Standby Generators

A standby generator, as opposed to a portable generator, is the best way to keep your home powered during an outage. This kind of generator is designed for permanent installation and is connected to your home’s main board using an automatic transfer switch (ATS). The ATS constantly monitors utility power and in the event of a disruption start up automatically with a very short delay. They shutdown automatically when utility power is restored. The generators run on natural gas or propane.

While standby generators involve a high initial outlay you must also consider the high costs of a professional installation which can run into thousands of dollars.

Regular maintenance which will also need to be carried out professionally are likely to also cost quite a lot of money, so be prepared to put this aspect into your overall budget calculations.

While there are high costs associated with a standby generator, the upside is that they can power your whole home automatically. Once installed in a permanent location outside your home you don't need to worry about getting a portable generator out of storage and setting it up each time there is an outage. And as a standby generator will be connected to a constant fuel supply you won't need to have to think carefully about safe fuel storage.

In general, standby generators will be less noisy than the larger open frame portable models as they are enclosed in a weatherproof housing.