Power outages, or “blackouts,” occur when there is a disruption in the generation and distribution system of the power company.

The most common causes of power outages are severe storms.  Ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rain can damage or destroy the power lines, switchgear, and transformers that deliver power to your home.

The most critical electrical devices in a home are typically some lights, TV and radio, water pump, refrigerators and freezers, and the circulation blowers for a gas heating system.

If you experience power outages a few times a year and they typically don’t last over a day or two, we recommend a back-up gas, propane, or diesel generator and a transfer switch (isolates your home from the power grid).  Home Depot, or other local hardware store, is a good place to get the equipment and assistance you need.

If your outages last longer than a few days, then a Bergey HomeSure package should be considered.  This is particularly true if you are in a state that offers a significant subsidy program.

For a wind system to supply power during a power outage it must have batteries and special electronics that are not needed in systems that simply reduce utility bills  Therefore, these systems, like the Bergey HomeSure line, typically cost 20-40% more.  In the Bergey product line the GridTek systems can not supply power during an outage and the HomeSure systems can supply power during an outage.

Here at our web site you can learn about the differences in these systems, calculate their performance and economics … and you can even learn how to buy them directly and install them yourself.