Whole-Home Power Generators

Keep Your Family Safe And Comfortable With A Whole Home Backup Generator!

Power outages are occurring more frequently than ever in Northern Virginia & Maryland, lasting longer and causing more harmful effects. Whole home generators are becoming a popular way for Fairfax VA, Leesburg VA, as well as surrounding Northern Virginia and Maryland area homeowners to keep their homes safe and comfortable during prolonged periods without power.

Today’s backup generators are quieter, more reliable and offer the  convenience of auto start and practically infinite run time. When a power outage occurs a standby generator goes on – automatically – protecting you and your home 24/7. With a standby generator your family can maintain everyday necessities like heating, cooling, refrigeration and lighting in your home.

Whole Home Automatic Standby Generator or Portable Generator?

A portable generator needs to be rolled out from storage, filled with fuel or hooked up to a fuel line, manually started, and connected to loads. In contrast, a permanent standby generator starts automatically because it is already connected to both the house wiring and the fuel source. It can sense a power outage, isolate your electrical wiring or designated emergency circuits from the grid, and start powering your home immediately.

Whole home standby generators offer power levels higher than portables – their rating ranges anywhere from 5 kilowatt up into hundreds of kW. This makes them the best choice for dealing with a long-term power outage. While the initial cost is higher than a portable generator, a whole home generator will increase the value of your home.

When power is restored, a portable generator has to be switched off manually. A whole home generator will connect you back to the utility lines and will turn itself off automatically. You don’t even have to be home to switch it over.

What to Look For When Choosing a Whole Home Generator For Your Home

Aside from wattage, consider the duration of time you may need emergency power, fuel availability, safety and convenience of use.

By selecting which appliances and lighting you want to maintain during a power outage, you can calculate the power requirements of the designated circuits and select a generator that can maintain the proper wattage for your application.

Most residential generators can run on both natural gas and LP (propane). Your installer will do a simple field adjustment to convert the generator to your available fuel source. A whole home generator will be permanently installed in a location that provides easy access to your home’s electric and fuel supply and that minimizes the risk of exhaust fumes entering the home.

If you live in a larger-than-average home or have high-powered electrical appliances, your home will need a larger generator with more output.

Here is a list of questions you should ask yourself before choosing a generator for your home:

1. What would you like to keep operating in your home?
2. What is the amperage size of your main panel?
3. Where is the best location in your home for a generator-to-gas hookup?
4. Which style of transfer switch would be best for your home?
5. Are you interested in an eco-friendly transfer switch?
6. Do you want to run more appliances with a smaller generator?

Have backup power generator questions?  The experts at F.H. Furr Plumbing, Heating And Air Conditioning can help you select the best whole home generator solution to fit your family’s needs and budget.