An Essential Guide To Choosing The Right Residential Standby Generator

26 February 2021
 Categories: , Blog


Standby generators may be the difference makers between hours of power blackouts and a stress-free experience during such moments.  They offer significant advantages to homeowners who opt to install them. Today, the market has a wide variety of standby generators, which come in different sizes, models, and brands. But after deciding to have a standby generator on your property, ask yourself what's the ideal type to purchase. 

However, before letting all these options overwhelm your decision making, pause for a while and read through the following invaluable guide to find the right standby generator for your home:

Determine Your Generator's Fuel Source

Most standby generators rely on natural gas or propane to function optimally. If your home has a natural gas supply, consider purchasing a standby generator that uses natural gas, which is already available. However, if you don't have access to natural gas, consider buying a propane-powered generator. While any pick will do, your choice will mostly depend on convenience, preferences, and fuel availability.

Find the Right Brand

There are countless generator brands on the market, but you won't miss finding a few popular ones. When making your choice, consider brands that have been around for a long time. That means they have achieved an excellent reputation through offering high-quality products at the highest industry standards. When choosing the right brand, you should also compare features from several brands to find one that matches your specifications.

Calculate the Ideal Generator Size

Finding the ideal standby generator size depends on the maximum power (wattage) output produced during normal function. Since you must connect your generator to the primary breaker panel, it's imperative to understand the total amount of power you'll need to draw. That means you must decide the types of systems you must power in the case of an outage to determine your ideal generator's size.

Determine What Requires Powering

While you can do it on your own, working with a professional electrician can help determine your home's power requirements and appliances that require power during an outage. Make a comprehensive list of systems and equipment that require power. It may include HVAC units, lighting, security systems, refrigeration, cleaning machines, and much more.

Each one has specific wattage requirements, which can help you calculate the overall electrical load. If the wattage requirements are high, you may spend more on investing in a more powerful generator.

This guide outlines four tips to choose the most appropriate standby generator for your home's power requirements during an outage. They'll help you make the right purchase decision and save more on a generator that meets your immediate energy requirements. Contact a local electrician to learn more about standby generators.


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