What’s the true cost of a power outage without a Cummins home generator?

Long-term power outages can be both inconvenient and expensive, disrupting your family’s comfort and safety. While every power outage is different for each homeowner, costs can add up to a surprisingly large amount. Plus, if you work from home or have a home business, in addition to any physical damages, you may have to endure the cost of lost work, productivity or wages.

Before you invest in a Cummins QuietConnect™ home standby generator, first consider the cost of going through a major power outage without one. Then, compare that cost against the price of a Cummins standby generator. You can get an estimate on a whole house generator by finding a dealer with our dealer locator tool, or by requesting an in-home assessment.

Whether your power outages are caused by severe weather, an aging power grid or rolling brownouts, here are some of the financial hits your family may have to absorb:

• Flooded basement — If the electricity goes out and your sump pumps stop working, you may wind up with water damage in your basement. According to homeadvisor.com, the average cost to clean up a flooded basement could range between $500 and a whopping $85,000.
• Mold remediation — Enduring some flooding means you will likely need to have portions of your home treated to prevent toxic mold. The experts at bobvila.com say the average cost of mold remediation is $2,214.
• Food spoilage — If the power stays out for enough time, the food in your refrigerators and freezers will spoil. Forbes.com says that many insurance companies will pay up to $500 worth of food spoilage, but only if the cause of the power outage is covered under your policy. If you have a full deep freezer full of meat, the costs could be even more.
• Burst or frozen pipes — Losing power during the winter months brings additional risks. According to Consumer Reports, the cost to repair burst or frozen pipes can easily exceed $5,000.
• Hotel stays — If your home becomes uninhabitable during a power outage, your family may need to seek alternate shelter. Statista, which tracks hotel prices, says the average nightly stay costs $90.92. Add in the expenses of travel and meals out and the number begins to rapidly climb.

There are additional costs to consider as well — not all of them financial. For instance, there’s the impact to your health if you use home medical devices and the inconvenience of having your life turned upside down during the power outage.

With power outages becoming more and more common, it’s easy to see how the hidden financial and quality-of-life costs escalate, putting the cost of a Cummins QuietConnect home standby generator in perspective.

To find a dealer to help you estimate the investment needed for your own home generator, please visit our home generators dealer locator map.