Most septic systems need water and rely on electric pumps. Lack of power for sewage disposal can get ugly.

Photo courtesy of Kinzie Farms Inc.

Strong Silent Types

Kinzie only uses Onan generators because they are the best. They keep everything running smoothly even when you're not home. The automatic transfer panel senses when your electricity is out and activates the generator. When utility power returns, it switches back to the utility. Onan generators are quieter than competitors. Because of their more powerful engines, they run at 1,800 revolutions per minutes as opposed to 3,600 revolutions per minute, resulting in less noise and longer lives.

Expert Installation Team

Kinzie's electric and gas installations are performed by Kolb Electric Company or Holt Electrical Contractors and qualified gas pipe fitter John G. Webster Company. These companies pull county permits and arrange for inspections of each installation to assure that the job is done right. Kinzie Generators provides a Cummins/ Onan generator with an automatic transfer switch, a five-year comprehensive warranty and Cummins expert start-up service, fully installed for about $1,000 per kilowatt. Kinzie Generators provides complete installation including concrete pad and forklift or crane services for placement, while its sister company, Kinzie Farms, can conceal the unit with beautiful landscaping.