Last year, Hurricane Irene caused a serious amount of damage to areas along the east coast of the U.S. The hurricane hit New England particularly hard, with major sections of Connecticut and Massachusetts losing power for an extended amount of time. Some areas in Connecticut actually lost power for close to two weeks, with an overall average of one week without power. Although different bureaucratic issues might have played a part in the slow restoration of power, this type of situation can happen anywhere, whether you are facing a hurricane, a tornado, a blizzard or any other type of natural storm.

For this reason, many home owners are beginning to take a page from self-sufficiency experts and are purchasing portable generators for their homes. Portable generator units don’t always run on gasoline, like you might think. Some generators offer safer and more cost-effective means of producing power for your home – i.e. batteries, solar panels, etc. Not only are these types of generators clean for the environment – they are also quieter than a traditional generator.

One of the best features of indoor / outdoor power generators is their ability to be moved easily and at a moment’s notice. How many times have you decided to go camping on the spur of the moment? Simply place your portable generator in your car along with your camping supplies and you’re ready to go!

Self sufficient and prepared home owners have generators for a number of reasons beyond simply being ready for any type of power outage, caused by nasty weather or not. Homesteads that are not connected to ‘the grid’ will use solar power generation as a main source of power when needed. Each generator has a number of different outlets for whatever your particular needs may be, even if you need a USB connection for your cell phone or computer.

Whether you consider getting a generator for preparedness or pleasure, think of the peace of mind you’ll gain by being ready for any type of power outage.