The average American household loses power one to two times a year, with a power outage lasting roughly four hours, according to statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Major weather events are a driver for power outages across the U.S.

For Connecticut and New York residents, freezing rain, ice, and snow can impact communities for days at a time. Early this year, a single ice storm wiped out power to more than 35,000 Connecticut homes and businesses, prompting Governor Ned Lamont to warn residents of likely “prolonged outages.”

Power outages like those experienced in the January storm cause homeowners to incur a list of expenses and inconveniences. From spoiled food to frozen pipes, power outages can create significant damage to your home. One of the best ways to prepare for those unpredictable power outages is with a whole house generator. Researching home generators, however, can be exhausting. The options, sizes, and functionality of the different units can be difficult to understand without a professional guiding you through the process. That’s where Greenwich Power Systems steps in.

Whether you just need enough power to restore use to the essential appliances in your home, or you want a generator that will allow everything to work again, our team will help you find the ideal home generator for your needs.

How To Choose A Home Generator

A home generator is the first line of defense against a power outage. Whether your family depends on power for pertinent needs like healthcare devices, or simply wants access to reliable power in case travel to another location is not an option, a home generator is the answer.

Understanding the types of generators available will help you decide which is best for your home.

  • Natural gas home generators: Powered by natural gas or liquid propane, these home generators are permanently positioned on the outside of your home. The unit powers on automatically when there’s an outage, and with select units, you can monitor the system and check on your generator’s status using your computer, tablet or smartphone, even when you are away.
  • Select circuit generators: This customizable option allows you to choose which devices in your home will power up when an outage occurs. The pre-selected appliances are chosen before your home generator is professionally installed. The select circuit generators are typically smaller and operate on less fuel.
  • Whole house generators: If you don’t want to select a few devices to receive power, choose them all with a whole house generator. These units have the ability to provide stable power to an entire home of a reasonably large size.

Choosing the right size generator for your home is important because you want it to power your necessary devices efficiently, but you also want to avoid overpaying for the unit and the cost to run it.

To choose the right home generator for your needs, follow these steps:

  1. Decide which appliances and devices within your home you want to power in the event of an outage.
  2. Estimate the starting (surge) and running wattage for each of the devices you want to power. You’ll typically find this information on the appliance itself, or you can use our cheat sheet below or the Generac home backup sizing calculator.
  3. Add the wattage together to determine which home generators will fulfill your needs.

If you want to just give power to the essential appliances in your home, here is an estimated guide as to what your wattage need may look like:

  • Washing machine:        1,200 starting wattage – 1,200 running wattage
  • Clothes dryer:                 6,750 starting wattage – 5,400 running wattage
  • Refrigerator:                   2,900 starting wattage – 700 running wattage
  • 2-ton AC system:           8,700 starting wattage – 3,800 running wattage
  • Electric water heater: 4,500 starting wattage – 4,500 running wattage

If you prefer to skip the first three steps, connect with the Greenwich Power Systems team now and we’ll walk you through your options.

Best Brands Of Home Generators

Sifting through generators for sale can be a daunting task, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the brands behind the units. As with any considered purchase for your home, there are home generator brands and companies that fall within a budget pricing range. While opting for the least expensive option may save you some costs upfront, the craftsmanship of the unit and quality of installation could cost thousands in the future.

The Greenwich Power Systems team is devoted to superb service, offering the most reliable generators available. The systems trusted most by the team include Kohler and Generac. As the leading home generator in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we only rely on the brands that we trust. If we wouldn’t install the brand at our own home, we won’t install it at yours. Here’s why we depend on these two quality home generator options:

  • Kohler: Kohler home generators were created in 1920 and they’re still manufactured in the United States today. The units are backed by a premium 5-year or 2000 hour limited warranty. Kohler was listed among the leading home generator brands of 2019 by Generator Mag.
  • Generac: Named one of the top home generators of 2019, the Generac brand is known for quality. These units regularly run a quiet self-test to ensure everything is working properly so your home has power when it needs it most. Each unit comes with a 5-year limited warranty.

A standby or whole house generator is more convenient and safer than portable options. When a storm hits and a power outage disrupts your home in the middle of the night, you don’t have to worry about locating the generator, storing it in a safe place, and going outside to monitor the fuel level. With home generators from Greenwich Power Systems, you can monitor the unit from your smartphone.

The middle of winter with no heat is not the time to realize you need a home generator. Plan for the unexpected with the professional team at Greenwich Power Systems and ensure your family is safe and comfortable year-round. Our courteous team of professionals can help you decide which home generator is best for your needs.