When the power goes out, a generator keeps your food cold, your home warm or cool, and your family comfortable. Choosing one comes down to how much you want to power, how automatic you want it, and running it safely.
Portable versus standby
A portable generator is less expensive, runs on gasoline, and is started by hand and connected with cords or a transfer switch. A standby generator is permanently installed, runs on natural gas or propane, and starts automatically within seconds of an outage. Portables suit occasional short outages and standbys suit anyone who wants seamless whole-home backup.
Sizing it to your needs
Generators are rated in watts. List the essentials you want to run, refrigerator, furnace fan, a few lights, phone chargers, and add up their wattage, remembering that motors draw extra power at startup. A small portable can cover the basics, while running central air or a well pump needs a much larger unit. Do not overbuy, but leave headroom for startup surges.
Safety comes first
Generators produce carbon monoxide, which is deadly and invisible. Never run a portable generator indoors, in a garage, or near open windows, keep it well away from the house, and use a proper transfer switch rather than back-feeding through an outlet. A licensed electrician should install any permanent connection.
Never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet. This dangerous practice, called back-feeding, can electrocute utility workers and start fires. Always use a transfer switch installed by an electrician.
Backup power
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Common questions
What size generator do I need for my house?
Add up the wattage of what you want to run and include startup surges for motors. Essentials-only may need a few thousand watts, while whole-home backup with central air often needs a large standby unit sized by an electrician.
Can I install a standby generator myself?
No. Standby generators require gas hookups and a connection to your electrical panel that must be done by licensed professionals to be safe and meet code.
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