Popular in regions where natural disasters and extreme weather events are common, home standby generators typically produce enough power to sustain a household’s essential electrical needs for days or weeks.
Read More (About Home Standby Generators)Home standby generators come in an enormous range of power ratings from 5 to 150 kilowatts, but most households need 10 to 20 kW to sustain a household's essential electrical needs (such as heating and cooling systems, appliances, and lights) for a few days or weeks. Whole-house generators, on the other hand, provide the power to back up the entire house rather than powering only essential items.
Home standby generators are particularly popular in regions where hurricanes, ice storms, and other natural disasters and extreme weather regularly occur. These generators are popular in part because they can prevent pipes from freezing, food from spoiling, and access to home office-related equipment and tools from being lost during outages.
As permanently installed equipment (they can weigh 500 pounds or more), home standby generators are usually positioned in proximity to a home and will turn on automatically when a power outage occurs without intervention from the operator.
Home standby generators primarily run on either natural gas or liquid propane, although some models can switch between the two fuel sources. Many models can also perform a self-diagnosis maintenance routine at least weekly to ensure they’ll be operational if an outage occurs. Some models can even inform the owner that maintenance is required via email or a text message.
In addition to low-oil shutdown systems, models may variously include corrosion-resistant exteriors, sound-dampening designs or technologies, mufflers, remote monitoring abilities via mobile device or computer, and the ability to operate in extreme cold and extreme heat. Furthermore, most models protect computers and other electronic devices that are susceptible to voltage and frequency damage. Most models carry 5- to 10-year limited warranties.
Assess your essential power needs by calculating the total required wattage or kilowatts needed for the appliances and systems you would need to power during an outage, such as heating and cooling systems, sump pumps, security systems, appliances, Wi-Fi, and lights. Learn more in our post about how to determine the amount of power you would need in an outage.
It's also a good idea to consult a professional when assessing your needs. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and someone who can expertly gauge your home’s electrical system and power needs can help you choose a generator that provides just the right amount of power.
Consider the decibel level of the generator you’re buying for both comfort and safety, as long-term exposure to high decibel levels without protection can result in permanent hearing loss. Quiet generators operate at around 60 decibels, or roughly the volume of a normal conversation. Super quiet generators operate at between 42 and 50 decibels.
Before purchasing a generator, ensure it complies with your local emissions regulations, which can vary from one state to another. There are two main standards to look for: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Although CARB was created specifically for the state of California, several other states have adopted the board’s standards.
Read our post to learn more about EPA and CARB compliance. Browse PowerSystemsToday.com to find new and used EPA-certified and CARB-compliant generators for sale.
Like any home project, installing a standby generator comes with several safety considerations.
With models generally falling in the $2,000 to $6,000 and up range, home standby generators are more expensive than compact recreational and portable generators, which are ideally suited for shorter-term and mobile uses, such as at campsites or tailgate parties.
Additionally, home standby generators are wired directly into a home’s electrical system, unlike their smaller counterparts that are manually turned on and that entail the use of power cords to power appliances.
Experts recommend that homeowners have a professional electrician install their home standby generator. This can add up to $1,000 or more to the overall project cost but helps ensure that the genset’s automatic transfer switch that enables tapping into the home’s existing wiring is properly configured. This is a key step in the process, as it facilitates the generator’s ability to turn on automatically when needed.
Explore PowerSystemsToday.com to find new and used home standby generators for sale from the biggest names in the industry, including Cummins, Dayton, Generac, Kohler, and Synergy.
Home standby generators are a large investment. In addition to the initial purchase and installation costs, there are ongoing fuel and maintenance costs to consider. To help with the initial costs, check out home standby generator financing options with Currency Finance. Currency will find the best available rates and terms regardless of credit history.
*Monthly payment stated above assumes a secured commercial use loan transaction available for highly qualified commercial loan applicants. Actual loan payment amount and terms may vary. Consumer financing not available for consumers residing in Nevada. Additional state restrictions may apply. Equal opportunity lender. Click here for more state licenses and disclosures. NMLS ID: 1857954. VERMONT RESIDENTS: THIS IS A LOAN SOLICITATION ONLY. CurrencyFinance IS NOT THE LENDER. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL BE SHARED WITH ONE OR MORE THIRD PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR LOAN INQUIRY. THE LENDER MAY NOT BE SUBJECT TO ALL VERMONT LENDING LAWS. THE LENDER MAY BE SUBJECT TO FEDERAL LENDING LAWS. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: Financing provided or arranged by Express Tech-Financing, LLC dba Currency pursuant to California Finance Lender License #60DBO54873
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