Update, Monday 8/26/24: Just a note to let you all know that I won’t be on the blog this week. I don’t want anyone to worry about something being wrong with Matt or anything. We’re good. 🙂 I just need to get away for a few days and get some things in order without being tied to a computer every morning. Work on the gym (soon to be the bedroom) starts next Monday, so I need to clear out that room and find a place for everything. Then work on my workshop should start the following week (my permit was finally approved!), so I need to do some random things to get ready for that, like trimming tree branches so their truck can easily get into the backyard. Anyway, it’s going to be a busy week away from the computer to get ready for some exciting things to come. So I’ll be back here a week from now. Hope you all have a great week!
It’s been a while since I shared with you all the quote we got for a whole house generator. We wanted to use the Generac brand, and the quote (including the cost of the generator, installation, and a number of electrical issues that needed to be addressed for the installation to pass inspection) was just over $21,000.
Of course, we weren’t happy with the price, but we would have made it right if it was the best option. So, we would have taken some time to think about it and make sure it was really the right decision.
But just two weeks after we received that offer, Hurricane Beryl hit Houston. I was checking in regularly with my friend who lives in a suburb of Houston to make sure she and her family were safe. They were fine, but they had been without power for a few days. Before that, my friend had told her husband that she desperately wanted a backup generator for the entire house. There was no question about it, and she was willing to pay whatever it took to get it. She didn’t care how much it would cost as long as she and her family of four, including two teenage boys, weren’t going to be without power for days at a time.
Then Hurricane Beryl hit, leaving them without power. But do you know who else was left without power? About half of the people in their neighborhood have full-house backup generators. I was shocked, and so was she when she told me. They live in a very nice neighborhood in a suburb of Houston. These are people who paid thousands of dollars to install a full-house backup generator, and they have a yearly maintenance plan to make sure the generator is ready in case of an emergency. Then when they actually needed it in the aftermath of the hurricane, half of them were left with broken generators and no power.
Since then, she (and her husband) and I have been brainstorming new plans, exchanging ideas, and sharing various products that we might find useful if we ever need them again in the future. And this is the plan that Matt and I decided on instead of a backup generator for the entire house.
First, we bought a solar generator from Jackery. Jackery is a solar generator, and the company makes all different sizes for different purposes. They have everything from large generators that are good for your entire home to small portable generators that you can take camping. After doing a lot of comparisons, we ended up choosing the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus. We bought it during Amazon Prime days, and it was 50% off, even though we didn’t buy it from Amazon. We bought it through Jackery’s website. Here’s what it looks like…
We chose this product because it is their second largest product and it is expandable, meaning that if we find that we need more power that lasts longer, we can add more stackable battery packs to it. This product comes with two of these solar chargers. You can see how huge it is compared to the music room couch.
I also really like that you can charge the Jackery while you’re using it, as long as the power coming in is greater than the power going out. The display on the front of the generator tracks this so you can see exactly what’s going in and out.
I wanted this because I like the idea of having a generator that can be used safely inside the house. It doesn’t produce any kind of exhaust, so it doesn’t have to be outside. So it’s a good alternative.
I researched and researched generators for days before deciding on this one. The factors that led me to choose this generator were (1) the customer reviews (4.8 stars from 2,779 customer reviews), and (2) that it is a three-fuel generator. For now, we will keep gasoline on hand in case we need it. But in the very near future (hopefully this month, but definitely before this winter), we will have a plumber install a natural gas line so we can use it to power the generator if we need it.
I feel good about making this decision. I think we’ll get what we need, and it didn’t cost us anything close to $21,000. The main thing is that in an emergency, we need to be able to heat or cool one room in our house (depending on the time of year) so that Matt is comfortable. As long as we can close the bedroom door and have a portable air conditioner or heater to keep that room comfortable, plus some power for a lamp or two, maybe a laptop, and our refrigerator, we can last for days.
I am still thinking about purchasing this little Honda generator just so I have a small backup generator on hand.
My friend from Houston told me that her sister (who also had no power due to the hurricane) used this Honda generator to run a portable air conditioner, and it worked great. She especially liked that it was so quiet compared to the big, noisy gas generators. So this is still on my list to buy. But for now, I have peace of mind knowing that we can get through a few days without power with what we have. There will be no more frantic runs to get Matt to my mom’s house or somewhere else before the heat (or cold) starts to take its toll.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my home decorating and project journey, renovating and decorating the 1948 home my husband Matt and I purchased in 2013. Matt has MS and can’t do any physical labor, so I do most of the work around the house myself. You can learn more about me here.
