With winter storms and ice approaching central Iowa, many Des Moines-area households will soon be thinking about backup power. Local electrical contractor Wired Solutions is encouraging homeowners to plan how they will use a generator before the first outage, not during it. The push comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to highlight the dangers of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless gas that can be fatal if inhaled.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400 Americans die each year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires, more than 100,000 visit an emergency department, and more than 14,000 are hospitalized. The CDC lists portable generators among the household items that produce carbon monoxide. The agency's guidance is specific: never use a generator inside a home or garage, even if doors and windows are open, and only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from any windows, doors, and vents. The CDC also recommends using a battery-powered or battery backup carbon monoxide detector in the home when a generator is running.
Justin Beam leads Wired Solutions, a family-run residential electrician des moines homeowners call for repairs, upgrades, and backup power. He said the risk tends to show up when people are improvising. "The calls that worry me are the ones where someone ran a generator in the garage with the door cracked because it was cold out," Beam said. "When the power's been out for a day, people make shortcuts they'd never make on a normal afternoon."
A permanent setup removes much of that guesswork. Through its generator installation des moines service, the company installs home generators designed to run outdoors and power the house through a planned connection. That eliminates the need to position a portable unit in a hurry and reduces the temptation to bring it indoors.
Capacity is part of the planning. Homes adding a standby generator often need a look at the main panel first, and the company's electrical panel upgrades in des moines ia work covers homes that need more room. "My advice to a neighbor is simple: decide where the generator goes before the storm, not after," Beam said. "And put a battery-backed CO detector near the bedrooms, whether you own a generator or not."
Newer electrical loads are part of the same conversation. Households planning ev charger installation in des moines ia alongside backup power can review both on one panel plan. Wired Solutions offers complimentary estimates.
Wired Solutions is a family-run, licensed and insured electrical contractor serving the Des Moines, Iowa, metro. The company provides residential electrical service, generator installation, EV charger installation, and electrical panel upgrades. It serves Des Moines, Ankeny, Clive, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, and West Des Moines.
For readers, the implications are immediate. As storm season arrives, planning backup power and carbon monoxide detection before an outage can prevent tragic accidents. Homeowners who wait until the lights go out may be more likely to take dangerous shortcuts. For the broader industry, the message reinforces the value of professional installation and panel upgrades, particularly as homes add high-demand loads like EV chargers. Wired Solutions' emphasis on pre-storm planning aligns with CDC guidance and underscores a simple truth: safety starts before the storm.
