Generator Hookup
Generator Hookup
30 years ago, the thought of installing a standby generator seemed preposterous to most Americans. Generators were a luxury afforded to the wealthy and a necessity reluctantly accepted by businesses who couldn’t afford to lose inventory or clients due to an extended blackout.
However, today, more and more homeowners are realizing just how much our lives depend upon a steady flow of electricity. For the elderly, parents with small children, business owners who work at home, and a host of others, having a backup source of energy to power medical devices and appliances, provide climate control, and keep technological devices running is a necessity. This is where a standby generator can be one of your most valuable investments.
What Is A Standby Generator?
Unlike a portable generator, a standby generator is a large unit that’s permanently installed on a concrete pad near your house and is directly connected to your main electrical panel. They run on an external power source, such as gasoline, which can keep them running for days until your main electricity is restored.
These generators may power a few essential circuits, a couple rooms, or your whole house, depending their size and power. Your choice of a generator should be dictated by your budget and the needs of your family. For instance, if you are a healthy middle-aged adult, a generator powerful enough to run your central air for several days may be a luxury, but not a necessity. However if you are elderly or have special health needs, climate control may be significantly more important.
Can I Install It Myself?
While portable generators are intuitive enough in their operation for even novices to purchase and run them on their own, standby generators require a thorough knowledge of electricity, plumbing, building codes, local permit requirements, and a host of other factors. Since they need to be tied into your main electrical panel and sometimes your natural gas line, their installation can also be dangerous for the uninitiated.
We recommend consulting with a professional from the very beginning of the process, but at the very least, you should always hire a professional with an advanced electrical knowledge to perform the actual hookup. Our friendly and knowledgable crews can help walk you through the process from selection to final hookup, answering all of your questions along the way
However, today, more and more homeowners are realizing just how much our lives depend upon a steady flow of electricity. For the elderly, parents with small children, business owners who work at home, and a host of others, having a backup source of energy to power medical devices and appliances, provide climate control, and keep technological devices running is a necessity. This is where a standby generator can be one of your most valuable investments.
What Is A Standby Generator?
Unlike a portable generator, a standby generator is a large unit that’s permanently installed on a concrete pad near your house and is directly connected to your main electrical panel. They run on an external power source, such as gasoline, which can keep them running for days until your main electricity is restored.
These generators may power a few essential circuits, a couple rooms, or your whole house, depending their size and power. Your choice of a generator should be dictated by your budget and the needs of your family. For instance, if you are a healthy middle-aged adult, a generator powerful enough to run your central air for several days may be a luxury, but not a necessity. However if you are elderly or have special health needs, climate control may be significantly more important.
Can I Install It Myself?
While portable generators are intuitive enough in their operation for even novices to purchase and run them on their own, standby generators require a thorough knowledge of electricity, plumbing, building codes, local permit requirements, and a host of other factors. Since they need to be tied into your main electrical panel and sometimes your natural gas line, their installation can also be dangerous for the uninitiated.
We recommend consulting with a professional from the very beginning of the process, but at the very least, you should always hire a professional with an advanced electrical knowledge to perform the actual hookup. Our friendly and knowledgable crews can help walk you through the process from selection to final hookup, answering all of your questions along the way