Generator Safety Tips

Between summer's hurricanes and winter's ice storms and blizzards, a home generator is becoming less and less of a luxury. People use generators to run everything from needed medical equipment to air conditioners to whole houses. Yet we often read of fatalities caused by these gas-powered machines.

Here are some tips to make sure you don't make the obituaries earlier than you should...

Generator safety tips

Hazards to avoid when using a generator include carbon monoxide poisoning from the exhaust, electric shock and fire.

Some safety tips:

* Make sure the generator is rated for the amount of power needed to run the equipment that will be connected to it.

* Never use a generator indoors, including inside a garage, carport or crawl space, even with ventilation.

* Keep the generator away from windows, doors and vents that could allow fumes indoors.

* Keep the generator dry; do not use it in rain or wet conditions.

* Don’t touch the generator with wet hands.

* Turn the generator off and let it cool before refueling.

* Plug appliances directly into the generator or use a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cord that is rated, in watts or amps, at least equal to the sum of the connected appliance loads.

* Do not try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet, a practice known as “backfeeding.”

* Check oil daily during use.

* Keep gas fresh. Add a gas stabilizer when planning to store the generator unused for 30 days or longer.

Sources: American Red Cross, Briggs & Stratton

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