I don't usually comment on here and will probably get b**ch slapped for my comment but here goes. I think it should be a requirement for people to have portable generators if you live in a hurricane zone. I can't for the life of me understand why my neighbors who can afford it don't have them and have been living in the dark for over a week now. Our power isn't projected to come on until the 25th and yeah its hot in my house. We bought a generator 3 years ago just before Rita and it has served us well. We have a portable AC unit in our bedroom and have both fridge and freezer running. No loss of food and have tv, radio and other necessities (even the Margarita machine LOL). I hate that the power is still out here and even hate more that I have a high tension power line laying in the middle of my swimming pool but hey, I have cold beer when I need it. I would think that with the over abundance of generators that will be around after things have settled down a bit that they might be on sale. Go buy one!! Okay, I am done with my vent. Thanks!! 

what you will get bashed about is that some can't afford it....but i always wonder if these are the same people who smoke, drink starbucks, hit the mall a little too often, etc....its about priorities and making choices. i think you are right though, it would seem a necessity to me... 

I know I would not be without one. 

Taking care of your family is a priority. I know that there are alot of people who can't afford them and I really do sympathize. What I can't fathom is the people who make big bucks and are still burning candles at night. Makes no sense. 

Totally disagree! I can "afford" a generator but don't see it worth the money. The amount spent on the brief time needed to buy the actual thing and the gas is not worth it for me. It cost me less to drive somewhere to sleep in AC versus the gas to power it. We ate most of our food before the hurricane and don't keep a huge freezer stash during the season so we are not out a great loss. Other than powering the fridge/freezer, you can't plug in your whole house and have normalcy. Priorities? Since when did powering the TV become a necessary priority. I like the family time and friend time and while it is hot, we aren't going to die. 

Other than powering the fridge/freezer, you can't plug in your whole house and have normalcy. Priorities? Since when did powering the TV become a necessary priority. I like the family time and friend time and while it is hot, we aren't going to die. you can't have complete normalcy, but clean laundry and cold food would be good in my book. (besides, my son uses a nebulizer twice a day, so its a must in my house........oh and i love me some margaritas!!) 

Other than powering the fridge/freezer, you can't plug in your whole house and have normalcy actually..with our generator hooked up to the breaker box we did have normalcy..all except for a/c 

A nebulizer is a necessity but the rest are not. It is one thing if you "want" one but not everyone is miserable without one. I quite enjoyed my starbucks on the porch the other day and yes, I will survive to talk about it. It amazes me what ppl think priorities are. Don't get me wrong, I love a good margarita as well, but I am just as happy drinking it over ice that I bought at HEB. :) 

Actually, powering the tv is not a priority. Making sure that your fridge can run so you can eat is a priority. While most people eat what is in their pantry, it is actually nice to have milk, cheese and eggs in the fridge for breakfast. I totally understand your comments Piggybank and yes we still have to buy gas for the unit. We made sure we had 7 gericans full before the hurricane so we haven't had to go and sit in the long lines. We were prepared. And no, we can't have everything plugged into the generator. It simply can't handle everything but it has been a blessing. The other side of this story is that it has been so nice to get out and meet my neighbors that I haven't met yet. We have grilled out with our neighbors almost every night and we have enjoyed it. 

I agree, a generator is a must have. I might not have total normalcy here at my house, but we are half way there. My clothes are washed, but air dried. I am a semi happy gal. 

Each to his or her own...we have one and am very glad we do...we do not have any family around so we have to make our home as normal as possible...and no..I do not mean TV's. As both my DH and I work from home having power IS a necessity. 

PiggyBank, speaking of HEB, those employees and that whole company for that matter are to be commended for the outstanding job they are doing. They have really come through for everyone. Kudos to them!! 

PiggyBank, speaking of HEB, those employees and that whole company for that matter are to be commended for the outstanding job they are doing. They have really come through for everyone. Kudos to them!! I agree...HEB was on top of things...including their gas. Yes there were lines but at least they had gas most of the time...not the same can be said for Exxon and Shell..WTH? 

And those people who know nothing of electricity? Or those who think it's safe to run your generator in your garage with the garage door 1/2 way up? I prefer those people not to have one so that they do not wind up like the family HPD found last night. 

$30 for a CO monitor should be mandatory with every generator purchase. 

I didn't hear offroad, what happened. 

I agree with "each to his/her own." I don't like when someone tells me what I should have just because I drink a Starbuck's. It reminds me of a radio contest called "Be the expert" where the caller had to be the know it all of facts why things should be without stammering. 

the only time my generator was in the garage was when it was raining at one point and it was not turned on. otherwise it's been on the back deck with lots of open air space. this bad boy runs like a champ! 

Totally agree Flatlander! I am so glad for all the money I've given HEB and can't wait to spend my money there to restock my fridge! 

I don't drink starmuckymucks anymore. I bought myself a Keurig this week! It's the best! :) 

Are you in "sales" ?? Generators perhaps? 

lol :) 

Squareduck, is that the coffeemaker that makes one cup at a time. My neighbor has one and it rocks. 

I can't let my kids play in their sandbox because we have neighbors on all sides running generators and the CO smell is really strong in that corner of our yard. They do have a necessity for it (small babies and elderly) so I don't mind keeping the kids out of the back yard until power comes back on. I do hope ppl are careful of this though and walk around your own yard where your kids play even if you don't run a generator to check for this. 

Flatlander (what happened) - KSBJ reported last night they found a couple and their child late last night. The generator in the garage was out of gas, and the garage door was 1/2 open. It's just a guess, but they were suggesting CO poisoning. Our CO monitor in our kids room went off on our second story home when my wife left the back yard facing window open by accident two days ago. The generator was ~ 10 ft away from the house, but immediately below the window. I'll never make that mistake again, and have since moved the generator further away and left a fan plugged in and blowing on the exhaust to (1) blow the exhaust even further away and (2) dilute any CO with fresh air. 

flatlander - yes it is. I've been wanting one for a long time now. It was my back to college present to myself. I bought it this past week at BBandB with a coupon no less. It wasn't cheap, but I felt I deserved to spoil myself at least once. I ordered some other varities of coffee from them on Wednesday, it was delivered yesterday morning. Talk about fast turn around! This machine and the coffees / teas are awesome! :) 

Ever thought that some people LIKE sitting in the dark with candles? I am actually enjoying it. We are able to keep our dairy products cold in the "ice box" and have learned to make muffins and even pies on the grill. (Now if I could just handle washing clothes by hand.....) 

I don't like when someone tells me what I should have just because I drink a Starbuck's. that's not what i meant at all....i'm sorry if i didn't explain myself well enough....i just meant people who scream that they can't afford certain things in life (not just in this situation) but they are the same people who spend $5 a pack on cigs and $4 for coffee...but then want to be on food stamps or to be reimbursed for things like their generators or gas for them.... and believe me, i will drink the hell out of some starbucks....its in the hospital i work at, AND those fools let us use our badges to pay payroll deduct for coffee!!!! 

We just can't justify the cost of a generator...with just the 2 of us here. We have gas to cook on...we didn't go without water, even had hot water. Bought ice every other day. Would have been kind of nice to have a little TV to see videos of Galveston. Listened to the radio more than I care to mention....lol... Didn't have much trouble sleeping because we worked in the yard most days. If I had a house full of kids or some other issue then we'd probably want to get a generator. 

Hi Everyone! I'm new here and I thought I would add my two cents. what you will get bashed about is that some can't afford it We don't have a generator because we don't stay at home during a hurricain at all. We just take a flight out of Texas, Stay at the Hilton and make a vacation out of it. Not everyone can afford to fly out of town everytime they think there might be a hurricain...not everyone can afford a generator. Flatlander....I don't think YOUR crazy because you stay at home running a generator with very minimal power instead of getting out of town like I do...people can only live by their means. If people can't or don't want to afford a generator, let them be. 

Instead of requiring everyone to get a generator, why not make the electricity distribution lines more robust? Put them underground like everything else? How come natural gas, culinary water, cable and phone service rarely goes out (or if they do go out it's because their distribution channels don't have electricity) during bad weather, but the electricity goes out every time? 

Put them underground like everything else? mine are underground and we still don't have power 

Put them underground like everything else? mine are underground and we still don't have power wow I always thought if u had underground it would stay on. well I think that there should be a law where tree's have to be soo many feet away from the power lines. Im not saying it will keep us in the light for ever during a bad strom but it might help. 

Instead of requiring everyone to get a generator, why not make the electricity distribution lines more robust? Put them underground like everything else? BINGO....that's what my DH has been preaching all week...:) addipie....your underground is fed by above ground power lines. 

I am so glad for all the money I've given HEB and can't wait to spend my money there to restock my fridge! I don't usually go to HEB because it's so crowded... but after all they have done, including the ice giveaway the other day... I'll be sure to give them much more of my business!!! 

I don't usually go to HEB because it's so crowded... but after all they have done, including the ice giveaway the other day... I'll be sure to give them much more of my business!!! my sister works at heb. they let there employees get free gas during the storm and they didnt have to wait in line I thought that was nice of them. 

BINGO....that's what my DH has been preaching all week...:) In the very beginning, a week ago, DH said we should all just go outside and dig the holes for them so when they go to fix the power they can just bury the lines. At the time, little did we know that we really culd have gotten that done before we got power back. LOL 

There are rules that state how close your trees can come to the power lines (unfortunately no height requirements in case it "tips" and takes out a line). Most homeowners do not maintain their trees though, and the electric companies can't keep all the limb maintenance on the lines. Power lines underground have a greater energy loss than above ground lines (more expensive to operate and repair which means $$ from us). That to me is an acceptable cost. My old house though, had underground lines and went out every storm at least once due to a worn out fuse/transformer. A few months after we sold the house, my old neighbor let me know they finally replaced the equipment and to my knowledge no longer lose power based on lightning/static surges. Murphy's law. - Imagine the power company having to dig up your back yard along their easement once every five/ten years or so to repair a line. Which would you prefer? Me - prefer underground and run that risk. 

There are rules that state how close your trees can come to the power lines I wonder if that only applies in the city or country as well. out here where I am there are trees really close to the power lines. 

The rules have to do with easement requirements in Texas. Unfortunately in the country where the powerlines are along the roads, who routinely mows the grass and beginning trees underneath the powerlines where trees sprout up?