When homes lose power, generators often come to the rescue. These heavy-duty units can restore your power — including lights and appliances — within moments. However, there are many factors you’ll need to consider before you buy a generator for your home. When it comes down to it, you’ll want to find a unit that fits your specific power needs.
So, what size generator do you need? Although finding and choosing the right size generator for your home can seem overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. Let us guide you through the process.
What Are the Different Types of Generators?
Overall, there are three main types of generators on the market: portable, inverter, and standby. An inverter generator runs on natural gas or propane — just like a typical portable or standby generator.
So, what sets these different units apart from one another? Really, it all comes down to their intended purposes. You can typically use portable and inverter generators to supply power to important appliances. On the other hand, you can use home standby generators to power the entire house.
No matter the type of generator, though, different sizes can have different powering capabilities.
How Are Generators Sized?
So, what size generator do you need? This question can usually be answered by looking at wattage. Before choosing a generator, it’s important to know how much wattage the various appliances and systems throughout your home will require.
Small
Smaller generators usually provide up to 1000 watts of power. As you can probably imagine, a unit of this size will limit the number of appliances or systems you can run inside your home.
Medium
When choosing the right size generator for your home, you might find that a small generator won’t be able to meet your needs. This is where a medium-sized generator comes in. These units generally provide up to 3,000 watts of power.
While this specific type of generator won’t be able to power your entire home, it can be used for various critical appliances — and can even power TVs in some instances.
Large
What size generator do you need to run a house in its entirety? When it comes down to it, you’ll want to find one that’s large in size. Large-sized generators typically provide anywhere from 5,000 to 20,000 watts of power.
This is a large range. So, how big of a generator do you need? It all comes down to wattage requirements.
Think about which appliances are a necessity — even when the power goes out. Sump pumps, air conditioners, refrigerators, and various other systems will all require high wattage. If you’ve recently talked to an AC unit installation company about upgrading your cooling system, or you need to have access to certain types of tools, a larger generator could be best for you.
Is a Whole-House Generator Worth It?
Now that you know what to consider when choosing the right size generator, you might be wondering if purchasing a whole-house generator is worth the investment. Unlike most inverter and portable generators, whole-house units are excellent for those who experience frequent power outages. If you live in an area prone to heavy storms or power failure in general, installing one of these systems can ensure that your household always feels secure.
Also, it’s worth noting that portable generators aren’t as simple and easy to operate as you might think. If you decide to invest in a portable unit, you will need to have an electrical expert install a transfer switch. Doing so will ensure that your generator is safely connected to your home’s wiring.
Prioritize Your Household’s Comfort and Safety With a Generator Installation
What size generator do you need? In the end, the answer to this question depends on your power needs and the wattage requirements of certain appliances. If you need help choosing the right size generator for your home, Davis Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric is happy to help.
Our electricians, HVAC experts, and plumbers in Roanoke, VA, are here to safeguard your comfort. We have the solutions you’re looking for, whether you want to learn how to choose the right size generator for your home or are looking for safety tips. Contact us today to learn more about our generator services!