Are you starting the new year with smarter spending habits and a budget in mind? Unexpected power outages could derail your plans. With a Kohler home generator designed for reliable, whole-home power, you can avoid drains on your finances that may come with an outage.

Reliable power helps you avoid expensive property repairs.

Ensuring your home’s systems function properly during an outage helps protect your home from costly damages. For a 2,500-square foot home, sump pump failure resulting in a two-inch flood has an estimated cost of $26,500 to restore. According to the Insurance Information Institute, burst or frozen pipes caused by lack of heat and water use could cost around $12,500 to repair. With water comes mold, an unwelcome problem that can cost anywhere between $500–$30,000 to address.

You can stay at home during an outage.

Outages caused by winter storms, excessive heat, or hurricanes may make remaining at home unsafe for you and your family. Without power behind your home’s HVAC system, indoor conditions will likely become uncomfortable quickly as temperatures shift. Plus, a lack of lighting could make it difficult to uncover any resulting storm damage that may prove hazardous. While neighbors may need to seek shelter elsewhere during extended outages (racking up potentially expensive hotel fees), backup power from your generator means you and your loved ones can stay put.

Save on replacement groceries.

When an outage occurs, frozen or refrigerated food spoils quickly. Refrigerated food only lasts up to four hours after the power fails—and only if the fridge door remains shut the entirety of that time. A full freezer can keep food safe for up to 48 hours; that number decreases to 24 hours if the freezer is only half full. Ultimately, a power outage could result in replacing spoiled produce, meat, and all other perishable food items in your refrigerator and freezer. Generator power behind your refrigerator and freezer means you can consume food and water safely while you wait out the outage.

Your property value may be higher.

You aren’t the only one with safety in mind—potential buyers also think about protecting their home and family from the effects of power outages. Today’s buyers are increasingly seeking homes with smart upgrades that make their lives easier, like solar panel systems and backup power solutions. As standby generators are permanently installed on your property, your generator is an investment that not only saves you money and stress while you live in your home, but also increases your home’s resale value.

Home insurance rates may be lower.

Power that keeps your home’s systems running as they should means you’re less likely to experience damage as a result of system failure. Insurance companies are likely to provide a lower rate on a home that is properly secured from theft, flooding, or other issues that may come in the wake of severe weather or extended outage. Your generator keeps the lights on, your security system powered, and your sump pump performing—giving you and your insurance company peace of mind.