Stuff You Need to Know About Gas-Powered Generators

Aren’t generators great? They can keep essential electronic devices operating during the many power outages occurring every year.

Among the industries that need backup power most are hospitals and emergency rooms. Also, food producers and those who store and transport it.

Others that require emergency generators include the agricultural, air transportation, and oil and gas drilling industries. 

And if individuals want to keep food from spoiling and their homes from becoming too hot or cold during a blackout, they need a generator as well.

CO poisoning is the ‘silent killer’

When functioning properly and when handled correctly, gas-powered generators can usually do the job for homeowners.

But they don’t always function properly. And they are often misused by people who don’t keep them outside their homes and away from windows.

That can spell big trouble. Carbon monoxide poisoning makes thousands of Americans ill every year. Symptoms include headache, dizziness and weakness. As well as nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.

It can also result in deaths. In as little as five minutes. According to the CDC, some 430 Americans die every year from CO poisoning. Odorless and colorless, it’s called the “Silent Killer.” People don’t notice it until they start feeling ill. 

A ‘disaster within a disaster’

During the 2021 deep freeze in the South, some 1,400 Texans visited emergency rooms for CO poisoning. At least 11 people lost their lives due to it.

Dr. Neil Hampson called it the country’s “biggest epidemic of CO poisoning in recent history.” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo oversees emergency management in the Houston area. She labeled the carbon monoxide crisis a “disaster within a disaster.”

Many of those who suffered CO poisoning were improperly using gas-powered generators. Some were running them in garages and sheds. Others were using them too close to vents and widows. In each case, toxic fumes entered their homes. 

The previous summer, millions dealt with California power outages during a heat wave. When fall rolled around, many lost power due to wildfires. Some using gas-powered generators for electricity were sickened by CO poisoning. Some others suffered shocks and contact burns.

Safety tips to follow

Looking back to Hurricane Irma in 2017, 11 deaths in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina were attributed to the storm. But an additional 16 deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. 

A gas-powered generator can emit as much CO as 450 cars. And even when they are functioning properly and handled carefully, they’re still noisy and smelly.  

If you use a gas-powered generator despite the risks, please read the owner’s manual carefully. Many people ignore this step.

By educating yourself and knowing safety precautions, you will better protect yourself and your family from potential life-threatening scenarios. Here are some safety tips to follow if you own a gas generator.

•  Keep your generator at least 25 feet from any building. That includes homes, garages and sheds.
• Make sure fumes are not blowing toward anything flammable. Such as vegetation.
• Store your gas cans properly and far away from the generator.
• Install several battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms in your home and make sure the batteries are working.
• Don’t run your generator while it’s raining. Unless it’s shielded by a waterproof and well-ventilated tent.

$500 off Patriot Power Generator 1800

So, what’s the alternative to a gas-powered generator? I’m glad you asked. It’s a solar-powered generator.

A solar generator is a smart choice. It produces an endless supply of life-saving electricity when you need it most. And without gas, fumes or noise. Plus, it’s safe enough to use indoors. Even in your bedroom.

My recommendation is the Patriot Power Generator 1800. And if there were ever a perfect time to get one, it’s now. Why? Because for the first time ever, we’re taking $500 off the cost. That means you get the same price we offered in 2014.

But this is a limited-time offer. We have a limited inventory of these generators. It’s first come, first served. I’m sorry, but I can’t offer any IOUs.