Catherine Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Hang in there, colleagues on the eastern seaboard! "Just" a windy rainstorm for most of us, but still... Lion, hope you don't lose your power and internet (again) (for long). VERY glad I got my poor maple tree pruned last week; there was a lot of dead wood up there just waiting to get busted off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 We finally pulled out our generator bids after more than a year debating spending the money. Having the top two electricians come out next Wednesday to update their bids. Really need to do this while I live out in the boonies. Sandy took down five big trees and lots of branches, but there are a lot of dead trees and branches and trees that have grown too tall on our two acres. Talked to our friendly, local landscaper about tree work, but he's too busy (still doing spring clean-ups) to walk the property with us and bid until July. Between hurricanes coming up the coast and nor'easters coming down, we get hit hard. Hurricane Sandy was followed by Nor'easter Athena (or Nemo, depending on which weather station you listen to) before we had all our services back. I just read that we're expected to have 11 hurricanes this year instead of the usual 5-6. My stepdaughter already postponed her Saturday housewarming party since it's likely we wouldn't be outside. I don't get as unhappy without power when the weather's warm, but Athena brought snow. I still get cranky when I can't work and clients are waiting for their returns. Both my business bookkeeping clients have generators, so I catch up on them and recharge my electronics! Stay dry and safe everyone. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Hope it is all rain and no wind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklcpa Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Lion, I don't think you'll regret spending some money on the generator. While we aren't out in the boonies, we have frequent outages and are nondevelopment so we are low priority when the outages do occur. My husband didn't think it was necessary, but he'd never lived in this area to realize how long some outages are and what the basement would look like without the sump pump having power! When he had cancer 10 years ago, I saved up and bought a portable generator of 6300 watts with a surge of 9100. I spent extra to get one with a push button starter since I didn't think I could handle the pull cord on my own. Now the husband is very happy to have it! We've talked of having the plug-in recepticle installed into the main wiring so that I could pick the circuits on the breaker box to leave on, but we've never done it. Now if you really want convenience, get one that will sense the outage and kick on automatically. I'd love that, but I can't justify the expense as long as I'm able to handle the portable one. I was a nervous wreck during Hurricane Sandy, but we were extremely lucky to have sustained no damage and didn't lose our power either. I really dislike when the weather map gets very colorful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfassett Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Speaking of trees come tumbling down, my wife and I live in an older residential area on a tree lined brick street. Our house was built in 1904. Our media room is on the second floor in the back of the house. Friday after work, we went and picked up a pizza and brought it home to eat while we watched a little TV. I was about half way into my second piece of pizza when we heard this this sssshhhhooooossshhhhh thump and the power went out. We look at each other and simultaneously said "what was that". I headed down the steps and passed my German Shepherd coming up the steps and I thought "this can't be good". Got to the bottom of the steps and looked out the front door and one of our 45 foot oak trees was laying in front of the house. We had gutter damage to gutters that were installed a week earlier and a hand rail on the front steps got wrecked. But that was it. Upon inspection, we found that the bottom 12 inches of the tree was rotted. The rest of the tree was very healthy. There was no other impetus to that tree falling - no wind, no rain, nothing. If that tree fell two feet in either direction, a tremendous amount of damage would have resulted. Thirty seconds before the tree fell, an elderly gentleman and his dog had passed in front of the tree. Ten minutes before, Rebecca and I had just passed in front of the tree coming into the house. An hour earlier, a young mother, her baby and a friend were standing right where that tree came down. Just a little change in timing would have created a completely different ending to this story. Have I mentioned lately that God is good? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gail in Virginia Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 All the time. I am glad the damage was not any worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 >>Have I mentioned lately that God is good?<< Say an extra prayer this Sunday! Glad to hear nobody got hurt. It could have been deadly for the mother and her baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 We're getting older. One set of hurricanes a couple of years ago was before my husband had had shoulder replacements, the next set was while he was recovering from his first shoulder replacement, and Sandy and Athena were while he was recovering from his second. So, lugging buckets of water from tubs in the basement so we could flush toilets for 11 days each power outage was not in his physical therapy plan! Actually, we ran out of stockpiled water before the power came back on so drained the water heater, also in the basement, to use water to flush. And, the gas stations were out of power too; people weren't able to refill their portable generators. So, I'm spending the big bucks and getting the whole house generator that kicks on automatically and a big propane tank (wish the gas lines came closer to our street). We're getting enough power to run my home office (computer, printer, lights), well pump, refrigerator (we have lost so much food over the last three years), furnace (one year the house temp was 42 degrees, so in the basement and uninsulated garage where the pipes run it was probably close to freezing; we drained the pipes and fled), and a light in the room we're in, and a few other items. We've had bids for over a year but take a huge expense like this very seriously. We're having our two favorite bidders come on Wednesday to update their bids and answer our questions, I think we can finally decide. We're going to be in this house for awhile yet (it has a first floor master so will work even if one of us gets less mobile over time). Plus, a whole house automatic generator is probably a good sales feature! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 Lion I am assuming you have well water instead of city water? Did you consider a 6000W Generator inside your garage but vented out that will run your sump pump, well pump, and fridge? I agree it is the toilets that really upsets you lugging buckets of water from the basement. My brother-in-law who lives in upstate NY had one installed for like $4000 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 Our unfinished garage is a few inches below the basement; a river flows through it when it rains; it also has lost ceiling insulation over the years when pipes leaked, so vents into the bedrooms and my office above. The unfinished basement has no ceiling insulation. So far the experts are suggesting an outdoor generator at the end of the house that has the electric panel inside (I had typed fuse box, showing my age!). And, I think our quotes were for systems from 8000W up to 20000W with 14000W the most common suggestion. I have a home office, so that runs it up, as well as the furnace since it's the ice storms and nor'easters during cold tax season that are most scary for us. We are in a small town with almost no services. I have my own well and septic system. The town provides roads, one stop light, eight policemen, and schools. No sidewalks or lights; all volunteer fire and EMS; take your own garbage to the dump or hire a private service; etc. Next to Easton with its three-acre zoning, Weston is the most sparsely populated area in Fairfield County so gets its power back next to last. I'm really looking forward to having a generator and am sure it will be worth every penny. I choose to rough it while on Appalachia Service Project this July (no A/C, outdoor cold water hose shower with black plastic hanging from clotheslines or PVC pipe "stalls," PB&J sandwiches for lunch every day, etc) but want to be comfortable in my own home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 If you have not already, check this website www.generac.com They make quality products. My brother-in-law is happy with his generator and has used it a few times since he got it installed. Outdoor models are more expensive, but you don't have to hear that noise! At least your 8829 will absorb some of the expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 One electrician is recommending Generac, so he gave us a brochure. I think the other is Kohler, maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grmy2h Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 Lion, my husband runs an HVAC Co. And both of those brands are very well respected in the industry. The main problem we see is customers not periodically starting and testing them. Some do this automatically, some not. However some customers don't pay attention and don't realize that the testing wasn't performed, then when they need them..... Well you know what I'm saying. Stay safe everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 Thanx for the info, Grmy. We also want to price out a service contract. (Trying to give us fewer chores for our old age.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 Just like you got to test those smoke detectors frequently! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Thank god it was just rain and no wind. Lot's of street flooding. Looking forward to a sunny week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 We had 45 mph winds, but not many branches down. Roads that were flooded are opening back up again. My garage is flooded (it always does, so we don't store things on that floor) but basement is dry. And, we did NOT lose power! Hope everyone else fared well and can enjoy a beautiful day today. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 We have natural gas here, and before 24 months pass, we will have a whole house automatic system that is outdoors. We live in town so we do not have a well pump, or water heater to deal with. City water, gas furnace and water heater. We can get a system that is totally automatic and will power almost everything for about $7k installed. When on the generator, using the stove or oven would be a minimal thing. But, microwave, toaster oven, electric skillet etc. are all usable. It will easily power my A/C in the summer at the same time. It starts itself once a week for testing. Takes about 10 seconds to fully kick in when the power drops, and disconnects seamlessly when the power comes back on. I have two clients with these systems and they love them. I like the idea of totally automatic and seamless. I have all the electronics in my house on Battery Backup which will effortlessly keep them up while the system starts, so not even a reboot when the power goes down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklcpa Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Coffee pot is also critical around here. lol Jack, I have gas (propane) furnace and water heater too, and while they don't use electric directly, they need electric to run the blower to vent the fumes to the outside so we don't die of CO2 and also to blow the hot air through the ducts. It's a safety feature of both that if the blowers can't run, these units don't turn on. I'd love to have an automatic system, but it won't be happening on our budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 You can pick up a 6000W portable generator on wheels for like $600 at Home Depot. That has enough juice to power your coffee pot, microwave, light the furnace and water heater and a couple of bulbs and fan. I think a manual transfer switch is like $100 if you want to have an electrician hook it up to your breaker panel. They have a few models with a battery start if you don't want to pull that cord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklcpa Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 Yes, if you look back earlier in this thread you'll see that I have a 6300 watt with push button start, but it isn't automatic. If the electric goes out unexpectedly then I have to manually open the garage door, wheel the generator into position and run the cords. It's not bad really, just a little bit of a hassle. With hurricane Sandy, we had everything ready to go and mostly sheltered from the weather. I just don't want to leave it there all the time. All I really need at this point is the cutoff plug near the breaker box. Someday.... We faired well through this storm. It wasn't much more than a lot of rain...5 inches of it...and hardly any wind. I haven't heard of any power outages in our area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 You are right, missed that earlier post. My sister-in-law in RI did not fare so well. Her car has a foot of water inside?? I don't think her insurance will pay for that (natural disaster and flood)?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 You are right, missed that earlier post. My sister-in-law in RI did not fare so well. Her car has a foot of water inside?? I don't think her insurance will pay for that (natural disaster and flood)?? If your Sister-in-law has comprehensive coverage on her car insurance, it should be covered subject to the deductible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Unfortunately it is a 12 year old Buick and she had Liability and Collision only. Bummer! Spoke to her last night. The car starts but the carpets and seats are wet. Her son is going to take the seats and carpets out to clean and dry. I told her to keep a bottle of Febreze in the glove box to get rid of that musty smell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Collision without comprehensive? I would fire her insurance man!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.