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Preparing for Hurricane Season: Tips before buying a generator

Hurricane season is fast approaching and you may be considering buying a generator. Here's a few tips that can help you decide which works best for you.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Hurricane season is right around the corner which means it’s time to prepare so you can be ready for anything, especially if your power goes out, leaving you in the dark.

So, what do you do? There are a few options. One option is getting a home generator.

“The whole home standby generator is fully automatic so when the power goes off, it senses that the power is going off, it tells generator to start,” said Robert Deshazo the President of Generator Supercenter Corpus Christi, Victoria, and the valley.

Deshazo said proper installation is important.

“Make sure the generator is sized properly to run the things you wanna run, so if you have multiple air conditioners, it takes a little more generator to run those things you wanna run,” said Deshazo.

And if you can’t get a large home generator, there’s portable ones you can buy. David White with Home Depot says there are different generators to pick from.

“You’re kinda gonna judge the wattage or the power output that the generator has and then you weigh that against cost,” said Dave White with Home Depot.

Portable generators range from different prices and they’re not all the same.

“Dual fuel which means it runs off of gasoline or propane so if you run out of gas but have a full propane tank from your grill you can switch over and run it off of propane as well,” said White.

White says it’s important to know how to use a portable generator safely

“Know how to operate it. Don’t wait until there’s a storm to learn how to crank it up and buy all the essentials that you’ll need along with it. Any kind of extension cords you might need adapters or plugs or power strips as well,” said White.

White says you should never use a gas-powered generator inside your home and if you live in an apartment there’s other ways you can still prepare, like buying a durable flashlight.

“Lanterns can be nice as well, to have some general lighting around the home if the power goes out and we’ve got this handy bright this is actually something you could hang up or you can use the magnetic end on this to actually stick it onto a refrigerator or any magnetic surface,” said White.

Both White and Deshazo say now is the time to start looking and weighing your options before hurricane season begins.

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.

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