March snowstorms cause homeowners to seek home generators

Some New Jersey homeowners who lost power during two major snowstorms say that they are considering installing a home generator.
The owners of Danley Electrical Contractors in Monroe Township say that they have received as many as 200 calls since Saturday from customers wanting a generator.
Charles Billman who works for the company says that there are some things that homeowners should know before committing to the purchase.
“The gas company has to be notified that they are installing a generator, otherwise the meter will be too small,” he says.
Electrical experts also say that homeowners should make a list of the electrical items that they can’t live without, such as a medical device that needs power. This is so that the homeowner knows what size generator that they should buy.
There is also annual maintenance of the generators, which runs on a motor.
“Oil change, valve adjustments, adding the right kind of oil, knowing when to add oil,” Billman says.
A number of contractors who spoke with News 12 New Jersey say that the last time demand was this high for generators was after Superstorm Sandy in 2012.