A home backup generator should fill a house with peace of mind during a storm, not threaten death with carbon monoxide.
In a Reddit post, a homeowner explained that after about 12 hours of using the generator during an outage, their carbon monoxide alarms suddenly went off at midnight. The fire department later confirmed that the generator had been pumping dangerous levels of CO into the house.
"Called my generator installer and he claims that everything is done to spec, and didn't really seem concerned that we almost died from it. He said exhausting the generator 'is not a thing.' He's coming by tomorrow, but to be honest I have lost all confidence in him after this," the homeowner wrote.
While this may be a case of poor installation, it does show how dependent many homeowners are becoming on backup generators during worsening extreme weather. Not only does extreme weather put pressure on current electrical systems, but it also requires the operation of generators that add to the cause because of their reliance on dirty energy.
Switching to clean, renewable energy such as rooftop solar panels can help homeowners avoid these risks altogether.
Going solar is one of the best ways to slash monthly power bills while also lowering the pollution that's overheating our planet. Homeowners curious about costs can explore EnergySage's free tools, which provide instant estimates and allow people to compare quotes from vetted installers. With EnergySage's help, the average person can secure nearly $10,000 in credits and rebates.
The urgency to make the switch is real: Congress is eliminating the federal solar Investment Tax Credit, which currently lets homeowners claim 30% back on solar installations, at the end of this year. That means projects need to be completed before December 31 to qualify. Missing the deadline could cost households thousands of dollars in lost incentives.
EnergySage also offers a helpful mapping tool that shows, state by state, how much a solar panel system typically costs and which incentives are available locally. Together, these free resources help homeowners get the best price and take advantage of every dollar available before the tax credit disappears.
Save $10,000 on solar panels without even sharing your phone number Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation. To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner. |
Pairing solar panels with other electric appliances can lead to even more savings. EnergySage also offers homeowners a free heat pump quote comparison tool so they can find the right system for their house and budget.
"If it's run 'for days at a time' without a problem and now is tripping CO detectors in 12 hours, something changed. If it was an install problem, I would have expected it to alarm CO the very first time it was used," one commenter suggested. "Look to see what's different."
"If you're not thoroughly confident in your ability to fix this, hire another company to fix it," another commenter wrote.
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