That ice storm we had a few years ago told me that a back up power system is a necessity. 5 days without heat in a Maine winter is just not acceptable.

Modern small engines start on one pull, not like the old days when you could lose 10 pounds yanking on a cord. Electronic ignition has done away with all that yanking.It is a good idea to add some Sta-bil to the fuel tank to keep the fuel from going stale when the generator is not used for a long time.