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As winter storms move across the central and eastern United States, more than 40 million people are at risk from severe storms – at least thousands of which have lost power.
“When a storm hits and there's a long-term power outage, people either buy a portable generator to power their home or turn off what they already have,” said Nicolette Nee, a spokeswoman for US Consumer Products. Let's take it out.” The security commission told CNN in 2021.
But there are risks: According to the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission, using a generator incorrectly can lead to dangerous consequences, such as electric shock or electrocution, fire, or carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust.
According to the state government office, since the storm began in late December, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has received “16 reports of possible carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from eight separate incidents, all involving improperly generated generators. Are related to use.” Janet Mills.
If you don't have electricity and are thinking about using a portable generator, here are seven tips for doing it safely.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced when fossil fuels – coal, crude oil or natural gas – are burned by furnaces, portable heaters or generators, vehicles, stoves, grills, gas ranges or fireplaces. According to the Maine Governor's Office, depending on the power capacity of the generator, it can emit as much carbon monoxide as a hundred idling cars.
Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images
A man turns on a generator in his home after power went out during a snow storm in Marshfield, Massachusetts on January 29, 2022.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breathing in too much carbon monoxide can cause symptoms such as headache, stomach upset, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. How much you breathe in and your health Depending on the condition, you may even become unconscious or die.
Installing and testing a battery-powered carbon monoxide monitor with a digital readout that shows CO concentration levels is an important way to know the level of carbon monoxide exposure, Nee said.
Read more: 25 ways to stay warm this winter that won't break your savings
A battery-powered smoke detector may indicate if it is also equipped with a carbon monoxide monitor. Levels of more than one to 70 parts per million can cause symptoms.
Since carbon monoxide is absorbent, it's important to have a monitor in your basement. But the potential for exposure on every floor means you should place monitors in main living areas and in or near bedrooms so you can be woken by alarms while you're sleeping.
The CDC advised that even if your power is out, you should still disconnect your normal source of power by turning off the main breaker or fuse before plugging the generator into a household circuit.
If you don't do this, “the electrical current may reverse, travel through the circuit back into the external power grid, and return power lines or electrical systems in other buildings to their original voltage without the knowledge of the utility or other workers.” or near it, the CDC warned.
Paul Hope, consumer reports home and appliances writer, said in a previous interview that this back-feed could electrocute utility workers or people in neighboring buildings.
3. Know where and how to put them
Generators are for outdoor use only, away from any physical structure. National Weather Service That said, you should keep the generator at least 20 feet (6 meters) away from doors, windows, and vents, and never run it inside a house or garage, even if the doors and windows are open.
A very common scenario that causes deaths, Hope said, is when rainy weather prompts people to have a generator in their garage and maybe have their garage door open, allowing exhaust to flow into the house. Go away.
“It happens very often, that kind of frustrating situation immediately after a storm – people who have never used a generator probably don't know it's that dangerous or think the warnings are overblown. Has gone. And that's not really the case,'' he said.
Also, make sure your generator is properly grounded to help prevent shock and electrical shock, which you can do by referring to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's guidelines.
According to OSHA, it is also important to run the generator in a dry environment and on dry surfaces to prevent hazards. If you are wet or standing in water, dry yourself and/or get out of the water before operating the generator.
If the weather is rainy, you can use an umbrella-like structure to protect the generator from water.
To plug appliances such as a refrigerator or laptop charger directly into the generator, use “heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords that are in good working condition and have a wire gauge that can handle the electrical load of any connected appliance.” , “U.S. The Energy Department office advised.
Your generator's owner's manual should indicate which gauge you need, Hope said. When you're shopping, know that “the lower the (gauge) number, the thicker the wire and the thicker the wire, the more electricity it can safely carry,” he adds.
Do not plug one extension cord into another. If you use a thin, weak cord, you may send too much electricity and cause a fire.
And remember: Outdoor-rated and thicker extension cords are made to keep the cord protected from the elements, but the generator should still stay dry.
If you need to store fuel, consider how much you can store and for how long, as additional chemicals are required to keep saved gasoline or diesel fuel usable for more than a month. Might be possible.
Check your generator's supplier or manufacturer's instructions for guidance, or purchase fuel stabilizer from a hardware store or gas station, which will allow you to store it for 18 to 24 months, Hope said. Store fuel in containers approved by the American National Standards Institute or OSHA in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from all potential heat sources.
Turn off the generator and allow it to cool before refueling. If the generator is hot when you're refueling, any gas that expands outside could ignite, Nee said.
Additionally, “If there's a really big storm like the recent one, and the gas stations themselves don't have power, it becomes really important to prioritize what you want to power,” Hope. he said. “Medical equipment, things like refrigeration in general, phone chargers, laptops, anything you need to communicate for security – those are all really great things for power.”
7. Inspect and maintain your generator regularly
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, caring for your generator includes regularly inspecting above-ground storage tanks, pipes and valves for cracks and leaks. If anything is damaged, replace it immediately.
If the generator is in good condition, keep fresh fuel in the tank and run the generator intermittently so it is ready in case an emergency occurs.
Source: amp.cnn.com
