A household and business greatly depends upon electricity. From morning rituals such as making coffee, taking a hot shower and relying on the alarm. Moreover, electricity provides central air and heat plus power for many devices such as a cooking stove, a computer and entertainment like the stereo or TV.
In truth, the average household consumed 10,908 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually in 2013. That is an average of 909 kWh per month. To give you an idea, kilowatt hours are a measure of electrical energy equal to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour. For example, a single 100 watt light bulb used for 750 hours (1 month) will use 75 kWh. And on your electrical bill, you are charged by the kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Now—what if you had to go without electricity for week?
Suppose there was a natural disaster in your area, such as massive floods or a tornado. For instance, a flood can take out many power lines and literally close or wash out all the roads for safe transportation. Floods or tornados can happen in an instant, leaving many without electricity for a week or so. In this case, the lucky have a back-up generator that provides electricity for everyday needs such as a hot shower and stove. But unfortunately, many people had no means of providing warmth and food for their families if the electricity goes out.
Never depend on luck; the best way to prepare for a natural disaster is to invest in a power generator in case of an emergency. Also, electrical outages can happen any time. A power blackout can be caused by an overload of electricity mains, errors at a power station, a short circuit or damage to electric transmission lines from natural disasters like floods or lightening.
For example, in December 2013 the Greater Toronto area had an emergency alert due to widespread power outages caused by freezing temperatures. There were 10 and 30 millimetres of ice accumulation that brought down power lines and trees. Near 200,000 Toronto customers were without power with no hope of restoration for at least 5 days. There were 53,000 without power in New Brunswick, 12,000 in Nova Scotia and about 80,000 in the greater Toronto-Hamilton area.
This year, weather forecasts for Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia are predicted to have record lows. More than likely, power outages will be happening often. Needless to say, many can avoid the inconvenience and possible life threat with a power generator. It’s the best preparation you can take.
