How did the historically severe blizzard treat you this year? While Kansas City may not have the worst winter in the U.S., we are not immune from heavy snow, freezing storms, and violent winds. When harsh weather is present, having the right type of generator for your home is key because the last thing you’d want is to have no backup during a power outage.
There are three common types of home generators that will keep you protected during outages caused by winter weather:
Standby generators: also known as whole-house generators, designed to support core major appliances or the entire home
Portable generators: designed to support small appliances such as a space heater or keeping your lights on
Inverter generators: produce electric currents to charge your phones, tablets, laptops, etc
Types of Home Generators
Type
Cost
Capacity
Home standby generator
$5,000 – $25,000
Whole house
Portable generator
$400 – $5,000 depend on capacity
Can support one or two key appliances
Inverter generator
$500 – $2,000 for most standard models, but medium and large models can cost a lot more
Mainly for sensitive, complex electronic devices like your phone, laptops, or modern appliances
Home Standby Generator
Home standby generators, also known as whole-house generators, are the most powerful type of home generator and the only type of generator designed to actually power your major house appliances during an outage, such as HVAC, refrigerator, electric stove, lights, and the security system in your home.
Home standby generators cost from $5,000 to $25,000 on average, depending on brand, model, and output capacity. Most standby generators have an output between 20 and 26 kW, though higher-end models can go up to 30 kW.
Portable Generator
Portable generators vary in cost and capacity. Smaller portable generators can cost as little as $400, whereas more robust ones can go up to $5,000. While these generators cannot keep your house running on full capacity during an outage, they will be able to keep a space heater or a few lights running for a couple of hours while you wait for power to be restored. Their output capacity typically ranges from 500 to 3,000 Watts.
For safety considerations, your portable generators should be placed on the outside of your house and at least 20 feet away from windows, vents, and doors. This protects you from carbon monoxide poisoning, which kills approximately 70 people each year in the U.S.
Inverter Generator
Ranging from $50 to over $5,000, inverter generators are designed for sensitive electronic devices, such as your phones, tablets, laptops, or smart TVs and ACs. These generators convert AC electric current into DC electric current, then invert it back into AC for a cleaner energy output.
Small inverters, or recreational inverters, mainly only work with your phones or laptops. However, medium and large inverters can safely power a heating unit, your smart refrigerator, and a few other things.
Large, high-capacity portable generators are essential for those living in areas that frequently lose power due to inclement weather.
Types of Generators by Fuel Usage
Most generators use one of the following fuel options: gasoline, diesel, natural gas, propane. Each type of fuel comes with unique advantages and challenges.
Gasoline: Primarily used by portable generators that need less frequent refueling due to its shorter shelf life and flash-point temperature.
Diesel: Works for whole-house generators or standalone generators mounted to a trailer. Fuel may run out and needs to be replenished regularly.
Natural Gas: one of the most efficient and cleanest fuel options. No refueling needed as natural gas generators are directly connected to your gas supply line. But is subjected to outages and cutoffs during natural diaster. Also requires more routine maintenance.
Propane: Usually used as an alternative to gas generators not connected to the supply line or when the natural gas supply is down. Less efficient, but has an extremely long shelf life. Natural gas generators need a conversion kit to use propane.
How to Choose the Right Generator for Your Home
Finding the right generator is key for your home’s safety and comfort without burning your budget. Generally speaking, you should take into account the minimum necessary wattage for core appliances, the outage frequency and severity in your area, and your funds when evaluating different home generator options.
Know Your Wattage
What is the minimum wattage needed to keep your home comfortable during an outage? For most single-family homes, a portable or inverter generator with an output between 5,000 to 8,000 watts would be more than sufficient to keep the heater, refrigerator and a few lights running. Apartment complexes or multi-family homes typically rely on higher capacity generators to ensure core functions shared by all units, such as central heating and cooling, are not interrupted. This also means if you live in an apartment, you may opt for a smaller portable generator to run a space heater during the winter for emergency purposes, or rely on a recreational inverter to keep your phones and small electronics powered.
Know Your Outages
Do you have inclement weather that leads to frequent outages? The more outages you have each year, the more you’ll want a trustworthy generator. Outage frequency also affects your generator fuel type. Small or mid-sized propane generators would make more sense if you barely ever have an outage since propane tanks can sit on the shelf for a long time without deteriorating. On the other hand, those who frequently lose power in the winter might want to invest in a standby generator or a large portable generator.
For example, the latest blizzard left thousands of homes in Kansas City without power. In situations like this, having a portable generator at home would definitely come in handy. If you live in more remote areas where it may take longer to restore power, you may consider investing in a standby generator. However, those living on the city grid might do just fine with a medium-capacity portable that can keep them warm until the power comes back on.
Know Your Budget
Finally, your budget naturally poses some restrictions on the types of generators you can afford. As a rule of thumb, inverter generators cost more than their portable counterparts with the same output because they produce cleaner, safer energy. Then, standby generators, or whole-house generators, will almost always be the heftiest investment.
A standby generator costs between $2,000 and $30,000 with automatic start functions or up to $10,000 with a manual start. A portable generator strong enough to power major home appliances costs approximately $2,000 or more, whereas smaller, lower-capacity portable generators can cost as little as a couple hundred dollars. Fuel type, inverter vs. non-invertor, manufacturer, and warranty coverage also affect the price.
Do you live in an area with an HOA? Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping loves our customers. While we will always serve individual property owners, we want to keep the common areas in your HOA in good condition just as we keep your outdoor living spaces ready for you to use.
Target Areas
We are targeting some specific neighborhoods that are close to our new shop. These include:
Loch Lloyd
Lakewood
Hallbrook
Iron Horse
Lions Gate
Mission Hills
Mission Farms
The Woods
Our Service Area targets are in the red and green areas.
Referrals To HOA Board Members
If you know anyone on the HOA board for our target neighborhoods, we would love a referral or to be introduced to them. We do everything from designing landscape upgrades to keeping the grass green and inviting. Is there something your neighborhood needs that just isn’t getting done? We can help by talking to your HOA about fixing the problem.
Referrals To Property Management Companies
Do you have areas in your neighborhoods that are managed by property management companies? Many apartment complexes are managed by property management companies that are good with leasing but not as good at maintaining the green spaces around the apartments. Introducing us to the property management companies can pay off for both parties. If we are managing the green spaces, the property management company can spend more time helping residents.
Who do you know involved with the HOA in Loch Lloyd? We would love an introduction and a referral to help your community.
We Can Help Each Other
Lackluster common areas drag down property values. They look like no one cares enough to keep the outdoor living areas looking nice. Lackluster green spaces can negatively impact your ability to enjoy your outdoor living area. You don’t want to sit in the yard looking at dead plants and brown grass. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can help if you give us an introduction or referral. Give us a call at (816) 825-2524 to find out how we can help each other.
Watching birds is a nice way to spend some time in the winter when it is too cold outside for people to be comfortable. Feeding birds makes sure you have some birds to watch. Here are some winter bird feeding tips to help you attract the birds you want to your yard.
Food Determines Bird Species
Cheap bird seed mixes have a lot of fillers that birds, like choosy teenagers, will pick through and waste. The best general food for birds is black-oil sunflower seed. The thin shells are easy to get into for most birds and the high fat helps the birds stay warm. Suet placed in a suet holder is another source of calories birds appreciate in the winter.
Feeders Can Be Simple
You can buy very fancy feeders, but for beginners, a hopper-style feeder is easiest. Suet goes in a suet holder. Be sure to wire the suet holder closed, or an enterprising raccoon will take the suet cake out of it and leave with it.
Choose a feeder with a roof to protect the seed from getting wet and moldy. Make sure the feeder has drainage holes so any water that does get in has a place to go. Use several feeders of different styles to attract more birds.
Location, Location, Location
Feeders need to be five or six feet off the ground and around ten feet from cover such as trees, bushes, and wood piles. Cats and other predators can hide in cover and ambush birds, but birds need someplace to hide if necessary, so some cover if needed. If you are worried about birds hitting your windows, then either place the feeders so close to the window the birds can see it (within three feet) or place the feeders so far away they have no reason to fly near the window (at least thirty feet away.)
Be Consistent
It may take a few weeks for birds to find your first feeder. Once they do, be consistent and fill it regularly. The birds will come to rely on the food, and it can even cause problems if you feed for a while and then abruptly stop.
Cleanliness For Health
Remove wet and moldy seeds promptly. They can make the birds sick. Wash the bird feeders in a solution of ten percent bleach and ninety percent water to kill diseases and remove droppings. Rinse with fresh water and dry before filling the feeders with seeds.
Provide a Source of Water
Birds need water even in the winter. If you can provide a source of water with a fountain heater in it, the birds will be able to drink even in the cold. Fountain heaters float on the surface of the water and have a heating element down below that keeps the water from freezing. You can get them at feed stores or plant nurseries.
Plant Things with Winter Berries or Seeds
Plant shrubs and trees that have berries or seeds that last all winter. Not only will the berries bring color to your landscape, these natural sources of food will also draw birds to your yard, too.
Sign Up Now
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping is keeping busy, even in the winter. We are signing people up for our garden care program now. We are also doing design work with people so we can start installing landscapes when it warms up. Call the office at (816) 825-2524 or schedule a consult.
Composting is the process of using microbes to break down organic matter into a rich, fertile, humus. This composted material, referred to as compost can then be used to enrich your landscape and encourage your plants to grow.
Organic Matter
Compost adds organic matter to the soil. This organic matter becomes fertilizer for the plants around it. In addition, mixing compost into the soil makes room for water to trickle in and soak the soil instead of running off. Adding organic matter to the soil each spring keeps it fertile and loose.
Aeration
Compost also helps aerate the soil. The irregularly shaped particles make space for air and keep the soil from compacting. Roots need oxygen to grow, and adding organic matter makes sure there is enough oxygen in the soil for the roots. Compacted soil, on the other hand, doesn’t have many spaces for air to penetrate.
pH
The pH of finished compost is usually between 6-8. The “finished” is important. Compost that is unfinished can adversely affect your plants. How do you tell if compost is finished? Grab a handful of it. There should be a uniform brown color and no lumps. It should smell like good earth. If you can see a leaf fragment or piece of manure, the compost is not finished. If the compost has an unpleasant smell, it is not finished.
How to Use Compost
Compost can be used in two ways. When first developing a landscape bed, you should till the soil to a depth of twelve inches. Layer three inches of compost on top of the soil. Mix the compost throughout the tilled soil. Now you have rich, aerated soil full of organic matter.
If your landscape bed is older, with plants already in it, you can top-dress the soil with compost. Layer about an inch of compost over the soil in the landscape bed in the early spring. Cover this with three inches of mulch. The compost acts like a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. You can top-dress turf grass with an inch of compost if you then rake the grass with a leaf rake to make the compost fall to the ground.
How To Make Your Own Compost
Making compost is not hard. You are essentially farming microbes that will turn your food and yard waste into rich organic matter. The best way to make compost involves a three-bin system. Make three bins with the front open. In the first bin goes the raw food and yard waste. Once a month, you turn the contents of the second bin into the third bin. You then turn the contents of the first bin into the second bin. The third bin should contain the finished compost after three months. Each compost pile should be between three and five cubic feet. Smaller piles do not have the mass to stay warm and larger piles do not have enough air for the microbes.
Recipe for Compost
The best compost piles come from a simple recipe. You want browns and greens plus moisture. Browns (carbon sources) are dry leaves, wood chips, straw, hay, newspaper, and sawdust. Greens (nitrogen sources) are grass clippings, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable waste, fresh hay, manure, and seaweed. Do not compost meats, oils, and bones, as they will attract rodents and other vermin to your pile.
Pile 3-4 inches of hedge trimmings and branches that are roughly chopped to allow air to circulate around the base of the pile.
Pile 6-8 inches of mixed browns and greens.
Pile one inch of dirt to inoculate the pile with microorganisms.
Add 2-3 inches of manure or one pound of urea fertilizer per yard of the pile.
Repeat steps one through four until the pile is big enough to compost.
We Can Help
Making a compost bin and composting your waste can take time. Turning and spreading the compost can also be labor intensive. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can help. We develop landscape beds and mix in compost, so you do not have to. We even provide the compost, made where it gets hot enough to sterilize any weed seeds or pathogens in the pile. Our Garden Care Team will also come out in the spring and top dress your landscape with compost, then mulch, to keep your plants growing well and your landscape looking sharp. Contact us today to schedule our services.
“I have this horrible transformer right in the front yard. It looks awful! I get upset every time I see it.”
If you see an eyesore when you are outside, it can really reduce your enjoyment of your outdoor living space. Nosy neighbors can do the same thing. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can design landscape features to improve your view and your privacy.
Evergreen Trees
Evergreen trees make wonderful screens. Because they are thick at the bottom and taper up, these trees block the view at ground level. As they mature, the trees spread and become a solid hedge that completely blocks the view of something unpleasant. The hedge also blocks the view from the property on the other side, giving you more privacy.
The Green Giant Arborvitae is an example of a great tree for this purpose. It grows rapidly and is somewhat deer resistant. A strong pyramid growth habit makes a very thick screening hedge. The mature height is 20-30 feet, and the width is 10-15 feet.
Shade Trees
Shade trees do not block the view from ground level, but their foliage blocks the view well from raised structures such as raised decks or balconies. Most shade trees are deciduous, so do not block the view during the winter. You will need to decide if that will work for you, depending on the view you want to be screened and how much you are outside during the winter.
Structures
Another way of screening unsightly views and improving privacy is to build a structure. These structures can be a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. We have used metal, wood, metal & wood, stucco, stone, and brick in the past. Here are some of the structures we have built in the past.
Fences
A fence can be made of wood, stone, brick, metal, or some combination. As Robert Frost said, “Good fences make good neighbors.” Not only does a fence block a bad view, but it also gives you more security and privacy.
Walls
Walls can be freestanding or part of a covered outdoor living area. The wall can be made from practically any construction material. Depending on the function, the wall can hold large screen televisions, waterfalls, or practically anything you want to hang on it.
Fireplaces
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, a great screen is a fireplace. In addition to looking nice, it can provide heat on chilly nights. You can even cook with it. You can use gas or burn wood, depending on your preference.
Combination Screens
Structures do not have to have just one function. You can combine a wall with a fire feature, for example, to block a view and provide a backdrop. The wall also funnels the warmth from the fire back toward the people sitting around it, so they stay warmer. Walls and plants can alternate, creating a centerpiece in the yard that happens to block an unsightly view.
Improve Your View
If you are not pleased with the view from your outdoor landscape, Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can help design a better view. Our Blue Crew will install it right the first time. Soon, you will be able to enjoy your landscape without unsightly views to trouble you. Contact us now to schedule a consultation.
