Finding a good generator for your home is critical to help you prepare yourself for a power outage situation. You can find many different types of generators that come in different sizes or capacities. Therefore, you need to learn about what makes a generator the right size for your home.
This page is specially created to help you find the best generator size that is suitable for your needs. When deciding, there are some important factors that you need to consider, especially when you compare some available generators on the market today. In most cases, you are going to require generators that have about 3,000 to 10,000 watts capacity.
List Any Devices You Plan To Run Off Your Generator
When you are planning to have an afforadable generator for your home, you need to list all critical appliances or equipment that you will run during a power outage situation. You should include all the necessary devices in your home, for example, freezers, refrigerators, air conditioners, lighting circuits, etc. Don’t forget your wireless router!
Creating a list of these devices can help you calculate the overall wattage needs for your home. The more items you are going to run during an emergency, the more capacity you need from your generator.
Calculate The Total Wattage Required
After you list all of your items, you can start calculating the overall wattage that you’re going to need from your generator. You can use any number of generator wattage calculator that are available on the internet. This type of calculator will get you a rough estimate of how many watts you need. In this type of calculator, you are going to see two figures that you need to pay attention to.
The first one is starting watts. This is the power required to start up the appliance. Any devices with a motor usually need more wattage to start, for example, a window air conditioner. Another figure is called the running watts. This is the total amount of energy required to run the appliance after the initial startup. You can read more about starting watts vs. running watts here.
Select a Generator That Has a Bigger Capacity Than Your Needs
This is another important tip that you should follow, especially when you want to select the right generator for your needs. Consider buying a generator that offers some extra wattage for your needs. You don't want to force your generator to work on its full load because it will reduce the overall lifespan.
A generator that is running on its full load will produce too much noise. It can be a big disturbance, especially if you are planning to use this generator just outside a bedroom. For example, when you need to have at least 1,600 running watts for your equipment, you need to choose a generator that can provide at least 1,800 watts.
Which Generator Should You Buy for Running the Whole House?
After reading all of these tips above, you should be able to find the right generator with the right size for your home. It is recommended for you to calculate the total energy required accurately before you decide to buy the best generator for your needs. You can run the most critical household equipment with a powerful generator with 5,000 to 7,500 watts.
This generator will be able to run any equipment in your home, for example, refrigerators, freezers, well pumps, lighting circuits, air conditioners, heaters, garage openers, water heaters, etc. Don't forget to check the exact wattage of any home appliances manually. These numbers will be available on the labels of the equipment or appliances in your home.
You also need to consider whether you are going to run the generator for the purpose of giving power to the entire house or just some essential equipment. If you live in a disaster-prone area, you may consider using a large generator with a huge capacity. This large generator can be expensive, but it can be a good investment for you and your family.
Now is the best time for you to contact us and our team of generator experts. A&J Generator is an official Briggs & Stratton dealer as well as many other brands we can suggest that are good for your home. Our experts can give the best recommendations to you, so you can find the right generator size for your home. Reach out today!
