Selecting The Correct Size Generator For Your Home

A whole-home generator gives you peace of mind in the event of a power outage. If there’s an extended loss of electricity, you won’t have to worry about traversing dangerous roads, finding a hotel room, or sheltering in place. The right generator delivers enough power for your critical home functions, including heating, cooling, refrigeration, and lighting. Read on for some tips about selecting the correct size for a generator installation in your Summerfield, NC, home.

Understand How Generators Are Sized

Generators are sized with watts. The manufacturer lists how many watts of power the unit can deliver. A small generator for an RV offers 1,000 to 3,000 watts, while a heavy-duty residential generator that remains fixed in place next to your home can deliver more than 10,000 watts. Generators with this high capacity are often dual-fuel systems. They may use diesel or gasoline as a backup and connect to your natural gas supply for primary power.

Prioritize What You Want to Use

Make a priority list of what items in your home you want the generator to power. If there’s a severe ice storm that knocks out power for one week, you may need the generator to power your heat pump or furnace and air handler, refrigerator, lights, phone chargers, tablets or laptops, and water heater. In the summertime, you’ll need power for your central air conditioner or a window air conditioner along with your refrigerator, lights, and microwave or oven.

Calculate the Watts of Power You Need

Add up the watts of all the appliances you want to run with the generator. Be sure to account for the startup requirements, explains Consumer Reports. A heat pump or air conditioner needs more watts at the start of a cycle than it does during the cycle’s main phase.

For more information about selecting the correct size generator for your home, take a look at Total Heating & Cooling, Inc.’s generator installation services, or contact our qualified technicians today.