Berkeys / Berkeys Blog

September 13, 2016

Why Should We Install A Standby Generator To Our Homes?

More and more homeowners are realizing that purchasing and installing a standby generator is a necessary step to ensuring their home’s safety. The days when occasional power outages could be endured with candles and ghost stories are growing short. Random thunderstorms and freak accidents that threaten to cut power to your home for a few hours are now only one potential danger to your home.

This video shows how to install a Standby Generator.

How to Install a Stand-by Generator

Whole house generators are wired into your home’s electrical system to take over automatically when there is a power outage. Since whole house generators run on natural gas or propane, they require no maintenance from homeowners in the event of an emergency.

3 Things You Should Know About Standby Generator Installations

1. Groundwork

This is the longest part of the process.

When we send an Air Group representative to first survey a home for a natural gas powered standby generator, it’s essential to look at your present gas meter. Once the size is documented the representative will take an inventory of all the gas-fueled appliances in your home to determine if your current gas supply is adequate to serve the both the generator as well as your household appliances. If not, we must send a “gas load inquiry” form to the correct Utility Company. At this point, we must wait for a response from the company which will inform us of the proper plan of action.

In most cases a simple meter upgrade is required, at minimal, or no cost to you, the homeowner. Unfortunately, however, in some cases the Gas Company must install a larger gas line from the street to the house, which escalates the cost dramatically.

2. Permits

In an ideal situation, a homeowner will have adequate gas coming to their home. The next step is to apply for the town permits (electrical, fire, etc.) which Air Group handles completely, as well as making sure we have all of the needed zoning approvals. After we apply for all necessary permits, the generator is usually installed within a month of our initial visit.

3. Installation

Once the gas issue is resolved and the permits are obtained, the actual install takes just two to three days. To completely install a whole-house generator you don’t just need the paperwork, you also need a licensed plumber, licensed electricians and an installer capable of maneuvering a 400-500 lb. machine. Here at Air Group, we are licensed electricians and plumbers who have installed over 680 Generac Generators in the last few years. There are no sub-contractors involved with your actual generator installation, unless excavating is necessary.

Steps:

1.  Install electrical sub-panel with transfer switch beside the main electrical panel.
   
2.  Redirect critical circuits from main panel to sub-panel.
3.  Prepare a level stone or concrete base for the generator.
4.  Set generator on base.
5.  Dig trench from generator to new high-pressure gas meter.
6.  Run new natural gas line and tracing wire from generator to gas meter; connect gas line to meter.
7.  Pull electrical cable from generator to house.
8.  Make gas and electrical connection to rear of generator.

Standby Generator Safety Tips

Standby generators are an inevitable requirement to combat power outages and overcome the resultant hindrances to business continuity. While generators are convenient and easy to use, with most of them being capable of automatic functioning during power outages, they can also be hazardous to life and property if standard procedures and adequate precautions are not followed during installation, operation, and maintenance.