Standby Backup Generators

Watertown, NY

The short answer is yes, but a more indepth answer depends on how you use it and what it does for you. A standby generator will generally increase the resale value of your home (this stat varies but will likely be somewhere between 3-5%), so in that respect there is direct value. Cummins generators also have a longer than average life expectancy, which means the generator will be more useful to a prospective buyer. We estimate our generators to be fully functional past the average lifespan of 20-30 years.

A standby generator also reduces the possible losses you might experience from a power outage. In the modern era many homeowners are working from home on a semi-regular or consistent basis. For many of these people, losing power isn't an option and can add up to real financial loss or waste. The possibility of financial loss will be a considerable factor for some homeowners.

This may also depend on whether or not the well-being and safety of your home depends on certain electrical systems running without interruption. Is a sump-pump keeping your basement from flooding? Are there perishables stored in fridges or freezers that will go bad during a power outage? Do you have any medical devices that require power and 24/7 operation? Answering these questions will help you to understand if a standby generator is a good investment for you.

As a Cummins installer you may not be surprised to hear that we believe Cummins generators to the best brand for homeowners across the board. The Cummins Quiet Connect Series runs quieter than leading competitors, their proprietary app allows for remote monitoring and their manufacturer warranty is more generous than average.

However, we do understand that not everyone will want to purchase a Cummins generator so here is a quick tip that we generally like to give homeowners. Standby Generators vary significantly in quality and price, so it should be no surprise that some brands have developed reputations for both good and some “not so good” qualities.

Generacs, for example, have a large market share and a robust advertising program, but their units are plagued with varied defects, the occasional recall, and frequent service issues. The purchase of a standby generator is similar to the purchase of a car in the sense that spending a little more where it counts will save you issues down the road. 

For this reason we generally would recommend a Cummins or a Kohler over a Generac or a Briggs and Stratton, even for homeowners who don’t choose to work with us, particularly if it’s an option for their budget.

In default conditions without any special treatment or upgrades, most information available across a variety of manufacturers indicates that the average home standby generator will last between 20-30 years. This number varies so much because of the amount of use, the quality of the specific manufacturer and the maintenance that is done (regularly or irregularly). You can safely assume that a unit that is used less frequently, is well built by a reputable manufacturer and receives regular maintenance will end up being one that lives a lot longer.

Much like any other engine you would find in a car or a lawnmower, how you treat that engine has a significant impact on its lifespan. We all know what happens to an automobile when it doesn't get an oil change for 10,000 miles, a lot of the same principles apply to your home standby generator. 

We recommend Cummins units because they have a proven record of rugged and reliable production, they have a very generous manufacturer warranty, and regular maintenance ensures that they outlast competitor brands. Regardless of who you purchase your generator from and what manufacturer you go with, it is a fact that regular maintenance will increase the lifespan of your unit. If you're a handy individual, you may even be able to perform a lot of this maintenance yourself.

Sizing a generator for your home can sometimes be a more complicated process than you might initially think. You might assume that it would depend on how large your house is but it has more to do with the number of occupants, appliances and other major electric devices. There are websites online that will offer homeowners questionnaires designed to help with this process but that’s generally not a useful exercise.

We recommend that all homeowners get a free power assessment from a professional installer like Hurricane Home Solutions so that they can get an accurate understanding of what their power consumption is and what sort of unit will best accommodate. Our experience is that most homeowners power needs fall within the 13 -17 kW, with some obvious exceptions for homes that have larger families, AC units, Furnaces and other major draws.

There are some general qualities you’ll want to make sure your generator has and a few things you’ll want to take special considerations of, like the sub-zero temperatures we occasionally face here in New York. Always be mindful of available warranties, any possible rebates or credits, and service agreements available to you.

You’ll also want to make sure that you have fuel available for your generator and that its installation comes with an Automatic Transfer Switch. If you already have natural gas or propane set up, and your generator comes with an automatic transfer switch, you won’t have to deal with any interruptions in your power.

As previously mentioned, you’ll want to make sure (up here in New York) that your generator can still operate in cold weather conditions, which are often the conditions in which we lose power. This is another reason we so highly recommend Cummins, their units perform down to 0 °F, and can go even lower with the inclusion of a cold weather kit.

Staging a generator for installation is generally a simple and straightforward process with a few mandates and a few “highly recommended” steps as well. For starters, the general regulations are that the generator must be 18 inches away from the home and at least 5 feet away from the outer boundaries of your property line. 

Part of most projects like generator installations is going through the process of requesting, securing and paying for permits. Some municipalities can be very difficult with this process, others keep it very simple, there are even some townships in New York that don’t require any permits for an install at all. Regardless, your local municipality may have additional rules and regulations for your install.

Although there are no “requirements” for this, it’s always good practice to get the generator as close to the gas and electrical hookups as possible. Doing so makes the entire installation a smoother process and keeps everything consolidated.

If you get your home standby generator installed professionally you have absolutely no need to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning or any gas leaks of any kind. The common concern in this area comes from people using portable generators inside their homes, which is very dangerous and can lead to serious harm. Standby Generators and Portable Generators are not the same.

Some people have chosen to stage portable generators inside their homes during power outages and snow storms so that they can power some appliances and devices in their home. These portable generators run on gasoline and absolutely release a large amount of noxious fumes that are dangerous. It is always a bad idea to run any kind of generator indoors without some sort of ventilation.

Pending the need for regular maintenance, your home standby generator can hypothetically run indefinitely. Because standby generators are hooked up directly into propane or natural gas, they will continue to run as long as there is fuel available. This could become expensive in a long-term situation because of the fuel consumption, but there would be no issues for the generator operationally.

It should also be noted that, just like any other engine, constant use requires maintenance and upkeep. Another way of phrasing this would be that it is possible, but not exactly advisable and will put some serious wear on your engine. So, even if you could run your generator for days or weeks at a time (which you can), it may not be good for the longevity of your unit.