Anyone have any experience with this sort of equipment, what best brands/models/sizes to buy, etc?
Posted on 05/20/2006 8:57:28 AM PDT by STARWISE
For the second year, Florida is granting consumers a tax break on supplies for hurricane season, which starts June 1.
The tax holiday starts Sunday and ends June 1, and consumers will save an estimated $41 million in state and local sales taxes this year.
The list of items has changed little from last year. Storm shutters and cell phone batteries were added, and the cost of generators that qualify for the break was raised to $1,000. Plywood, that old hurricane standby, did not make the list again this year.
For information, visit www.myflorida.com/
Any relief for property owners that own land but not a house?
Anyone have any experience with this sort of equipment, what best brands/models/sizes to buy, etc?
Sigh...I see our Malted Milk balls are NOT on the list this year.
How did it get to be (almost) June so quickly?
According to my local paper, ice is included! Where is one supposed to store that much ice "just in case"?
More from my local:
ITEMS ELIGIBLE FOR BREAK
• Ice selling for $10 or less.
• Portable self-powered light sources for $20 or less.
• Fuel tanks for $25 or less.
• Flashlight, car or boat batteries and nonelectric coolers for $30 or less.
• Cell phone chargers for $40 or less.
• Portable radios, tarpaulin or other waterproof sheeting and ground.
• Anchors or tie-down kits for $50 or less.
• Cell phone batteries for $60 or less.
• Carbon monoxide detectors for $75 or less.
• Shutters or similar devices for $200 or less.
• Portable generators for $1,000 or less.
Get a 6,000 watt. I back feed mine and it runs everything in the house except the central ac, water heater, oven/stove and washer dryer.
It is good for a couple widow ac units and every light, ceiling fans and the fridge/freezer in my town house.
Pay attention to the decibel ratings. You can get a quiet one and it doesn't have to be a honda or yamaha.
Plywood isn't included. Once it's used, it warps and rots if it is not protected. Plus it is a general use construction material. I'm glad they did include storm shutters. The first year they didn't. Protecting your windows is one of the best things you can do. A window breaking from flying debris opens up a great hole in your house where the wind can come in and lift off your roof. Protecting your windows with storm panels that can be used year after year is a great idea.
What does that mean? And what brands beside Honda are real quiet?? :) RD
During 2004, we were on our generator a total of 17 days! Getting gas proved to be a problem as gas stations were all without power! Consequently, I had a 100+ mile round-trip to get to an undamaged station for gas!
I ran 2 refrigerators, lights, fans, TVs and a 220v well pump, and small burners on the electric range just fine on a 4000 watt unit (though at times, it "sagged"). I got by on running the generator for about 12 hours/day (and staying out of the refrigerator when the power was off..., used the ice chest then!)
I have since upgraded to a 5000 watt, electric start generator! It took me several days to clear my driveway and the street of trees/limbs/debris with a chainsaw. In the process, I dislocated my shoulder and, starting the manual generator was AGONY for all of 2004!!!
Another poster said to pay attention the the db noise ratings (which I would agree with). Like that poster, I also "Backfeed" my house through a 220v circuit (after shutting down the main breaker, the AC breaker, and the dryer breaker). Please note "Backfeeding" can be highly dangerous if you do not religiously kill your main breaker! Having wired a number of homes and built/maintained electronic items for the past 40 years, I don't worry about backfeeding. However, if you do not REALLY trust yourself to do it properly, pay the BIG BUCKS for a separate generator panel OR, just run whatever you REALLY need to off of extension cords!
Also, make sure that you do not run the generator in an enclosed area (garage/porch/etc.) OR where you will have an open window nearby. If you do you may very well become a hurricane casualty due to carbon monoxide poisoning!
Here's hoping generators will not be needed for years to come!
P.S., don't forget to drain the gas and let the generator run out of the remaining gas in the carb and line before putting it away for the year. Use Stabel fuel additive in the fuel that you store up for emergency use and DO NOT keep the fuel for more than one year (burn it in your lawnmower and car... refill the emergency fuel containers at the start of the hurricane season)....
That is what it is called when you run the 220v of the genset to the 220v of your house using an available 220 outlet such as a washer dryer outlet. The important thing to remember is to make sure the main stays turned off and every circuit breaker is turned off before plugging the genset in. Saved my butt with Wilma down here in the Keys.
Do you have Natural Gas line hooked up to your house?
Thanks for the ping, Joe......This is a good incentive to protect our homes and save some taxes!
Make that spelling "STABIL" not stabel...
now that they're taking the MTBE out of the gas - won't it last in storage longer?
Could very well be but, if you really need gas it would be a shame to find out it has degraded too much. Stabil is just further insurance...
I'm more concerned about the window situation but deluged by mail from window companies. It still looks like it's a better buy to go to lowes or home depot for new windows.
Canes and Gators used to be college teams. I liked that much better. Who needs the show Survivor when you can live in Florida instead?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.