By Sharon Omahen

University of Georgia

If winter storms leave your family in the dark, you may be
tempted to buy a portable generator. University of Georgia
experts say a generator handled improperly can prove to be far
more dangerous than any storm.

Carbon monoxide risk

Portable generators create a carbon monoxide risk if they aren’t
placed in the proper place and a proper distance away from your
home, said Gina Peek, a housing program assistant with the UGA
Cooperative Extension.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and deadly gas.
Breathing high concentrations can cause unconsciousness and even
death.

“Portable generators must be kept away from your home and away
from all air intake areas,” Peek said. “These areas include
doors, windows, crawl spaces and garages. Carbon monoxide levels
can quickly increase indoors if the generator isn’t kept a
distance away.”

More than 1,000 deaths related to carbon monoxide are reported
nationwide each year, said Henry Slack, an environmental engineer
with the Environmental Protection Agency in Atlanta.

“Generator-related deaths have been on the rise because more
people are using them,” Slack said. “Even though the manufacturer
says ‘use in well-ventilated areas,’ there have been incidents
where a generator was just 20 feet away from the building. One
fatality occurred when a generator was used on a screened-in
porch.”

Generator sales up

Slack also attributes the rise in generator-related deaths to
advertising.

“We’re seeing more power outages, and we’re seeing more generator
ads,” he said. “The ads show one brightly lit home in an
otherwise dark neighborhood. In actuality, you don’t get enough
power from a generator to brightly light up a whole house.”

Carbon monoxide poisoning isn’t the only risk involved with
improper generator usage. You can be electrocuted, too.

“If you use a portable generator improperly, you can kill
yourself, a neighbor or someone working on the power lines,” Peek
said.

If the generator’s extension cord is plugged into a household
outlet, the electricity flows backwards. Called “backfeeding,” it
poses an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors
served by the same transformer.

“This is a pretty severe problem,” Peek said. “The generators we
buy at local building supply stores are made to power one
appliance, not a whole house.”

Find shelter elsewhere

If your power goes out, Peek’s advice is simple.

“Go to a friend or family member’s house that still has power,”
she said. “If that’s not an option, go to a restaurant. Have a
nice meal, enjoy the warmth and wait out the storm there.”

Peek discourages the use of portable generators. Period.

“The whole topic of portable generators strikes fear in my
heart,” she said. “Tragedies happen every year. And once they do,
there’s no going back.”

If you still decide to buy and use a portable generator, be sure
to read the instructions thoroughly. If you’re still unsure, Peek
said, ask for help or don’t use it.

“There’s almost always an alternative to using a portable
generator,” Peek said. “I feel so passionate about this. People
just don’t realize the danger and the huge margin of error for
what can go wrong.”