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Make sure your portable generator works before you need it.

There is precious little jargon to understand with the Q6500. This is the twist lock 30-amp device (aka plug) that you'd connect directly to a transfer switch at the house with a cord impossible to plug into anything else. Simple.

We regularly make sure our portable generator is ready for the next storm.

A portable generator keeps my anxiety lower because I know that I’m doing everything I can do to keep my family safe and comfortable, no matter the weather.

When is the best time to check a generator?

Jack and I know there’s always potential weather brewing. So, we realize the best time to make sure the generator works (ours is a Briggs and Stratton inverter generator) is way BEFORE we need it.

The best time to make sure it starts and you have clean fuel is BEFORE the storm hits and the power shuts off. You know what I mean. It’s important to me that my family is safe and that I know I’ve done everything I can to keep them as safe and comfortable as possible, in any weather.

It’s also important to review the safety precautions in using the portable generator. For example, place exhaust downwind and away from the house, and never in a garage.

What do you need to know about buying a back-up generator?

Buying a portable back-up generator is a big decision, so I’m sharing a few important things to consider in the video below.

Why check the generator with my son?

While I’m doing the work of setting it up, since it’s heavy and Jack is 11, it’s important to me that he sees and understands that there is a sequence of set-up steps that exist. Showing him these steps of home projects has became part of our father-son DIY time.

What do you think?

What do you think about portable back-up generators? Do you have a portable generator at your home?

About the Author

Mark is a licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor. He writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter’s Notebook.

Mark Clement, MyFixitUpLife Carpenter

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