Running a portable generator without the carbon monoxide

A portable generator keeps the refrigerator and the lights going through an outage, and its exhaust carries carbon monoxide. Of the more than 200 accidental carbon monoxide deaths not caused by fire in the United States each year, more than 100 are linked to portable generators. Most reported generator incidents involve carbon monoxide from a unit run indoors or in a partly enclosed space. The other hazards are shock, fire and burns.

What you need

• The generator's manual
• Heavy-duty extension cords made for outdoor use, long enough to reach from 20 feet away
• Working carbon monoxide alarms in the house
• Fuel in labeled, non-glass safety containers

Before you start

Steps

1. 1

   Check the CO alarms

   The house needs working carbon monoxide alarms whenever a portable generator runs. Test each one.

   5 min

2. 2

   Pick the spot

   Set it outdoors in a well-ventilated area, at least 20 feet from all doors, windows and vent openings, measured from the generator to the building. An attached garage is never a safe spot, even with the door open.

   5 min

3. 3

   Point the exhaust away

   Place it so the fumes can't come in through windows, doors or other openings, with the exhaust directed away from the building. Don't stand or sit downwind of it.

   2 min

4. 4

   Keep it dry

   A generator can shock or electrocute, especially in wet weather. Run it on a dry surface under an open, canopy-like cover where water can't reach or pool under it, and dry your hands before touching it.

   5 min

5. 5

   Run the cords to the appliances

   Plug each appliance into the generator with a heavy-duty outdoor extension cord rated for more than the total wattage on it. Check each cord for cuts and a full set of three prongs, and keep it from being pinched in a door or window.

   10 min

6. 6

   Refuel only when it's cool

   Turn it off and let it cool before refueling, because gasoline spilled on hot engine parts could ignite. Store fuel outside living areas, and away from fuel-burning appliances such as a gas water heater in the garage.

   5 min

7. 7

   Check the setup once it's running

   Walk around it and check that it sits well out from the house, the exhaust faces away and each cord is intact. The carbon monoxide alarms inside should stay quiet.

   2 min

Never plug it into the house

Never power the house wiring by plugging a generator into a wall outlet, which is called backfeeding. It is an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors on the same transformer, and it bypasses some of the house's circuit protection.

If something goes wrong