Backup Generators and Exterior Lighting – Protect Your Home This Winter
After months of heat, it’s time to start preparing for a Bucks County winter! Better get the HVAC system checked out, switch the screens out for storm windows, and, most importantly, prep your home’s electrical system to handle the trials of the cold season.
In addition to an electrical safety inspection to ensure your system is ready for higher usage, there are two ways you can better protect your home this winter:
1. Install a Backup Generator So You’re Ready for Snowstorms.
Fact: Our country’s electrical grid is aging. As you may have noticed in the past decade, there are more power outages than there used to be, simply because the infrastructure is deteriorating and there’s been a lack of investment in modernizing it. You can read about how the U.S. loses power 285 percent more often than in 1984 – and how we have the most power outages out of any developed nation – in this article in the International Business Times.
Combine these statistics with the ones indicating we’re getting more snowstorms than in the past, and you have a recipe for disaster. Winter power outages have been fairly commonplace in recent years, and the scary thing is, they’ve lasted anywhere from hours to days and even weeks.
So, how can you make sure your family stays warm this winter? The simple answer is to install a backup generator. Then, when the grid blacks out or snowstorms down the power lines, you can rest easy knowing your heat will stay on, the refrigerator cold, and the lights burning bright.
Don’t think you can manage a generator yourself? Not a problem. Automatic backup generators turn on when you need them, then turn back off when the power returns – all without you having to lift a finger.
2. Install Exterior Lighting to Make Walking Safer and Keep Predators At Bay
Fact: A home with a dark exterior is more likely to be burglarized than one with a well-lit entrance. The better the visibility of your front door and other entry doors, the less likely someone with ill intentions is going to make you a target.
Winter is the darkest season of the year, when the visibility of your entryways is at its lowest. Protect against trespassers with exterior lighting that makes your home an unappealing mark. In addition, keep your family and friends safe as they make their way to your front door with well-lit paths and porches.
The best part about installing landscape lighting is it can really up your home’s curb appeal when designed by experts. This is a low-maintenance way to make your home safer and more beautiful going into the cold months.
Our licensed electricians serve Montgomery County and Bucks County with the skills and experience of experts who’ve been in the field for years. For help preparing your home for winter, give us a call: 215-855-3340!