News & Updates

Winter Storm Prep 101

A winter power outage that only lasts an hour or two is inconvenient, but when the lights go out, no one knows when they’ll come back on. For peace of mind now as cold weather sets in, prepare for winter storms ahead of time to avoid the inconvenience of a short-term outage but especially to protect your family from the dangerous results of an extended outage.

No power means no heat, and if you’re surrounded by heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and icy roads, getting out of the house might not be an option for a few days. Here are five things you can do to prepare for severe winter weather.  

1. Prepare an emergency kit

If you live in an area where ice storms frequently cause power outages, make sure you have a first aid kit, medications, a portable phone charger, batteries, flashlights, extra blankets, and a battery-powered radio, as well as a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food for your family and your pets. If someone in your family relies on prescription medications, keep them filled. It’s also smart to keep your gas tank full and have extra propane or gasoline on hand to fuel your portable generator. Don’t have a generator yet? Read on. 

2. Purchase a generator

Nothing’s more important than the health and safety of your family. When the power goes out due to a winter storm, will your family be safe and warm? If you don’t already have one, purchasing a generator you can rely on should be a top priority.

There are two main types of generators for winter storm preparation: portable generators and home standby generators. 

A portable generator is great if you only want to back up a few essentials. Portable generators come in different sizes, they run on either gasoline or propane (duel fuel generators run on either), and they don’t need to be installed. 

If you’d like to power more than just the essentials, or even your whole home, you may want to have a standby generator installed. Standbys never need refueling since they’re connected to your propane or natural gas system. Your home standby generator starts automatically when the power goes out and returns to standby when power is restored, ensuring warmth and safety for your family during a winter storm power outage. If you want to learn more about the difference between home standby generators and portable generators, this resource will help.

3. Prepare your home

To prevent expensive damage from burst water pipes, insulate pipes in exposed areas, and when the temperature drops, let water drip from faucets served by uninsulated outdoor pipes. Keep the warmth in and the cold out by installing storm windows or insulating your windows from the inside with plastic, or pick up an insulation kit at your local hardware store. Check around your doors for air leaks and add weatherstripping where needed. Test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they’re backed up by fresh batteries so they’ll work during an outage. Trim any tree branches that could be a danger to your home if they fell, and make sure your roof and shingles are in top condition so they can withstand heavy snow and strong winds.

4. Prepare your yard

Mulch your gardens to protect plants that you don’t want to freeze. Follow recommendations from a local nursery about the best way to preserve your plants. Store or cover outdoor items that could be damaged during a winter storm. No matter how bad the weather is outside, it’s never an option to run your portable generator or inverter inside. The best way to protect your investment is with a Champion Storm Shield generator cover. The cover withstands winds up to 70 mph, snow loads up to 18 inches, and rain up to 12 inches a day so you can run your generator with confidence in severe weather.

5. Purchase a snow blower

Unless your idea of fun is removing waist-high snow from your driveway with a shovel, buy a snow blower. A snow blower can help you clear your driveway after a snowstorm in record time, and it could be a lifesaver if you need to leave your home during an emergency. If you already own one, get it serviced each fall so it will be ready to go when you need it. Be sure you check your local news to see if the roads are clear so you don’t put yourself or others at risk by venturing out when it’s not safe. 

Prepare your vehicle with things you might need in case you get stranded in a storm when you’re out. Here’s your car emergency kit checklist: blankets, water, chains, jumper cables, ice scrapers, maps, bottled water, coats, hats, gloves, boots, non-perishable snacks, and a first aid kit. The pros recommend keeping sand or cat litter on hand to give your tires better traction on snow or ice in case you get stuck.

Take care of your winter storm prep now and face the unknowns of winter weather with confidence. 

Our lives depend on power. When a power outage occurs, we not only experience a huge interruption to the natural flow of life, we feel vulnerable and out of control.

Short power outages aren’t usually a big deal, but the longer an outage continues, the more at risk you begin to feel. Food in your freezer and fridge begins to thaw. Your home may become dangerously cold or unbearably hot. If you or your loved ones rely on devices powered by electricity or medication that requires refrigeration, a power outage can be life-threatening.

Peace of Mind 24/7

Now’s the time to get prepared so you can ensure the safety and security of your loved ones and your home during a power outage. Portable generators are perfect for tailgating, powering your RV, or backing up a few essential items in your home. However, your portable generator doesn’t turn on automatically for you when the power goes out. Guess what does? A home standby generator! 

If your home experiences a power outage, a home standby generator can step in immediately, usually within about 10 to 15 seconds. You and your family may not even notice that an outage has occurred. HSBs are fully automated to start as soon as power loss is detected. When power is restored, your home standby unit will turn off after about 30 seconds and will need 3 to 5 minutes to cool down. 

If you want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that your family’s needs can be met during a power outage, a home standby generator keeps watch over your home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Talk about peace of mind, right?

Permanent Installation

Home standby generators, or HSBs, also known as permanent or stationary generators, are permanently installed in your yard. Your HSB connects directly to your home’s electrical system and runs on your home’s fuel supply, either natural gas or propane. 

Before you choose a home standby generator, you need to understand the needs of your home and calculate the overall cost and long-term savings. Get equipped now with all the information you need so you can protect your family and your home with a new HSB. 

Understand the needs of your home

A HSB is a long-term investment, so make sure you choose one that’s the right size to meet your needs. Don’t overspend on a larger generator if a smaller one can meet the power needs of your home. Think through what items in your house you’d like to power during an outage. Do you only want to keep the essentials going, or do you want whole-house power? 

A generator’s output tells you how much power it delivers to your home. Most manufacturers have user-friendly tools on their websites to help you choose the best HSB for your needs. Start here with our Home Standby Generator Calculator or ask a dealer or an electrician to make a size recommendation for you.  

You need to know: 

• The square footage of your home
• The size of your air conditioner in tons (Here’s how to find that information.) 
• The electrical service size of your home (Here’s how to find it.) 

Calculate the overall cost and long-term savings

The first thing you need to understand is the difference between the cost of the unit and the cost of ownership. Consider the money you’ll save long-term by purchasing an HSB. Remember, unlike a portable generator, an HSB must be professionally installed, so your purchase includes the HSB unit plus the cost of installation. 

On natural gas, a home standby generator can run almost indefinitely, and when connected to an appropriately sized propane tank, it can provide power for up to a week. If your power is out for a week or more, an HSB may actually pay for itself during one power outage!

An article like this one by Consumer Reports provides HSB ratings by brand. 

• Compare the generator output to the purchase cost.
• Compare the sound levels when the HSB is actually in use.
• Take note of the length of the manufacturer’s warranty and what is covered. Parts are usually the most expensive item on a repair bill, so learn what parts are covered and how long the coverage lasts.
• Are there items you will need that are not included? For example, you may need a cold weather kit in your area to aid startup in the winter. 
• Your HSB will need annual service appointments and periodic replacement of spark plugs, oil, filters, and starting batteries.

Now it’s time to find a local dealer. Make sure the dealer you choose can service your new HSB and perform warranty repairs. 

Installation Pro Tip: The total cost may be lower if your electric meter and gas meter are located on the same side of the house. Costs may be higher if they’re on opposite sides of the house. HSBs can’t be installed within 5 feet of a window, door, vent, or other openings to keep exhaust gas from entering your home.

An entire job quote can include: 

• Delivery of your unit and preparation of the ground for installation
• Landscape modifications if necessary
• Connection to your home’s electrical system using an automatic transfer switch (ATS)
• Connection to your home’s fuel system of natural gas or propane 
• All connections completed to code with permitting as required
• Battery installation and cold weather kit (if needed) installation
• Start up and instruction on the operation and use of your home standby
• Clean up of installation site and removal of all debris
• Warranty registration of your HSB with the manufacturer
• (Don’t forget to ask for all the related product and warranty documentation, plus the dealer contact information.)

Buying a home standby generator means if there’s a power outage, you and your family will be confident and in control. No more unexpected disruptions. No more inconvenience. No more worries about the health and safety of your family. 

Imagine the peace of mind your new home standby generator will provide.

Chilly Weather Prep: The No-Nonsense Guide to Log Splitters

Winter is on its way and unless you’re a polar bear or a penguin, you want to stay warm when it’s chilly. One tried and true way to stay warm is by building a fire, whether you want to gather around a fire pit, a campfire, or a fireplace. 

To build a fire, you need firewood. Using an axe or a saw is one way to chop your firewood, but if you’re serious about stocking up on firewood and saving your back at the same time, a log splitter is the way to go. Once you start using it, you won’t know what you ever did without it. 

Using a log splitter will save you time and energy so you can devote extra time to be productive in other areas or just unwind and relax with friends and family around that fire. You might also save money on your heating bill if you have a nice stockpile of firewood to heat up your home. 

A log splitter is portable and easy to store and doesn’t make a big mess aside from a few wood chips, so you won’t have to devote hours before and after you use it.  

When you’re ready to choose a log splitter, it might be tempting to get overwhelmed with all the choices, but there’s no need for that. 

Log splitters are available in different tonnages. Tonnage is the amount of force a log splitter will exert as it splits a log. So, in order to know how much force you need, you need a general idea of how wide your wood is going to be in diameter, what kind of wood you’re going to be splitting, and whether that wood will be green or dry. 

Wood Width

Consider the largest diameter of wood you plan to split and keep that in mind first. Think about the trees on your property. Even if you only split 6” thick pine logs now, is it possible that you might split 12” or even 18” thick logs in the future? If so, you might want to plan ahead and buy a splitter with more power now so you don’t end up with a tool that can’t do what you need it to later on.

Wood Type

You can check out this cool resource that illustrates the hardness of various wood species, but basically, the harder the wood, the more tonnage you’re going to need. 

Green or Dry Wood 

You also need to know if your wood will be green or dry. Green wood is freshly cut, has a high moisture content, and is a slightly green or yellow color. Dry wood is seasoned, has lost most of its moisture, and is a faded brown or gray color. 

Green wood is difficult to split and takes more tonnage to split effectively. The moisture in the wood will evaporate with time making the wood more brittle and easier to split. If your plan involves splitting green wood, you will need to have a more powerful log splitter and exercise some patience.

How Much Do You Need?

One last thing to consider is the volume of wood you want to split. If you only want enough for a few cozy nights by the fire, you’ll need less tonnage than if you want to split enough wood to warm your home for the rest of the season. 

Features

Now that you know what size log splitter to buy, what features should you look for? 

Horizontal to Vertical 

One awesome feature to consider is the ability to convert your log splitter from horizontal to vertical. If your log splitter is horizontal, you have to lift the log onto the splitter. But – if you’re dealing with an exceptionally large, heavy log, you might want to convert it to vertical so you don’t have to lift the log to place it on the machine. A vertical setup helps you avoid the struggle to lift a large, heavy log onto your log splitter.

Portability

Do you want to take your log splitter to go? If so, you need to make sure it’s portable and easily towable with DOT-approved wheels, a ball hitch coupler, and an extended tongue in case you want to tow it behind your ATV or UTV. 

Storage Options

We get that you’re not going to want to store your log splitter in the living room, but in case your garage or shed is full and you need to store your log splitter outside, never fear. Protective covers are available that will shield your log splitter from the elements and keep it safe, clean, and dry so it’s ready to work when you are. 

If burgers sizzling on a grill makes you think of football, you might be a tailgater. 80% of Americans tailgate every year according to a study conducted by Quicken Loans Racing and Beckon Media. 

Get Serious About Fun 

If you’re serious about tailgating fun, you’re going to want lights, music, and other items that require power. We recommend making an inverter generator part of your regular tailgating setup. 

But first, what is an inverter? 

Inverter generators are lightweight which means easy transportation, portability, and convenient storage. They are also fully enclosed and therefore quiet, which means you won’t disturb others around you or drown out conversations. If you plan to power sensitive electronics, you’ll appreciate the more refined electrical output offered by an inverter generator.

Although they can be expensive up front, over time, your savings will add up due to the variable speed engine that provides fuel efficiency and extended engine life. If you have a demanding power situation that one inverter generator alone can’t handle, you might consider a model that allows you to pair two inverters together, giving you the power advantage of a larger, heavier, generator with the lightweight, portable advantage of an inverter. 

Get Smart About Power 

Inverters are quiet. You don’t want a noisy generator drowning out the music, TV, or conversation around you. 

Inverters are lightweight. You are going to be bringing a load of gear, food, and drinks already. Your power source needs to fit in your vehicle and be easy to load, unload, and set up without straining anything or anybody. 

Inverters reduce emissions. Inverters sense how much power is needed and make adjustments. This reduces emissions, plus the variable speed can also extend your run time (and your fun time!) and the life of your engine. 

Inverters produce clean power. The clean, smooth, steady flow of power produced by an inverter is ideal for electronics that use a microprocessor. You don’t have to think twice about using one to power up your sensitive electronics. Go on and get that satellite dish, laptop, and TV going. 

Inverters are easy to connect. If you need additional power, some inverters can be paralleled with another one to increase or even double your output. Many people really love the flexibility of Champion’s ultra-lightweight inverters that are parallel-ready. If you buy a parallel kit, you can use it to easily connect two compatible inverters together when you have greater power needs. 

Inverters have special features. Choose an inverter with electric push-button start, wireless remote start, economy mode, USB outlets, surge protector, and much more.  

Get Tailgating Season Started 

Whether you’re a seasoned tailgater or just getting started, you need to know which inverter generator is the best fit for your tailgating style. Champion has a handy Generator Selector that makes it easy to think through your power requirements so you can see which generators will be the best fit for your tailgating season. 

What motivates you to keep up with your lawn? Do you want to win Best Lawn in the Neighborhood, make the HOA happy, or maintain the property value of your home? You might just want to feel good, and maybe a little proud of yourself, too, when you drive up to your house. 

You might be interested to learn that keeping your lawn maintained helps the environment. A well-maintained lawn can slow stormwater runoff, reduce noise pollution, keep soil structure loose and open, and clean the air.  

No matter what motivates you to maintain your yard, having the proper equipment for each outdoor task will help you avoid frustration while saving you time and effort.

Professional landscapers have the right equipment for each job. Why shouldn’t you? 

No matter what outdoor outcome you’re hoping for, Champion has a tool to help you get there more efficiently.  

Trimmers

After you mow, you’re going to need to trim the parts of your lawn and garden that your mower can’t reach. A string trimmer, also known as a weedeater or a weed wacker adds a neat, finishing touch to a freshly cut lawn. Gas-powered trimmers are ergonomic and lightweight and can help you get the manicured look you want for your lawn. 

A curved shaft trimmer feels balanced and lets you see and maneuver around objects in your yard as you trim around flower beds and under bushes. A straight shaft trimmer provides a longer reach and helps you trim in tight areas with confidence.

Edgers

If you want to give your lawn that professionally edged look with minimal effort, consider a walk-behind edger. Who knew that taking a walk could transform your yard from overgrown to edged in no time? A curb hop wheel adjustment feature makes it easy to edge along your curb, and if you want a special, decorative edge along your flower beds or mulched areas, you’ll love the fact that you can adjust the blade bevel angle up to 15 degrees to the right or left. 

Leaf Blowers

After mowing, trimming, and sawing, there is usually debris that needs to be taken care of. Having a leaf blower handy can transform an hour-long raking or bagging chore into a simple 15-minute task. A handheld blower is an ergonomic and efficient way to clear away yard debris with minimum effort. You can choose from a lightweight handheld blower, a backpack blower, or a walk-behind leaf blower. Backpack blowers and walk-behind blowers are excellent tools for moving large volumes of garden and yard debris quickly. If you leave your rake in the garage and choose a blower, you can be sure you’ll save your back and have time left over for other things you want to do. 

Maintaining and Storing Your Equipment

Now that your garage is neatly equipped with everything you need to have a great-looking lawn, you’ll want to be sure you maintain your equipment well so it will be ready to operate when you need it. 

If your equipment has a 2-stroke engine, remember this: Premix. Make sure you never mix the oil and fuel in the product’s fuel tank. Read the manufacturer’s directions carefully and always premix the oil and fuel in a separate container first, then add the mixture to the fuel tank on the product. 

If your equipment has a 4-stroke engine like the walk-behind edger, you will not mix oil and gasoline. Follow the directions in your owner’s manual for adding oil and fuel separately, and after use, be sure to store your equipment the right way to save yourself time and trouble later on. 

Before storing your equipment for an extended period of time, we recommend you either drain the fuel from the machine or use a fuel stabilizing additive. If you’re getting equipment out of storage in the springtime, do a spring check-up of all your equipment in case you stored your tools with gasoline in the engine. Gasoline that’s been sitting in an engine for an extended time can cause issues with your equipment so it may not be ready for use when you need it. 

Depending on the type of equipment, you may also need to check the oil and change it before the beginning of the season. If your equipment has an air filter, take the time to clean and inspect it, and replace it if necessary. 

Do your tools have pull cords? If you’ve ever experienced a pull cord breaking when you’re ready to get down to work, you know how frustrating that can be. Pull out all your cords periodically and inspect the entire length and check for cuts, breaks, or fraying. Save yourself a lot of time and trouble later by replacing the cord immediately if you notice any damage.

Check your edger blades to make sure they’re sharp and mounted correctly, and be sure your weedeater spool has plenty of string. It’s also wise to check your tools to be sure all the bolts and fasteners are tight.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2022

CO Shield®: Champion Power Equipment’s Technology Monitors the Accumulation of Harmful Carbon Monoxide

Champion Power Equipment is taking a large step in generator safety by equipping and transitioning all models manufactured after January 1, 2023 in its portable generator lineup with CO Shield, an advanced carbon monoxide (CO) detection system.

CO Shield monitors the accumulation of carbon monoxide and shuts down the generator when unsafe levels are detected. CO is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and poisonous.

The dangers of carbon monoxide are real. It’s impossible to determine the presence of the harmful gas by sight or smell. CO Shield is not a substitute for safe practices or an indoor carbon monoxide alarm.

Generators must ALWAYS be used outdoors, far away from occupied buildings with engine exhaust pointed away from people and buildings. Engine exhaust fumes must never be allowed to enter a confined area through windows, doors, vents or other openings.

When unsafe elevated levels of CO gas are detected, the CO Shield LED alert will pulse red to indicate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and the generator will shut down.

As a charter member of the PGMA (Portable Generator Manufacturers’ Association), Champion helped develop the ANSI/PGMA G300-2018 portable generator safety standard, including this important update addressing carbon monoxide safety.

Since portable generator safety is the top priority for Champion, they urge their customers to remember that no generator feature can ever replace safe operating procedures. CO Shield is now available on current and newly released generator models.

According to Champion, CO Shield was designed for reliability and longevity. The UL-listed sensor tests itself automatically and lasts a minimum of a decade.
CO Shield Technology is one of many examples of how Champion Power Equipment is working tirelessly to provide advanced, innovative features to ensure its customers have safe, reliable power whenever they need it.

Champion’s CO Shield is not a substitute for safe practices or an indoor carbon monoxide alarm.

Visit www.takeyourgeneratoroutside.com to learn more about generator safety and the hazards of carbon monoxide, and look for CO Shield on Champion generator models.

Going camping for vacation? You’re not alone. According to Kampgrounds of America (KOA), 57 million households headed to the great outdoors last year, with 80% of all leisure travelers choosing some form of camping or glamping for some of their trips.* 

Whether you’re a seasoned camping enthusiast or ready to try something new, you need to decide on a power source. 

If you’re planning to add a standard portable generator to your camping gear, consider an inverter generator instead. Here’s why. 

Inverters are Quiet, Save on Fuel, and Reduce Emissions

Ask people why they’re choosing to camp and most will say something about peace and quiet. What they’re envisioning usually doesn’t involve a loud generator.Inverters are quieter than traditional generators because they’re fully enclosed which means you won’t disturb others around you when you want to power up your coffee maker.

Campgrounds and parks have noise ordinances for many reasons, and it’s wise to make sure the generator you purchase will stay well within the boundaries of what’s allowed. Just like those around you, you’re probably camping to enjoy the wildlife, not scare it all away.

The noise level of an inverter depends on what’s connected to it. It senses how much power is needed and makes adjustments. This lowers the noise level, saves big on fuel, and reduces emissions. An inverter’s variable speed can also extend your run time and the life of your engine. 

Inverters Produce Clean Power

Clean power is defined as 3% or less THD (Total Harmonic Distortion). The THD level of some traditional portable generators can be as high as 9% which makes them less than ideal for powering many electronics. The THD of inverters is usually below 3%, many times as low as 1%. 

The clean, smooth, steady flow of power produced by an inverter is ideal for electronics that use a microprocessor. Inverters produce some of the cleanest power around, meaning you don’t have to think twice about using one to power up your sensitive electronics. 

Inverters Are Easy to Transport and Easy to Connect

For outdoor activities when you’re camping, you need a power source that’s lightweight and easy to transport from one place to another. An inverter’s fuel tank and other components are smaller, making them much lighter and more portable than traditional generators. 

If you want to use an inverter but need additional power, some inverters can be paralleled with another one to increase or even double your output. Many people really love the flexibility of Champion’s ultra-lightweight inverters that are parallel-ready. If you buy a parallel kit, you can use it to easily connect two compatible inverters together when you have greater power needs. 

Inverter Selection Made Simple 

Whether you’re glamping in your RV with a TV, gaming console, and air conditioning or roughing it in a tent, you need to think about what items require power and whether or not you’ll be using several of them at the same time. Champion has a handy Generator Selector that makes it easy to think through your power requirements so you can see which generators will be the best fit for your needs. 

Inverters are available with many other special features, such as electric push-button start, wireless remote start, economy mode, USB outlets, surge protector, and much more.   

Whether you plan to camp for an extended season, take a week or two with the family, or enjoy a quick weekend getaway, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’ve chosen a power source that’s the best fit for your needs.  

For lightweight, portable power on the go, grab an inverter and take it with you on your next camping trip.

 *Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/camping-hits-new-record-with-57-million-households-flocking-to-the-outdoors-in-2021-301531301.html#:~:text=About%20seven%20million%20leisure%20traveler%20households%20will%20try%20camping%20in%202022.

People who experience hurricanes have one thing in common. If they could go back in time, they would have been more prepared. Most of us subconsciously assume that our lives won’t ever really be disrupted by the weather. This makes it easier to put hurricane preparedness at the bottom of our to-do list. 

Most of you reading this probably won’t have your life disrupted by a hurricane. But wouldn’t it be worth it to go ahead and prepare anyway just in case? Get ready now and your future self, your family, and your home will thank you. 

Here are 6 items hurricane survivors recommend you take care of right away.  

• Evacuation Plan: Know the recommended evacuation route, and keep your gas tank full. 
• Supplies: Keep bottled water and other supplies on hand.
• Hurricane Kit: Include a first-aid kit, medications, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, batteries, whistle, and local maps.
• Copy Important Documents: Back up your computer, and keep copies of important documents in a safety deposit box. 
• Prepare Your Home: Secure or store outdoor items, and make sure your roof and shingles are in good shape to withstand strong winds.
• Back Up Your Power: Determine what type of generator you need in case of a power outage. 

Hurricanes mean power outages. If conditions are unsafe, you and your family may need to remain at home. You depend on your refrigerator, electric stove, lights, and A/C. What if they can’t be used? Communication is vital during a hurricane power outage, and if you can’t charge your phone, use your computer, or tune in to the local news, you’ll be cut off from communication.

If you lose the ability to cool your home during the summer months, the heat can make your home unbearable, and continual high temperatures and humidity can damage your home’s interior. Losing power to your refrigerator means your food will go bad and replacing it can be incredibly expensive.

Hurricane power outage readiness should include the purchase of a generator. Owning a reliable generator ensures peace of mind during a power outage caused by a hurricane.

There are two main types of generators for hurricanes: portable and home standby. 

A portable generator is a convenient solution if you only want to back up a few essentials. Portable generators come in different sizes, they run on either gasoline or propane, and they don’t need to be installed. If you haven’t looked at generators in a while, you’ll find lots of new technology and features designed to make your life easier. One example is Carburetor Free® electronic fuel injection technology, which helps conserve fuel and simplify long-term storage. Portable generators also include a variety of convenient features like wireless remote start so you can start and stop your generator from up to 80 feet.

If you’d like to power more than just the essentials, or even your whole home, you may want to have a standby generator installed. Standbys never need refueling since they are connected to your propane or natural gas system. Your home standby generator starts automatically when the power goes out and returns to standby when power is restored, ensuring security and convenience for your family during a hurricane power outage.

Hurricane season is upon us, so post your to-do list in a prominent place, and don’t forget to invest in a safe source of backup power. Following recommendations from hurricane survivors and making preparations ahead of time will give you and your family peace of mind so you can relax and enjoy your summer.