Standby or portable?
North Alabama sees severe spring storms, summer thunderstorms and occasional winter ice — all of which can knock out power. A standby generator starts automatically and can run for extended outages on natural gas or propane. A portable generator is less expensive but must be set up manually and refueled.
Either way, the connection matters. Plugging a generator into a dryer outlet (a “suicide cord”) is illegal and extremely dangerous to utility workers and your household. A transfer switch or listed interlock is the safe way to power your home's circuits. For whole-house systems see whole home generators.
What the work typically involves
Decide what to power
List essential circuits — refrigeration, well pump, HVAC, medical equipment — and size the generator.
Choose transfer equipment
Select an automatic or manual transfer switch, or an interlock kit listed for your panel.
Install and connect
Set the generator pad or inlet, run wiring and install transfer equipment.
Test and inspect
Simulate an outage, confirm transfer operation and pass inspection.
Common reasons homeowners call
- Frequent outages during storm season
- Well pumps and sump pumps that must keep running
- Medical equipment that needs power
- Working from home
- Protecting food in freezers during long outages
Signs your backup power setup needs fixing
- Using extension cords from a portable generator through windows
- Backfeeding through an outlet
- Generator running in or near the garage
- No plan for multi-day outages
- Generator that trips breakers when loads start
Safety considerations
Backfeeding and carbon monoxide kill. Never backfeed your home through an outlet, and never run a generator indoors, in a garage or near windows — carbon monoxide can kill. Keep portable generators well away from the house and install CO alarms.
What an electrician will check
- Generator size versus starting and running loads
- Transfer switch or interlock listing
- Fuel supply and placement clearances
- Panel capacity and breaker compatibility
- CO alarm coverage in the home
Related electrical problems
Local pages for this service
Related residential services
Whole Home Generator
Permanently installed standby generators sized to power your entire home automatically during outages.
Generator Repair
Electrical troubleshooting for generators that won't transfer, won't start in an outage, or trip breakers under load.
Surge Protection
Whole-house surge protectors at the panel plus point-of-use protection for electronics and appliances.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Installation
Hardwired carbon monoxide alarms for homes with gas appliances, fireplaces, attached garages or generators.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — a transfer switch or listed panel interlock is required to safely connect a portable generator to your home's wiring.
It depends on what you want to run during an outage. A load review of essential circuits — especially HVAC and well pumps with high starting loads — sets the size.
Standby units need clearances from windows, doors and vents set by the manufacturer and local code. Portable generators should always run outdoors, well away from the house.
A properly sized standby generator with load management can. Many homeowners choose to back up only essential circuits.