Ozark Living

Metro Creative Connection No one wants to imagine losing power in their homes. But homeowners and renters face such situations every day. For those who aren't prepared to confront power outages, doing so can be a nuisance in the best of situations, and potentially very dangerous, if not fatal, in the most dire instances. ankfully, no one has to go long without power. Standby generators are backup electrical systems that operate automatically. Once the generator senses a power loss, which can occur within seconds of a utility outage, its automatic transfer switch essentially gives the generator a wakeup call, commanding it to begin supplying power to the circuits in a home. Some transfer switches may be automated, requiring no eort on the part of homeowners when the power goes out. Others may need to be ipped on like one might ip a light switch. Seniors and/or people with mobility issues may benet from standby generators with automated transfer switches, as they may nd it dicult to manually turn the switches themselves. at's especially true if the power goes out overnight, when visibility inside a home with no power is compromised. Standby generators are typically connected to the circuits throughout a home, which means they can kick in and run HVAC systems, refrigerators and security systems, among other devices. at helps people stay comfortable and sleep well during power outages, while also ensuring they won't have to throw away any groceries or spend times in their homes without functioning security systems. Standby generators can help people prepare for and overcome storms and natural disasters, making them an invaluable addition to any home. What is a standby generator? 6 Sprinkle sand or cat litter on icy patches of walkways to improve traction. Sand or cat litter is easier on the environment than some chemical ice melt products. 7 Consider a whole-house generator as an emergency backup if the power goes out in winter. Generators can keep the heat running and the refrigerator humming along until power is restored. 8 Exercise caution with space heaters and other supplemental heating devices. Turn them o when you leave the room, and do not leave them on overnight while you are sleeping. 9 Slow down when driving in the snow. Black ice patches can be dicult to see, and snow itself can reduce tire traction. Leave extra time to get where you need to be. steep so that the snow slides o. Closely spaced raers improve the strength of the roof. A at or slightly pitched roof may accumulate snow more readily. Homeowners are urged to inspect roof raers to see if they are cracked from previous snowstorms or damaged from insects or rot. Snapping or popping sounds while snow is on the roof is not a good sign. House Logic also says that homeowners can tell if the snow load on the roof is too much by paying attention to interior doors. If such doors begin to stick, that may be a signal that there's enough weight on the center of the house to distort the door frames. Houses that had improper renovations or homes in which load- bearing walls were removed may be more susceptible to this problem. Removing snow from a roof is not an easy job - and may be a task best le to professionals. e safest way to remove snow from the roof is to use a snow rake with an extension arm that enables users to push and pull o the snow while standing on the ground. One should not climb onto a snowy or icy roof to remove snow. Shovels, which can damage roof shingles, should never be used. IIBHS says that hiring a professional roof contractor is one way to safely remove snow from the roof. Licensed and insured contractors will have the experience to get the job done correctly and safely. Homeowners can expect to pay between $250 and $500 for this job. Roof snow removal is a priority for those who live in mountainous or extremely snowy areas. If unsafe amounts of snow are le on rooops, leaks, damage and collapse may result. OZARK LIVING • JANUARY 2020 • 27

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