Most home standby generators can run anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 hours.

It’s also important to consider that while generators are certainly a hefty investment, they will pass the test of time. If you’re looking for full power, you will want to invest in at least a 20,000-watt generator this also goes for people with exceptionally large homes or families, which will use much more power than, say, a two- or three-person household. Often, a portable home generator can get you through an outage, but there are also options that are capable of powering your entire house. The average house will take at least 5,000 to 7,500 watts to run only the most critical equipment-think fridge, heat, and water. Picking a generator depends mainly on the size of your home and what you wish to power. Picking the wrong one, or using it improperly, could damage the generator or what is connected to it, at best-at worst, it could be dangerous, posing a risk of fire, electrocution, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Picking the right one means you’ll be able to power up the appliances or equipment you need. There are often laws, rules, and restrictions regarding their use in residential homes, with homeowners associations, at campgrounds, or on construction sites.

Show more What You Need to Know About Home Generatorsīefore running out to buy a generator, it’s important to think about how and where you’re going to use it.

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