Preparing for a “Quiet” Hurricane Season

A Softer Forecast—But Not a Free Pass

The forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting a less active than normal hurricane season this year. YAY! VIVA EL NIÑO! Well . . . Before we get too excited, please meet my friends Andrew and Alicia. Both were devastating hurricanes that came during El Niño cycles.

Stay Alert, Stay Ready

Don't go to sleep on hurricane season, and for goodness sake, pull the trigger on the back up generator this year!!! Are they expensive? Yes. Is it money well-spent during an extended power outage brought on by hurricane, freeze, insanely strong straight winds, or just the randomness of the Texas powergrid? Also, YES!

Top Picks for Home Generators

I asked three AIs (ChatGPT, Grok, and Copilot) to give me their recommendations on the best overall backup generator for your home. Surprise! All three came back with the same answer: the 22kW Generac Guardian. This likely means that the Generac is the most popular and the fact that you cannot walk through a Sam's without walking past one every single time. The Kohler 20-22kW was close second and all the bots considered it an "upgrade" if noise was an issue.

Understanding the Investment

Of course, neither generator is cheap and a professional install (which is a must) will double the price.

Don’t Overlook Maintenance

An additional factor to consider is maintenance. These things are engines and engines don't perform if they are ignored. You wouldn't expect your car to start and perform as intended if it sat in your garage unused and neglected for 12 to 24 months. Your generator will act the same way.

Is It Worth It?

Did we talk you out of it? Maybe. They ARE expensive. But, go find someone who has a full home generator and ask them if it was worth it. I bet I know what they will say!