Have you ever experienced your business coming to a grinding halt as the power goes out?
You’re not alone. Power outages cost American businesses $150 billion annually, and that number is rising quickly. Think about how much revenue you could lose if your business is closed for several hours or even a whole day Emergency Power Standby System. That’s thousands of dollars per hour.
The problem is…
Customers don’t care if your competitors have a backup generator and are still open for business while you’re turning them away. They’ll just take their business to the store that can serve them. That’s a direct hit to your bottom line.
Fortunately…
By installing an emergency power standby system and ats power supply, your business can keep operating in the event of a power outage. These automatic transfer switches sense power loss in a blink of an eye and switch over to your backup generator. All without any human intervention.
How cool is that?
Here’s a look at what you’ll learn in this guide:
- Why power outages are increasing in frequency and duration
- The true cost of a business downtime
- 3 essential backup power systems
- Tips for selecting the right system for your business
- Installation tips that can save you money
Why Power Outages Are Increasing in Frequency and Duration
Power outages are no longer a rare inconvenience.
In recent years they’ve been happening more frequently and for longer periods of time. The decade 2011-2021 saw 64% more major power outages than the previous decade 2000-2010.
Why is this happening?
Weather events are becoming more extreme. The power grid is aging faster than new lines are being built. Electricity demand is increasing while the grid is being stressed more than ever before.
Think about this…
Every year now seems to break some sort of weather record. Hurricanes, ice storms, heat waves… they keep coming and the electricity system just can’t handle it. Your business is right in the middle of this perfect storm of power outages.
The True Cost of Business Downtime
Here are some eye-opening statistics:
Research from ITIC shows that 90% of businesses experience costs greater than $300,000 per hour when their power goes out. That’s 300,000 dollars per hour, per outage. Per year.
But wait, there’s more…
Lost sales are just the beginning. Factor in spoiled inventory, corrupted data, damaged equipment, and customer goodwill lost when they can’t reach you. It all adds up quickly.
For example, just a 2-hour outage can cause the following damage to your business:
- Manufacturing lines grinding to a halt
- Credit card transactions coming to a screeching stop
- Security systems disabled
- HVAC systems shutting down
- Computers crashing
- And to top it all off, employees sitting around doing nothing but getting paid
Not to mention…
There are plenty of longer outages that can cause $300,000 per hour damage to your business.
Ice storms, hurricanes, heat waves, wildfires… none of these events are going away. In fact, they are all increasing in severity and frequency. Add this up with those 2-hour outages mentioned earlier and it all adds up to serious money loss.
3 Essential Backup Power Systems
So what can be done about it?
There are 3 main types of emergency backup power systems available. Each has its place for different business needs and budgets. Here’s a quick rundown…
Portable Generators
The lowest cost option is a portable generator. These are good for small businesses that need basic power during short outages.
They are relatively cheap and portable. The drawback is that they need to be manually started and all the equipment needs to be manually plugged into the generator. That’s not ideal when the power goes out in the middle of the night at 2 AM.
Standby Generators
This is where it gets serious.
Standby generators start automatically when the power goes out. They are typically fueled by natural gas or diesel. Standby generators are the best at powering entire businesses for days at a time if necessary. They use automatic transfer switches that allow them to switch seamlessly between grid power and generator power.
Customers never even know the power went out.
The lights may flicker for a second, but that’s it. Everything else keeps operating just like normal.
Battery Backup Systems
Battery backup systems are an option that provides instantaneous power with no interruption.
They are best used for critical equipment such as servers and medical equipment. Modern lithium-ion batteries can power critical loads for hours at a time before needing to recharge. Battery backups are combined with generators for whole building backup.
Selecting the Right System for Your Business
Choosing the right backup power system isn’t difficult.
There are a few key factors to consider before pulling the trigger and signing the check. Here are some questions to get you started:
What is your power requirement?
Don’t guess, calculate it. Add up the wattage of all of the equipment that absolutely must stay on during an outage. Then add 25% just to be safe.
How long do outages typically last where you are?
If you’re just experiencing outages that last an hour or two, a small system can handle it. If ice storms are your thing and power is often out for several days, you need a serious amount of backup capacity.
What is your budget?
Quality backup power isn’t cheap. But when compared to the alternative of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in downtime, it’s a no-brainer.
Take the following advice:
Start with the essentials and build over time. Keep your computers, security systems, and critical equipment operating first. You can always add more later.
Installation Tips to Save You Money
Here’s a little secret…
Installing the system often costs more than the equipment itself. But there are ways to keep those installation costs in check.
First and foremost:
Get quotes from 3-5 certified installers. You’ll be surprised at how much the same installation job can vary in price. The first number you see may not be the best price.
Here are a few ways to save some money:
- Schedule the work during the “off-season” when contractors aren’t swamped with work
- Prep the installation site yourself if you’re handy
- Buy the generator separately and only hire an installer
- Look for rebates and tax incentives from utility companies
One final tip:
Your local building codes may have specific requirements for what is allowed. Check this before you purchase equipment and not after. Nothing stings worse than purchasing equipment that you are not allowed to install.
Maintenance is Key
One last note on your emergency power standby system:
Maintenance is absolutely critical. A generator that won’t start is no better than no generator at all. At least then you know where you stand.
A few items that should be done regularly are:
- Run system under load at least once a month
- Check oil, coolant, and battery as needed
- Replace filters as scheduled
- Test transfer switches quarterly
And one last tip:
Have a professional service the entire system once a year. They will catch issues before they become a big problem. A service contract is far cheaper than an emergency service call during an outage.
Now Make It Happen
Setting up emergency backup power may seem like a daunting project.
But it doesn’t have to be. Start small if you need to. Some basic backup power is far better than just hoping and crossing your fingers.
Think back to those statistics shared at the beginning of this guide. Businesses that lost $300,000 per hour due to a power outage. Could that be your business next time the grid goes down?
The smart money says:
Install backup power before you need it. Because after the lights go out, it’s already too late.
The Bottom Line
Power outages are costly, disruptive, and on the rise.
But they don’t have to ruin your business. With the right emergency power standby system you can stay open while your competitors are closed.
The question is not if you need backup power, but rather how much downtime can your business afford? In today’s always-on world, the answer is usually “not much.”
Take action today. Do your homework, get quotes, and make it happen. Your future self will thank you when the next severe weather event rolls through your town.
Because while everyone else is closed, you’ll be open for business.
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