A generator with a properly wired transfer switch keeps heat, water, refrigeration, and internet running without extension cords across the floor or any risk to the crews working on the line.
Standby vs Portable
A standby generator is permanently installed, runs on natural gas or propane, and starts automatically when it detects an outage. You do not have to be home for it to work. A portable generator is cheaper and moves with you, but someone has to be there to start it, refuel it, and connect it.
The right answer depends on how often you lose power, how long outages last where you are, and whether anyone in the house depends on equipment that cannot go down. Foothills addresses generally justify standby sooner than metro addresses do.
The Transfer Switch Is the Important Part
Whatever generator you choose, the connection to your house is what matters. A transfer switch isolates your circuits from the utility so that generator power cannot backfeed onto the grid. Backfeeding is genuinely dangerous: it can energize lines that utility crews believe are dead.
This is why plugging a generator into a dryer outlet with a double-male cord, sometimes called a suicide cord, is both illegal and a serious hazard. If that is how backup power is currently handled at your house, replacing it with a proper transfer switch is worth doing before the next storm.
Whole-House or Essential Circuits
An automatic transfer switch can carry the whole panel or a subset of essential circuits. Whole-house is simpler to live with and requires a larger generator. An essential-circuits switch is cheaper and requires deciding in advance what matters: furnace, well pump, refrigerator, sump pump, a few outlets, and internet.
We walk through that list with you, because the answer changes the generator size and the total cost more than any other decision.
Sizing and Fuel
Sizing is a load calculation, not a guess. Undersized generators nuisance-trip and shorten their own life; oversized ones cost more up front and run inefficiently. Natural gas is the usual choice where there is a service line. Propane makes sense where there is not, and it needs a tank with enough capacity to matter.
Permits, Placement, and Inspection
Generator installs require electrical permits and, for standby units, coordination on gas connection and placement. Clearances from windows, doors, and property lines are set by code and by the manufacturer. We handle permitting and inspection, and we site the unit so it passes both.
Serving the Denver Metro and Foothills
Generator installation in Denver, Westminster, Arvada, Broomfield, Thornton, Golden, Evergreen, Conifer, and the surrounding Front Range and foothills communities.
If you are tired of losing heat and water every time a storm comes through, we can size a system, quote it honestly, and handle the permits. Schedule online or call to start with a walkthrough of what you actually need running.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size generator do I need for my home?
It depends on whether you want whole-house backup or essential circuits only, and on the specific loads involved. Sizing is a load calculation, not a rule of thumb. We measure what you actually need to keep running and size from that.
Do I need a transfer switch to use a generator?
Yes. A transfer switch isolates your home from the utility so generator power cannot backfeed onto the grid, which is a serious hazard to line crews. It is also required by code. Plugging a generator into an outlet with a double-male cord is neither safe nor legal.
Should I choose natural gas or propane?
Natural gas is usually the better choice where a service line already exists, since you never have to refuel. Propane works where gas is unavailable, but the tank needs enough capacity to carry a multi-day outage. We will look at what is already at your property.
What is the difference between a standby and a portable generator?
A standby generator with an automatic transfer switch starts on its own within seconds of an outage, whether or not anyone is home. A portable requires someone present to start, refuel, and connect it. That difference matters most for travel and for anyone dependent on powered equipment.
Do generator installations require a permit?
Yes. Electrical permits are required, and standby installs also involve gas connection and placement clearances from windows, doors, and property lines. We handle the permitting and inspection and site the unit to meet both code and manufacturer requirements.
