If you're caught up in the current Nor'easter moving through New England right now, you might be trying to decide between a snow blower to clear all that snow, or a generator to return some power to your home. The problem is, during an event like this local hardware & big box stores tend to sell out pretty quickly.
Unless you really got ahead of the crowd, chances are you're ending up empty handed. You may end up getting a generator before power is restored, but you probably won't be able to wait on a snow blower when you have to clear your driveway now to get to work tomorrow. This is the perfect time to plan for the next big storm.
While power outages that occur during the summer can be bearable, a winter power outage leaves you and your family in the cold. Since there is snow falling, wind howling, and mercury dropping, you may not want to be dealing with a portable generator and running power cords around your house.
This is a great case for a standby generator. When the power goes out, it is restored within minutes or seconds, and you can stay warm & toasty inside with your family. A standby generator will require a bit more planning than simply hooking a few lights up to a Honda EU2000i, but will save you quite a bit of hassle when the storm does come. And since electricity and water do not mix, a standby generator will allow you to restore power immediately, instead of waiting for the storm to pass to get the portable generator set up and running.
Before the next big storm hits, get the equipment you need before you need it, or you may be left in the cold when the hardware stores sell out.