Our Whole House Standby Generator Decision (And Why We Decided Not To Get One)
UPDATE, MONDAY 8/26/24: Just a note to let y’all know that I won’t be on the blog this week. I don’t want anyone to worry that something is wrong with Matt or anything. We’re fine. 🙂 I just need to step away for a few days and get some things in order without being tied to a computer each morning. Work on the gym (soon-to-be bedroom) floor is starting next Monday, so I need to get that room cleared out and find a place for everything. And then the work on my workshop should start possibly the following week (my permit was finally approved!), so I need to do some random things to get ready for that, like cut away tree branches so that their truck can get to our back yard easily. Anyway, it’ll be a busy week away from the computer to get ready for some pretty exciting things that are coming up. So I’ll be back here a week from now. Hope y’all have a great week!
It’s been a while since I shared with y’all about the quote we got for a whole house generator. We wanted to go with the Generac brand, and the quote (including the cost of the generator, the installation, and a couple of electrical issues that would need to be brought up to code for the installation to pass inspection) came to just over $21,000.
Of course, we weren’t thrilled with that price, but we were going to make it work if that was the best option. So we were going to take time to mull it over and make sure that it was really the right decision.
But then, just a couple of weeks after we got that quote, Hurrican Beryl hit Houston. I was checking in regularly with my friend who lives in a suburb of Houston to make sure that she and her family were staying safe. They were fine, but they were left without electricity for a few days. Prior to that, my friend had told her husband that she absolutely wanted a whole house standby generator. There was no question about it, and she was willing to pay any price for it. She didn’t care how much it cost just as long as she as their family of four, including two teenage boys, wouldn’t be left without electricity for days on end.
Then Beryl hit, and they were left without electricity. But do you know who else was left without electricity? About half of the people in their subdivision who had whole house standby generators. She was shocked, and so was I when she told me about it. They live in a very nice subdivision in a Houston suburb. These are people who paid the thousands of dollars to have the whole house standby generator installed, and who have the annual maintenance plan to make sure the generator is ready in case of emergency. And then when they actually needed them in the aftermath of a hurricane, half of them were left with malfunctioning generators and no electricity.
Ever since then, she and I (and her husband) have been coming up with new plans, exchanging ideas, and sharing various products that we might find useful if the need arises again in the future. Here’s the plan that Matt and I have decided on instead of a whole house standby generator.
First up, we bought a Jackery. A Jackery is a solar-powered generator, and the company has all different sizes for various purposes. They have everything from big whole house generators to small portable generators that you can take camping. After doing a lot of comparing, we ended up selecting the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus. We purchased it during Amazong Prime days, and it was 50% off, even though we didn’t purchase it on Amazon. We purchased it through the Jackery website. Here’s what it looks like…
We selected this one because it’s the second largest one they have, and they’re expandable, meaning that if we find we need more, longer-lasting power, we can add more stackable battery packs to it. This one came with two of these solar chargers. You can see how huge it is compared to the music room settee.
I also really like that a Jackery can be charging while it’s being used, just as long as the power coming in is greater than the power going out. And the display on the front of the generator keeps track of that so you can see exactly what’s coming in and going out.
I wanted this because I like the idea of having a generator that can be safely used inside the house. It doesn’t produce any kind of exhaust, so it doesn’t have to stay outside. So this is a good backup to have.
As far as our main generator, we’ve decided on this Westinghouse tri-fuel 12,500 watt generator (affiliate link).
I searched and researched generators for days before deciding on this one. The factors that pushed me towards this one were (1) the customer ratings (a 4.8 star rating out of 2779 customer reviews), and (2) that it’s a tri-fuel generator. For now, we will keep gasoline on hand in case we need it. But in the very near future (as in, hopefully this month, but definitely before this winter), we are going to have a plumber come out and install a natural gas hookup line so that we can use that to power the generator if and when we need it.
I feel relieved to have made this decision. I think we’ll have what we’ll need, and it didn’t cost anywhere near $21,000. That main thing is that in an emergency, we need to be able to heat or cool (depending on the time of year) one room in our house so that Matt can be comfortable. As long as we can close the bedroom door and have a portable air condition or portable space heater keeping that one room comfortable for him, as well as some power for a lamp or two, and maybe a laptop computer, and our refrigerator, we can last for days.
I am still considering purchasing this small Honda generator just to have a small backup generator on hand.
My Houston friend said that her sister (who also had no electricity because of the hurricane) used this Honda generator to power a portable air conditioner, and it worked great. She was especially impressed with it because it’s very quiet compared to the big noisy gas-powered generators. So that’s still on my list to purchase. But for now, I at least have the peace of mind knowing that we can get through a few days without electricity with what we have. There won’t be any more frantic scrambling to get Matt to my mom’s house or somewhere else before the extreme heat (or cold) starts to affect him.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
I work in the generator industry (I do not work for Generac).
What you described in the neighborhood in Houston is a massive failure on the part of not only the generator OEMs, but more likely the company servicing and doing the annual preventative maintenance. Because they are all in the same neighborhood, it seems likely that many of them are using the same service provider.
I hope they are addressing it with the service providers. Standby residential generators are extremely reliable and that kind of thing should not have happened. When done properly, they are life-saving and seamless. There is no scramble to get a generator up and running when the power goes out.
The problem with the smaller generators are the fuel tank and runtime, but if you bypass that to propane or natgas, you’ll solve that problem.
What would you suggest if you don’t have access to natural gas? We have tried to get the city to allow us to put a gas line in but, they said ‘no’. It seems ridiculous that they said no because the street behind us has gas. Anyway, we do have our own solar panel system but, we don’t have a battery backup.
Liquid Propane. You should be able to get a large above (or below) ground tank installed. You can also get a generator with a diesel engine. The on-board fuel tanks are usually large enough to last for a bit and diesel is easily accessible and easy to store.
This makes sense. I have had a Generac for 3 years…I can’t believe I lived in Florida all these years without one. My unit conducts a test run every other week and sends me (and my power company) a text confirming it’s ready to run should the power go out. It’s also serviced once a year by professionals (my power company). My Generac has had to power my house several times over the last 36 months, it’s been a life saver. I don’t know how an entire neighborhood had their generators malfunction at the same time.
Great information as I live in Houston. No power for 5 days. Had battery powered fans and power packs for phone charging. Lost a lot of food. In May a lot of people lost power as well from a tornado.
Essentials for us Southerners (south Louisiana, here). I believe we have the same Westinghouse generator and I hope we never have to use it!
I used this generator during an electrical outage in Louisiana that lasted for several days. It didn’t use much gas & I was able to run all appliances & lights. I also used a window unit air conditioner. I was told that I could use my central unit, but did not want to take a chance on that.
The electricity often goes out, where I live, for no obvious reason. It’s very frustrating, so most people here have just opted to get these just in case!
https://www.harborfreight.com/generators-engines/generators/3500-watt-super-quiet-inverter-generator-with-co-secure-technology-epa-71358.html
I live in FL, and after our 2004 hurricane season, a lot did the whole house generator. I was surprised how many reported the same as your friend in Houston…despite regular maintaining, they didn’t work when the next storm came and power was needed.
My aunt got the Jackery and loved it after Ian, and just got one for my mom. Solar is the best in FL, in my opinion. It takes us so long to get fuel after a storm, and we always have plenty of hot sun!
I have no idea what happened w/those TX generacs, but this was why I was warned against them years ago. They’re not reliable. Period.
A neighbor in FL had one she had kept serviced / up to date which failed during Irma in 2017. She stayed with us. We were without power for about 5 days. It would the lack of coffee which would do me in!
We have a small Honda which takes only pure gas (no ethanol) and we keep some additive in the gas cans to preserve it. After a year we just put it in the car and get new gas. We change the oil every year. We run it now and again to make sure it’s happy and healthy. Pretty simple.
We will get a whole house Honda generator; last I checked, it’s under $7500. We were advised last year it will cost about that for all the installation stuff (the switches, etc.).
Hang in there! Life is full of good lessons and I appreciate your generous spirit, sharing yours. God bless.
After Hurricane Opal hit the FL panhandle, we got a 10KW gasoline generator. We also learned a valuable lesson. It was installed in our 2400 sq ft steel building/shop/garage. When we needed it again, it wouldn’t work. Turns out there is a big capacitor that is the heart of it. When hubs looked at everything, it was all puffed out and dead. Turns out the heat in the building had killed it. I was able to get another one and this one lives in my bedroom closet until it’s needed. Then it gets re-installed and used. When the power is back on, it goes back in the closet and the generator goes to sleep in the shop. Something to consider when buying a smaller generator that doesn’t live outdoors.
You never said why these whole house generators didn’t work in Houston. I’m a bit confused.
Be sure to have TRANSFER SWITCH put in with your other electric work.
Bleh. Always irritating when something bought for one sole purpose doesn’t do its job.
Kristy,
Can verify the Honda is a great generator for a small power source. Over the years, we’ve even added a second one.
NOTE: We also have a large generator, and recently had the electrical work done so we can plug it directly into the breaker box. Was a game changer, as everything in the house was working with the exception of the air conditioning system. Used a few window units which worked well enough for the few days we didn’t have electricity. Saved us during the freeze in Houston too, as our heat is nat. gas, but the ignition, etc. is electric.
Lots to figure out, but worth the prep.
Wow Kristi thanks for sharing this! We’ve considered the whole house generator too but just couldn’t find peace about spending so much. Thank you for sharing your alternative choices and reviews. I’ll definitely look into them especially the Jackery. You probably already know this but I did want to share that GE has a battery backup LED lightbulb now that can be used in lamps. Even if it wasn’t the preferred hue for lighting to use all the time, they’d be a nice addition to an emergency lighting drawer or cabinet. I’m enjoying your posts so much discussing your process of where to save and where to spend. Exactly what I’m trying to work through right now as I’m striving to do much with little and honor God in the process. Blessings to you & Matt!
We have a Generac. We have not had any problems with it and are very thankful to have it. We would buy it and have it installed all over again. It comes on very quickly after our power goes out (which happens more than we would like) automatically.
I guess I’m confused why you have the Jackery plus a whole house generator. Plus considering another for backup.
If I had to guess, because the Jackery is easier to use for the shorter term power losses, and can be used inside, while the larger generator works better for longer duration outages. I love my big generator, but rarely mess with it for less than an 8 hour power outage, it’s just too much work.
I watch a lot of YouTube homesteaders that have Jackery’s. They use them for many different things, but everyone of them love them. I wouldn’t be opposed to jackerys in my house.
Look at having a soft start added to your home a/c unit, with that installed the generator should be able to handle your entire house load if needed. We just had the direct connect to installed for the panel to the house (one cord), which allows us to use any outlet in the house when our generator is running. The only downside is refilling it, but otherwise works great.
4 years ago we were miles from home hoping and praying we would have a home to come back to. I live in Northern California and due to a wildfire we were evacuated. It was the the second time it had happened. When we were allowed home after the first evacuation we were told by some firefighter friends to not rush back because the electricity and natural gas was turned off to a large section of our county and they had to go house to house to inspect and the restore the gas service. It took days! The people with whole house generators that relied on natural gas had no power!! It was then that we decided to not go that route. We have Ecoflow batteries (similar to Jackery) and solar panels large enough to charge the batteries. We keep them charged and ready to go, in a pinch we can charge them with our cars or drive to my husbands office to recharge. Maybe not as convenient as instant on, but in our minds more reliable.
why didn’t her neighborhood generators work? Did they say why? I have the equivalent of the Jackery. Mainly bought it for the freezer, but I end up using it for my cpap machine. I bought two smaller ones for our power chairs so we don’t get stuck in the laying back position.
I panicked a litte when I saw the title of the post thinking you were going without a generator at all. I’d be interested to see how your more affordable solution works out as I live in hurricane country. Maybe you’d like to update us after use over the next couple of years? At the moment having no power for several days is more an issue with the fridge and freezer which is why I keep things bare bones this time of year but I’m not getting any younger and one day a solar fan isn’t going to cut it.
For emergencies we have the bi-fuel version of the Westinghouse generator (don’t have access to natural gas in our neighborhood). We also bought an EcoFlow portable solar generator and recently purchased an extra battery. We will soon be installing solar panels on our roof and may eventually use the solar generator to run a percentage of the appliances in our home. My husband hooked all of his computers/recording equipment up to the EcoFlow and it powered them for several days without draining completely. He also tried the fridge and chest freezer for a couple of days as well and it worked great. You may also want to check into solar powered mini split AC units. We just recently discovered that such things exist and we’re trying to figure out where to install a couple in our Florida home since our electric bill is expected to increase quite a bit in the next couple of years. The solar mini split might be a good option to keep Matt cool during a power outage and may even be an option for keeping the areas he spends the most time in at a comfortable temperature while other areas could be slightly warmer for your comfort.
Hello Kristi from Istanbul! Our Viking cruise ship is just coming in to port in a few minutes at 6am and I’m excited to spend the next three days exploring your favorite city!
Thanks for the info on the generator options. We live near Tampa, FL and have a noisy gas generator that can keep the freezer and fridge on and a fan. The solar option sounds great! BTW I was in Waco in April with my sister!
Awwww, I’m so jealous that you’re in my favorite city!! I’d love to go back there. I hope you have an amazing time. Eat some lahmacun and künefe for me! And don’t miss out on the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia!
Good plan. We used our generator last night because we had no power for several hours. Ours is gasoline/propane and we used gasoline. Whole house generators are extreme so my hubby bought this one. It powers the refrigerator, coffee pot, our electric recliners, several lights, the tv and the internet. We don’t need anything else. Oh yes, we had a box fan plugged it. We used it all week in February when we had that brutal cold. It is from Westinghouse with 7500 watts to 9500 peak watts.
You definitely need a generator due to Matt’s condition, but why have three?
I didn’t understand the reason behind that.
Have a great week.
Thank you for posting this information. I too was looking for a Generac, but 3 of my friends who put it in there house could not get it working during the last hurricane. I live in Houston and have heard many different neighborhoods had the same problem. I am definitely going to look into that Westinghouse as it is Transfer switch, and Tri fuel. I like the idea of having propane. I have had to get my roof replaced and today they are working on my fence. So this will be next on my list.
Thank you for posting this information. I too was looking for a Generac, but 3 of my friends who put it in there house could not get it working during the last hurricane. I live in Houston and have heard many different neighborhoods had the same problem. I am definitely going to look into that Westinghouse as it is Transfer switch, and Tri fuel. I like the idea of having propane. I have had to get my roof replaced and today they are working on my fence. So this will be next on my list.
Thanks for sharing your thought process on this decision. I also appreciate all the comments. I came very close to buying a Jackery on Prime day. I already have rooftop solar and decided it would be better to invest in a battery back-up system for that. Of course I haven’t gotten around to it yet so this is a good reminder to be prepared.
I will miss you this week, but I hope you get everything done that needs to be done. I’m very much looking forward to next week and hearing how it goes for you. Godspeed!
Did that many whole house generators fail? Did anyone know why?