'Worth its weight in gold': Homeowners invest in generators as Atlantic Canada experiences more severe storms
Generators are becoming an increasing necessity, and nuisance, in Atlantic Canada.
As the region experiences more frequent and severe storms with extended power outages, many homeowners are investing in generators.
Some people use generators to power medical equipment, while many others use them to keep fridges cold and cell phones charged.
Heather Reid of Gaetz Brook, N.S. bought a generator a week before hurricane Fiona hit the region.
She says the machine is "worth its weight in gold."
Reid says living in a rural area means the power often takes longer to be restored, and she was worried about food spoilage and caring for her baby during a prolonged outage.
But the increased use of generators in the region has prompted electricians to warn of potential safety issues.
John Benoit, an electrician and owner of Benoit Electric, says some generator set ups are dangerous.
He says not only is there a risk of carbon monoxide for people in the home, but improper generator use can also put power line technicians at risk.
The death of a person in P.E.I. last weekend was believed to be related to generator issues.
The surge in generator use has also sparked conversations about generator etiquette.
Tyler Jones, an electrician and owner of Novatech Electric in Dartmouth, says people should consider smaller, quieter inverter generators if they just need to power the essentials.
He says in most cases generators can also be shut off overnight.
Jones says homeowners that want more power or need to run a generator 24/7 should consider hiring an electrician to ensure the safest and most effective set up.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'