Washington Post reports: severe weather inspring homeowners to invest in generators

Generators, portable or automatic, can help homeowners survive weather's wrath

By Kimberly Lankford

Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, June 5, 2010 

Home generator sales surged after this winter's snowstorms left many people without power -- and heat -- for days.
Roy Cranford, president of CDS Emergency Power Services, a Baltimore-based company that sells and installs generators throughout the mid-Atlantic region, did 40 estimates for permanent home generators from January to March 2009. The number swelled to 400 for the same three months of this year, when snowstorms blew through the area.
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Some helpful advice for taking care of your home in the Snow storm!

Helpful info from our Friends @ JHP plumbing:

If you are one of the unfortunate 90,000 without electricity and thus no heat, or if you know someone who is, please pass this on. 
If you are planning to temporarily move out, follow theses directions


1) Turn off the main water valve

a. Open “all” of the faucets and flush the toiletsb. Turn the water heater to its lowest settingc. If you have a boiler for heat (hot water and/or steam) turn the inlet water off
i. If you do not know where it is, DO NOT do anything 
ii. DO NOT turn the heat or thermostat “off”
iii. Set the thermostat @ 68* and leave it. 

Electric Surge:
This is very important to help protect your electric equipment. Once the main power starts to try to come back on, it usually sends a surge down the line because everything is calling at once.
Here are a couple of very easy things to do that will help prevent surge damage:


1) If you have a well pump, and know where the electric switch is, turn the switch off. 
a. Once the power stops popping & off and decides to stay on,then you can power it back up

2) If you have a “Heat pump” and you know where the breaker is, turn that offa. Once the power stops popping & off and decides to stay on,then you can power it back up
3) Electric water heater see #2


FYI - Due to road and parking conditions, JH Peterson Plumbing will be operating at a very limited basis. 

JH Peterson Plumbing Heating & Well Pumps
John H Peterson
627B Sligo AveSilver Spring MD 20910
(301) 585 3006