Power to Weather the Storms
After retiring from the Air Force following more than 20 years of service, Charles Wheeler decided to protect families in a different fashion by starting a whole home generator business in Central Florida.
With the aid of his brother, who was operating a successful generator business in Shreveport, La., he became a co-owner of Wheeler Generators, a company that provides the greater Orlando area with installation, maintenance and repair services on four brands of generators: Briggs and Stratton, Champion, Genera and Kohler.
Whole home generators are permanently installed power sources that have insulated covers to protect them from weather and to keep noise levels down. The units kick on automatically during a power outage and keep all of the appliances and lights in your home on for days or even weeks through propane or natural gas.
Wheeler said a lot of people might believe whole home generators are cost prohibitive, but he said they usually prove to be a great investment.
“Generators tend to hold their installation cost value to the home and make selling a home a great incentive to buyers,” he says.
They can also provide peace-of-mind for property management companies who have tenants in locations prone to power outages.
The independent product testing organization Consumer Reports argues considering a whole home generator should be a no-brainer for individuals and families who live in regions where severe weather is the norm.
“Home standby generators are expensive, but they’re the gold standard in backup power, and they outperform all other types of generators in our ratings,” says Dave Trezza, who heads the generator testing program for Consumer Reports. “If you can afford it, I’d tell you to pick a home standby generator every time.”
Generators are installed and ready to run within 72 hours of signing a contract with Wheeler Generators, and there are financing options available up to 48 months to assist those ready to invest in a system.
