There are plenty of guides and suggestions for sizing generators available online, but the best and most accurate way to assess your need is with an in-home consultation, which you can get from companies like ours at no charge. Having someone on site will also be necessary for determining details relating to your electrical service, gas, installation site, regulations and more.

Generally speaking, people will get recommendations on generator sizes based on the square footage of their homes, but that’s less important than how many major appliances you have or how many people generally live in the home. A whole home generator system will ideally power everything that people are generally using in a day to day situation, so understanding your power consumption is important. 

Depending on the unit you get installed there are generally a few options for fuel. Most homeowners end up getting units that run on either Natural Gas or Propane. Whichever direction you choose to go with this will generally depend on what fuel source your home already has available. 

There are some brands and models that also can run diesel, however these are less common, and generally much larger and more expensive than their counterparts that run on LP or NG. These units also commonly have additional cooling mechanisms which add to the size of the unit. 

Yes! Nearly all home generator models have corresponding automatic transfer switches. These boxes are wired into your home electrical service and will automatically detect a power outage and switch your home over from the grid to the generator. 

When purchasing a Generac unit or working with a home contractor, you’ll want to make sure you’ve gotten something that includes the automatic transfer switch. If purchasing a unit directly you’ll want to make sure the package indicates that the transfer switch is included. 

Most modern generators have a self-test function designed to keep your generator in working order and perform diagnostics in an attempt to identify any problems before you experience a major power outage. It is imperative that you allow your home generator to conduct its scheduled self-tests to maintain working conditions.

By default, Generac Guardian units test monthly.

Home Standby Generators are fixed small engines, so there will always be some noise involved in their operation. Depending on the make and model, that noise level can be a dull roar or quite a bit louder. Generac generators sit right around the middle in terms of noise volume, so you should expect it to be noticable. 

Regardless of what generator you choose for your home, you may want to consider an installation site that isn’t near any windows or your bedroom. If you find the perfect spot for it, you may never even hear it turning on or conducting its self-tests. 

Hurricane Home Solutions was started in Rochester NY, but over the years we've grown substantially, and now have several locations across the majority of New York and Pennsylvannia. 

As Authorized Dealers for Cummins, Generac and Chmapion, we can service any of those units in most places across both states. 

Installation costs can vary pretty widely depending on the price of the actual unit, the materials required for installation, any additional electrical work and required labor.  Average estimates in our region are around $10,000 (all inclusive price) but can be as much as $15,000 depending on the circumstances, county and other potential factors. Generac units are pretty middling in terms of price, not the cheepest but thy're also no the most expensive. 

The best way to get a real and accurate price is by getting a few quotes directly from contractors in your area. Companies like ours will always offer free quotes and the Better Business Bureau recommends that homeowners get three quotes on home improvement projects before pulling the trigger on anything.  

The answer here can vary depending on the location of the generator, but it is generally in the neighborhood of a few hours. Rarely has an installation we’ve ever completed gone for longer than a single day.  During an install there will normally be a 1-2 hour window where the power will be shut off and the electrical work will be completed. 

Factors that could potentially extend the length of the installations include trenching, coordinating with a local gas company, panel upgrades and any additional electric work that may be required to pass an inspection. Even with longer jobs with additional tasks, installations rarely exceed a single day of work.

By default, Generac offers a 5 Year Limmited, but there are additional options available to expand this warranty significantly. 

Most modern manufacturers have elected to design and integrate Smartphone apps that allow for 24/7 remote monitoring. The only restriction here is your access to the internet. You will be able to actively check the status of your generator from anywhere in the world as long as you have wifi or cellular data service.

Although most manufacturers do now have this remote monitoring capability, there are some that do not. If this feature is especially important to you, you’ll want to make sure there is a remote monitoring option for whichever brand/model you decide to purchase. For the Cummins models we recommend, this smart app is a free service, but some manufacturers will charge a subscription fee for access to the smartphone app. 

Every manufacturer has their own specific and general instructions and guidance for maintenance and upkeep. A good example that applies to nearly every model is regular oil changes. Your generator is a small engine, and just like any other engine, it needs fuel, requires oil changes and should be inspected on occasion for any issues.

Other maintenance factors and points of consideration include battery checks, spark plug spacings and other general maintenance you might otherwise associate with an engine. Always check with your owners manual, installer and specific manufacturer guidelines when conducting maintenance on your home generator.