This post was written by Cummins, Inc., a 2018 sponsor of #HurricaneStrong.

Top forecasters are now predicting a quieter hurricane season with 10 tropical storms, four of which will likely develop into hurricanes. Preparing your home for severe weather is still of the utmost importance as it only takes one storm to change a community forever. Being prepared can help alleviate uncomfortable – or even dangerous – living conditions.

A power outage caused by a natural disaster can affect millions of people for days, sometimes even weeks. Being equipped with a generator means you can quickly restore power to your home. Selecting the right type of generator – portable or standby – is key to ensuring you and your home are ready for power outages.

You must turn on a portable generator manually and keep it filled with gas for the duration of an outage. Depending on the portable generator’s wattage, you may only be able to turn on select appliances at any given time.

In addition, you need to operate the portable in an open area a least 10 to 15 feet from your home to avoid exposure to carbon monoxide. To make sure your portable is ready for power outages, test it several times a year by starting it up and making sure it runs properly.

Consider a portable generator if:

• You’ve only experienced one or two power outages lasting less than a day
• You want to power a few necessities like a refrigerator and sump pump
• You don’t live in an area subject to severe weather conditions such as hurricanes, snow and ice storms or even extreme heat that can cause power outages

A home standby generator, like the Cummins QuietConnect Series, is permanently installed and turns on automatically when the power goes out.

Consider a home standby generator if:

• You have been through multiple power outages lasting for several days to weeks
• You want (or need) to power more than a couple of appliances or your entire home
• You live in an area that regularly gets severe weather
• You’ve had to leave your home due to a power outage
• You’ve lost money to food spoilage, hotels costs and flood remediation
• You travel frequently and can benefit from having a generator turn on automatically even when you are away to keep home security and automation running

Standby generators are available in a variety of sizes. Utilize an online calculator to help understand the correct size for your needs. Contract with a certified local dealer to finalize your generator selection and to ensure your generator is properly and safely installed. While home generators exercise themselves regularly to ensure they’re always ready in the event of a power outage, homeowners should still check for debris around a generator before an impending storm.

For more information on Cummins home standby generators and more weather prep tips, visit http://cummins.com/weatherprep