Which Generator Is Right for Your Home?

Whole House Generators vs Portable Generators

At Cherry Energy, we know keeping your family safe and comfortable is a top priority for you. Unfortunately, severe weather is becoming increasingly common in eastern North Carolina. And severe weather often leads to power outages.

Power outages are more than an inconvenience. If you’re not prepared, they can be costly and dangerous—especially if they last for weeks. Why not give yourself peace of mind by equipping your home with a portable or whole-house generator?

Cherry Energy sells and expertly installs propane generators from top brands. If you choose a whole-house generator, we’ll integrate it with your home’s comfort system to create an action plan that will keep your family safe and comfortable no matter what the weather has in store. Visit our showroom online or in person to see our amazing selection.

Not sure which type or size of generator is right for your home? Don’t worry. We’ll help you determine the perfect standby power solution for your home and budget. And we’ll get it installed quickly so that you can have complete peace of mind as soon as possible.

What Is a Portable Generator?

Most portable generators are fueled by gasoline or propane and do not require professional installation. You’ll need to plug the electronics you want to power directly into the unit. You’ll also need to activate the unit, as it won’t provide auxiliary power automatically. For safety, it’s important to keep portable generators at least 10 feet away from your home to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition, you’ll need to make sure you have enough fuel to keep your portable generator running. Just like your car, a portable generator can run out of fuel.

What Is a Whole-House Generator?

A whole-house generator provides automatic auxiliary power when the electricity goes out. In fact, once your generator detects a power outage, it should activate in about 30 seconds. As the name suggests, a whole-house generator (also called a standby generator) can power your whole home—that includes all appliances and comfort systems like your water heater and HVAC system. It’s the best way to ensure that a power outage doesn’t disrupt your home life. Whole-house generators are professionally installed and connected to your home’s natural gas or propane lines. That means there’s no need to refuel, you get power indefinitely.

What Are the Advantages of a Whole-House (or Standby) Generator?

Whole-house (or standby) generators provide three main advantages over portable generators.

1. Whole-house generators provide power automatically. That provides additional peace of mind if the power goes out while you’re asleep or away from home. Your fridge will continue to run, your home security system will stay armed, and your heating system won’t turn off. That’s especially important during the colder months, as it will prevent your pipes from freezing or bursting—which can lead to costly damage.
2. A whole-house generator can provide as much power as you need. By comparison, portable generators have a limit to the amount of energy they can provide. So they can only power some of your appliances. With a whole-house generator, you don’t have to choose. You can keep you whole home up and running—from the water heater to the garage door opener to the sump pump to the fridge. Not to mention all your electronic devices.
3. A whole-house generator can run indefinitely. And there’s no need to refuel. A portable generator, however, requires refueling to keep running. Kind of like your car.

Be Ready for Anything with Cherry Energy

Cherry Energy has been a family-owned enterprise since 1928, and we care about your comfort and safety. Protect your home with a portable or whole-house propane generator from us. And count on us for safe, timely, and reliable propane delivery.

If you’re ready to protect your home with a portable or whole-house generator, contact Cherry Energy today!