Amy L wrote:
I have a couple of questions for those who went down this path.

I am interested in purchasing a generator for "emergency" situations.
I am looking for something that is strong enough that could power the
heater, sump pump, Fridge, etc (also, it does not need to do this all
at once). I am also looking for something that has 240 out in
addition to 120 so I can backfeed the house.

1.) What are the good brands of generators?
2.) Is there anything I should specifically look for in a generator
(warranty, serviceability, reliability, gas efficiency)?
3.) Would you ever purchase one online? If so what site have you
used or heard of other using with good success?

If you store the generator in the garage between uses, make sure it has
wheels to be able to get it to wherever you want to attach.

In addition to the fuel, you'll be wise to keep a couple of quarts of oil on
hand.

Keep a log book of when you use/test the machine.

A nice touch is a concrete pad next to the service panel for the generator
to sit on (imagine the mud or snow during a storm). Further, a little shed
over the pad will make things ever so much handier.

A bunch of heavy-duty extension cords might come in handy. Imagine the
situation where power is not expected to be off for an extended time. An
extension cord to the TV set may be all you need for an hour or two's down
time. You could start up the gizmo in the garage and get back to watching
American Idol in five minutes.