Power Outages Can Cost Thousands of Dollars—Unless You Have This Key Equipment

Power outages are a common problem that often occur during extreme weather. In many cases, the power is only out for a few hours as the local electric authority works to repair downed lines, but in some instances, households can be without power for entire days or even weeks at a time.

The longer the power is out, the greater the expense to the homeowner. These costs can range from just $25 to as much as $25,000 or more, depending on the duration of the outage and any additional damage that may occur as a result of the home being without power. 

To prepare your home for a power outage, it’s highly recommended to install a standby generator like the KOHLER 26 kW Home Generator, which can be used to keep your appliances working and ensure that the heat or AC remains on until power can be restored to the neighborhood.

Minor Power Outage Costs

Often it’s the little costs that go unnoticed until you glance at your monthly bank statement to see just how much of your hard-earned money was used to get you through the most recent power outage. Costs like food loss, emergency supplies, and expenses for alternative shelter can quickly add up as the duration of a power outage continues to grow. 

Food Loss

The food in the cupboards or pantry is usually safe during a power outage, but the freezer and refrigerator require electricity to function. Even when you do your best to avoid opening the door to the fridge, the temperature inside the appliance gradually increases until it’s no longer suitable for food storage. It can cost $250 to $500 to replace spoiled food caused by a power outage. 

Emergency Supplies

Those who choose to remain home during a power outage will want to have batteries for their flashlights and emergency radio, ice to keep food cold, and coolers to help store food. Additionally emergency items could include medical or first aid supplies, nonperishable foods, and water. On average, plan to spend at least $25 to $100 on emergency supplies. 

Alternative Shelter

In the dead of winter or the middle of summer, the HVAC system ensures your home remains at a comfortable temperature, but when the power goes out, you won’t have heat or air conditioning to rely on. Heading to a nearby motel or hotel may be your only option to get through the next few days, but paying for this alternative shelter for the family can cost on average $200 or more per night, not including the cost of food and water.

Major Power Outage Costs

While minor power outage costs, like replacing spoiled food, can put some strain on your household budget, there are several circumstances where a simple power outage can end up costing you tens of thousands for repairs. Without a source of electricity, the HVAC system, sump pump, and other appliances cannot function, leading to burst pipes, flooding, and significant costs for mold cleanup.

Burst or Frozen Pipes

When winter storms hit and the power fails, the heat in the home quickly fades, leaving the interior infrastructure vulnerable to freezing temperatures. The pipes inside the home can freeze, causing damage to the faucets and fixtures. If there is too much water inside the pipes with no outlet for expansion, the ice in the lines can actually cause the pipes to burst, resulting in roughly $12,500 in repair costs.

Flooding

Flooding can occur when the pipes in a home freeze and burst during a power outage, causing the water in the pipes to pour into the home. However, even in the summer, a power outage can cause flooding, especially if the sump pump fails. On average, even a 2-inch flood can cost homeowners around $26,500 to clean up and restore the home, so it’s important to get the power back on as soon as possible to help prevent flooding. If you’ve invested in a finished basement, this becomes even more critical.

Mold Remediation

Water can enter the home through burst pipes, a failed sump pump, or it may even seep through the foundation walls depending on the amount of rain. Once water gets inside the home, it runs into all the various nooks and crannies that are normally hidden from sight. In these dark, damp locations, mold begins to grow and spread throughout the home. If you want to get rid of the mold before it can cause more issues, plan to spend between $500 and $30,000 for mold remediation services. 

Eliminate Power Outage Costs With a Standby Generator

Power outages can cause a host of problems, both for the home and for the people who live there, but just because the power goes out in the neighborhood doesn’t mean that you need to remain in the dark until the local utility company can resolve the issue. Investing in a standby generator, like the KOHLER 26 kW Home Generator, gives your home a readily available backup power source that can function in the worst storms. 

The KOHLER 26 kW Home Generator is a permanent fixture for the home that runs on your home’s existing liquid propane or natural gas source. It turns on automatically when the home loses power, so the homeowner doesn’t even need to be present to ensure the heating, lights, and appliances remain powered during an outage. 

Take advantage of this highly recommended standby generator to cut costs associated with power outages, saving on replacement groceries, alternate-shelter expenses, emergency supplies, and more. Not only does a standby generator help to eliminate minor power outage costs, it also provides power to the sump pump to reduce the risk of flooding and keeps the heat on so the pipes won’t freeze and burst. 

Additionally, installing a Kohler standby generator may increase the property value of the home, depending on where you live and the current real estate market. Home insurance rates can also be affected with the installation of a standby generator, with many homeowners seeing lower insurance rates as a result. Before the next storm hits, consider installing a Kohler home generator to keep your home safe when the power goes out.