When a hurricane or a natural disaster hits, many people will have to evacuate.
When evacuation is ordered, sometimes going to a hotel a little bit inland makes more sense than staying where you are.
This brings up the question of whether or not a hotel has a backup generator.
If you are leaving because you are worried about a power loss, does it really make more sense to go to a hotel?
We have put together some helpful information about hotels and generators to help you understand your options.
Do Hotels Have Backup Generators?
Most hotels do not have backup generators.
The generators of hotels would need to bring power to all of the rooms and the essential parts of the hotel would be very large.
Since the cost to purchase, maintain, and run this generator is quite high, most hotels do not opt to put one in.
Hotels are also a convenience for people; they are not a life-or-death situation.
In the case of a hospital, a backup generator is essential as it could save lives.
Some high-end resorts may have a backup generator in place, but this does not always mean that your room will have all of its normal functions.
Generators are usually built to run things like a light or a refrigerator, but it may not mean you have full power in your hotel room.
Traditionally, if you are in a hotel for an extended period of time without power, your rate will be reduced or the hotel will help relocate you to another property that does have power.
What Is a Backup Generator Used For?
A backup generator is used to give people power when the power goes out.
Backup generators usually run on fuel and not electricity.
When the power goes out, some backup generators will kick in automatically.
Others will need to be turned on and started up.
A backup generator is essential when there are medical needs that require power.
For most people, the backup generator is more of a convenience than a necessity.
Do I Need a Backup Generator?
As we mentioned, the most important reason for having a backup generator is if you have a medical need that requires power.
If you do not have this, then a backup generator is a matter of personal preference.
There are a few things to consider before you purchase a backup generator.
For starters, the generators are very expensive.
You can purchase either a portable unit or a whole home unit.
The portable units are usually several hundred dollars, and they can run on gasoline.
Some portable generators are now made to run with solar power as well.
The whole home generators typically run on gas, and they are designed to keep your home functioning even during a power outage.
Although the whole home generators may not power your entire home, they can usually power a good portion of it to make life comfortable.
Things can get uncomfortable very fast for people who live in warm states when you lose power in the summer.
For those who live in cooler states, the same can be said in the winters without heat.
A backup generator is a great tool to have, but it comes at an expense.
Does Disney Have Generators?
Disney has a very large backup power/generator system.
If the power goes out in Disney, it would only be a matter of seconds before everything would be back up and running.
Although Disney World will close if there are some hurricanes in the area, this is more for the visitors’ safety than it is about losing power.
Disney has many people working and visiting on a daily basis, and a small blip in the power cycle caused by a downed line or something could be detrimental.
Luckily, their backup power system is very high functioning, and you won’t be experiencing any power loss while you are enjoying Disney World.
How Long Does it Take for a Backup Generator to Kick In?
A backup generator will only take about ten to twenty seconds to kick in.
This is a great way to know if the building you are in has backup power or not.
When the power goes down, wait those ten to twenty seconds to see if anything comes back on.
You may notice some lights coming on but not all of them, which is probably because the generator is set to work to keep the building safe and accessible.
Sometimes buildings will have hall lights that kick on but not room lights.
This is to make it safer for people to exit the building if necessary.
Many grocery stores have backup generators to make sure that food does not go bad while the power is out.
You will probably notice that the store’s overhead lighting is much dimmer, but the freezers and refrigerators stay on.
Some stores will ask you to leave and return at a later date to complete your purchase.
Chances are their systems have all restarted because of the outage, and you will have no way of checking out.
How Long Can A Generator Run For?
A generator can usually run for a few hours at a time.
Once it runs for a few hours, it usually runs out of fuel, or the generator will need to shut down to give it a rest.
Generators are not designed to continually run as a permanent source of power.
Some high-powered generators for hospitals can go for a few days at a time, but this is not something you would want to keep running for weeks or months.
The generator has a lot of work to do and demanding this much from it is not always possible.
For people who have small at-home generators, it is best to run your generator for an hour or so and then turn it off.
Save some fuel, deal without having power on for a little bit, and then turn the generator back on.
This helps to conserve fuel, especially if you are going to be dealing with an extended outage.
Your fridge is probably the most important thing you want to make sure you turn on periodically.
If you were to lose all the food in your freezer or fridge, it is going to be a very expensive loss.
Keeping the refrigerator closed and not continually opening it to see if you have lost any food is a great way to conserve the cold air that is in place.
Conclusion
A backup generator is a very helpful tool to have in the time of a power outage.
Unfortunately, most regular hotels are not going to have one in place.
They are costly to maintain, and for an average hotel that is operating at average costs, it does not make sense to keep a generator in place.
If you are interested in a generator for your home, take a look at some of the new solar powered options.
These are quite easy to set up and use, and they will help you save the contents of your fridge should you lose power.
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