It’s been three weeks since the September 14th windstorm and four years since the big Christmas ice storm of 2004. I spent 5 days sitting in the dark while all the food in my freezer rotted. The electric in this part of Ohio goes out at least once or twice a year, usually only two to six hours at a time. I’ve put off buying a generator because of the expense but I’m not willing, after this last electric outage, to spend any more time in the dark or cold for a few hundred dollars a generator would cost me.

Portable generators are sold at many stores, including major home-improvement stores, Tractor Supply, Wal-Mart, Honda Power Stores and online. You can find details on Troy-Bilt generators at www.troybilt-gen-pw.com and for John Deere at www.deere.com as well as Briggs & Stratton generators at www.briggandstratton.com.

If you plan to buy one, here are some considerations in evaluating your options:

• Price
• Watts generated
• Noise level
• Run time on a tank of gas
• Automatic idle control
• Electric or hand starter

Be cautious about buying off-brand generators, especially those less than $300.00. Some are of questionable quality and all generally produce low wattage. Some would barely power a hair dryer.

A small generator at 3,250 watts running and 3,500 watts peak, will power a refrigerator/freezer, television and four lights. A larger generator at 6,200 watts running and 9,750 watts peak will power a water-well pump, a window air-conditioner or furnace, refrigerator/freezer, television and eight 75-watt lights.

Lowe’s Troy-Bilt portable generators sell between $400 and $700, and a John Deere model for $800.

Whole-house generators are another option. They run on natural gas or propane and are designed to turn on automatically when the power fails. They start at $2000 for an 8,000-watt generator but will require professional installation. Two major brands are Centurion and Guardian, both made by Generac (www.centuriongenerators.com)

Anyone who sells generators will provide a worksheet to help determine how much power you need for essentials in your house. Northern Tool & Equipment has a helpful guide online at www2.northerntool.com/generator-buyers-guide.htm.

Safety is a concern with generators. Make sure you read all safety information carefully. In particular, make sure you keep gasoline-powered generators away from your house so that carbon monoxide doesn’t seep in. Store gasoline in proper containers away from your house. Hire an electrician if you plan to connect the generator to your breaker box. And make sure that any extension cords you attach to the generator are 14-gauge at a minimum. Anything smaller is a fire hazard. Better is a 12-gauge cord, and best is 10-gauge.