Whole-Home Generator Installation

For many electricians, a home generator is an essential part of the work. It’s not just something to do for fun or out of curiosity. The simple fact is Electricians In Corpus Christi Texas install generators because they are very effective, and most houses cannot run without them. They also have some positive implications on electrician services and homeowners, so electricians should familiarize themselves with the ins and outs of installing these units.

Whole-Home Generator Installing Basics

The whole process of putting in an electric generator should start by looking at the size, power needs, and budget of the homeowner at hand to know what kind of unit he will need to install. For instance, if this house has too much electrical usage, it would require an all-electric generator; if it uses more minor, it will get one that runs on natural gas. After deciding on the power source, homeowners can begin looking at different electric generators for sale online.

At this point, Electrician Corpus Christi needs to understand the best way for a homeowner to implement a whole home generator system. It is essential electricians recommend against trying to do their installation because these units are heavy and hot, causing them to require special voltages to ensure the safety of electrician services technicians.

Whole-Home Generator Maintenance Tips

  • Keep your generator clean and well-maintained
  • Check the oil level in the engine periodically
  • Replace old spark plugs every year or when they start to misfire
  • Change air filters regularly (every four months)
  • Use a fuel stabilizer if you’re not using your generator for more than 30 days at a time. 
  • Inspect belt tension and replace belts as needed

The Difference Between Whole Home Generator and Residential Generators

Residential generators are designed primarily to supply an entire house or home with electrical power when a standard utility company supplied electricity is interrupted. Whole-Home Generators, however, are a great way to save money in the long run by “by-passing” your existing utility company meter (over-riding it).

Whole-Home standby generators do not depend on fuel as an Emergency Generator does; therefore, one can hardly ever run out of power. They only run when they sense that there is no power coming from the utility company’s electric grid; this safety feature ensures that the generator will automatically shut off if the utility company’s power comes back on. A whole-home generator provides homeowners with peace of mind and security during emergencies like hurricanes, ice storms, floods, and other natural disasters.

A whole house generator will automatically switch on when there is an outage from the utility company. This means it could switch on at 1 am or 5 pm, so be prepared if sleeping/not expecting it, especially with children at home alone.

Likely need special wiring from fuse box into the house and new circuit breaker box outside of the house to handle the higher demand of electricity for cooking etc.  

It will include buying a large propane tank outside and running a gas line from your backyard to your furnace to provide heat through the generator. In addition, it will have a 120V outlet to plug in a pump for your sump pump or other appliances that run directly on electricity.

Whole-Home Generators Installation Cost

Installation for a whole home generator can run around $7000 to $12,000. If you have an older home with no conveniently accessible natural gas in your yard, it is worth considering installing one of these generators.

Common Uses include:

  • Turning on all appliances at once – when you know, power will be out for more than just a few minutes.
  • Keeping the refrigerator/freezer cold during a power outage.
  • Turning off furnace blower but keeping electrical heat running until power returns
  • Turn on the sump pump and remove water from flooded basement (very important to do this before sewerage backs up if the sewer is connected to house sump-pump)
  • Cooking/heating food for a day or two until power returns
  • Warming house (with electric heat) and providing AC (air conditioning) to those who rely on it for health reasons