People are getting upcharged per kw if you didn't have a locked rate. From 9 cents to 15 cents. It's time to start getting off the grid
I think this is an issue. A full installation of a 24Kw is going to be $14-20K depending on the installer. The generator is $6K, but all the electrical panels, equipment, labor, etc. adds up. If the builder, nor generac will warranty it, that's a bad deal...it would be better to negotiate $15k off the house or for other upgrades and have a Generac dealer install separately.
We always joked about this when we stay in a suite in Vegas and the have a "free" lounge with drinks and snacks. Its not "free", its "included".
I have whole house batteries and it just occurred to me that I can use a Free Nights or EV electricity plan. Then I run the house from batteries during the day and recharge them at night when it's free. Yesterday, I calculated I'd save ~$500-$1000 annually. You don't get that using Generac or any other generator. My batteries operate in UPS mode so when the power goes out, the batteries instantly kick in so if I'm away, no worry about losing the fridge, wifi, security system, etc. I get ~1-2 days of runtime. Once the batteries start running low, I can then drag out my gas generator to recharge. I can also opt to not run the generator at night to get some sound sleep. I haven't delved into solar yet but that's the next step. It's easy to add those later. In the meantime, my wife has peace of mind even if I happen to be away.
Well, if you aren't bothered by the noise, that's all that matters. Everybody else should just be more like you and we'll fix all our problems. There was an old rule at RV parks that no genny's after ~10pm. That rule definitely did not extend to the general public during this last outage. Every 4th house was running their gen 24/7. Nobody cared. Folks were saying if you don't like your neighbor's noise, then get your own generator and drown them out. lol. At some point, maybe in our lifetime, we'll figure out how to transition from fossil fuels.
I'm not bothered by the noise, mostly because I wear earplugs at night, something I started doing when it wasn't my shift with babies when the kids were younger. I also always travel with them because when I used to road trip for work, my boss was running a ****ing chainsaw all night. But it's part of the deal living in a neighborhood, it's going to be loud at times and during disasters that's what we have to deal with. It's not like it's out of the norm during a power outage. I guess if you're tired enough you will sleep through anything anyway.
Well, yeah. That's true of pretty much any incentive the builder gives you. I was just interested because I was hoping I wouldn't have to deal with it after building the house and it would maybe be warrantied. It's like people saying they bought a spec home and saved $50,000 because the dealer dropped the price that much. No, they jacked up the price $50-$100k and kept reducing it down to where they still easily make a profit. Most of the cabinet, flooring, etc. upgrades are usually overpriced, as well. So when they give you $20,000 in upgrades, you paid for all or most of it. As a matter of fact, one of the builders was offering $20k in upgrades a month ago, I think. Now they're offering the "free" generator + $10k in upgrades. It's all probably the same. I would rather have the $20k in upgrades, I think. I've already seen the fine print where the builder doesn't want to take responsibility, but I don't know if anybody like the installer or Generac would warranty the work or the actual generator after the fact. For example, does Generac require using certain installers? That's what worries me. Otherwise, I pretty much said I'd go ahead and pay for one out-of-pocket or just risk it and not have a generator and ask for more money for options or something.
Hmm I bought my generator on 7/5 so it's within the allowable dates. However, the site also says that the generator would have to be purchased as a result of power outage. My power didn't go out until 7/8. So I didn't buy it directly because of the power outage. I wonder if I qualify?
That's good, but I have questions: How does one apply for the assistance? When it says, "Applicants must meet the conditions of eligibility for FEMA assistance"... where is that defined? When it says, "The allowable award amount for generators is limited to the prevailing retail or rental rate for a 5.5 kw-sized generator, as identified by FEMA" where is that defined?
Can a home generator be combined with solar panels? I looked into panels a few years ago but they were not worth it for the upfront costs vs electricity saved. I am not sure what I’d do for 10 days of outtage like you all did.
We still see hotel rooms shared by coworkers occasionally when employees get a per diem allowance and want to pocket more of that for themselves... so they double up with other members of the crew... and go to Walmart or Bodega Aurrerá for groceries to save on lunch/dinner... It's amazing how much behavior changes when it's your money that you are spending and not the company's. Incentive alignment is huge even at the lowest levels.
