Hurricane Isaias is forecast to make landfall on the northern Gulf Coast late Friday night or early Saturday, somewhere between the Mississippi coast and the western Florida Panhandle based on current forecasts. Forecasters have noted that the storm’s strongest winds could extend well inland, particularly on the east side of the track into Alabama. That puts East Mississippi, including Meridian, Marion, Collinsville, and Newton, close enough to watch carefully. If you plan to rely on a portable generator during an outage, a quick review of portable generator safety could prevent a serious injury.
Here, the main concern is wind bringing down trees and power lines, followed by outages that can last longer than the storm itself. Keep checking the National Hurricane Center and Lauderdale County emergency management through the weekend.
Portable Generator Safety Rules That Matter Most
Portable generators are useful, but they have caused injuries and deaths after past Gulf storms. Many of those incidents are preventable with basic portable generator safety.
1. Outdoors only, and far enough away
Run your generator outside, at least 20 feet from your home, with the exhaust pointed away from doors, windows, and vents. Never run it in a garage, carport, shed, basement, or enclosed porch, even with the doors open. Carbon monoxide builds up fast, and you cannot see or smell it.
2. Have working CO alarms
Put battery-powered or battery-backup carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas. Test them before Friday.
3. Never backfeed your house
Plugging a generator into a wall or dryer outlet sends power back into the utility lines. That can electrocute lineworkers trying to restore your power and can damage your home’s wiring. If you want to power household circuits, you need a properly installed transfer switch or interlock.
4. Use the right cords
Use heavy-duty outdoor extension cords rated for the load you are running. Undersized cords can overheat. Keep connections dry and off the ground.
5. Refuel carefully
Shut the generator off and let it cool before adding fuel. Store gasoline in approved containers, away from the house and away from the generator.
6. Keep it dry
Do not run a portable generator in standing water or heavy rain without a canopy designed for generators, and keep your hands dry when plugging in or unplugging cords.
Your HVAC and the Outage
During an outage, set your thermostat to off. When the power comes back, wait a few minutes before restarting your system so it is not hit by voltage swings as the grid recovers. After the storm, clear limbs and debris from around your outdoor unit with the power off. If your system will not start or makes unusual sounds, call us for your next AC repair service.
When a Standby Generator Makes More Sense
A lot of the risk above comes from the hands-on nature of portable units: refueling, cords, placement, and switching. A professionally installed standby generator removes most of that. It sits permanently outside on a pad, connects through an automatic transfer switch, runs on natural gas or propane, and starts itself when the power goes out. No cords, no gas cans, and no stepping outside during the storm.
A standby system cannot be sized, permitted, and installed before this weekend. But Isaias is a good reminder that East Mississippi outages are not limited to hurricanes. Spring storm lines and winter ice can do the same thing.
Talk With a Local Team
Heblon Heating & Air Conditioning has served Meridian and East Mississippi since 1966. Learn more about our generator services, ask about financing, and consider our Shield of Protection membership to keep your heating and cooling system ready for whatever the season brings. Call us at (601) 207-3123.
Stay safe this weekend, and check on your neighbors once the weather clears.
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