Maryland gets nor'easters, summer derechos and ice. Outages here are not rare events, they are an annual expense in spoiled food, sump pumps that stop and frozen pipes. A standby generator is the fix that does not require you to be home.
Standby vs portable
A standby unit is permanently installed, runs on natural gas or propane, starts itself and transfers the house over in seconds. A portable runs on gasoline you have to buy before the storm, needs to be wheeled out and started in the weather, and only powers what you can reach.
Sizing
- 11kW to 14kW - essentials. Furnace, fridge, sump pump, well pump, lights, outlets, internet.
- 18kW to 22kW - the above plus one central AC and most of the kitchen. This is the common choice for Maryland homes.
- 24kW to 26kW+ - large homes, two AC systems, electric range and dryer.
Load shedding modules let a smaller unit carry a bigger house by pausing the AC while the dryer runs. Often cheaper than jumping a size up.
The transfer switch matters more than the generator
An automatic transfer switch senses the outage, starts the unit and isolates you from the grid - that isolation is what protects the line crews working on your street. A manual transfer switch with a generator inlet is the budget option and works fine, it just needs you to be home.
Installed cost in Maryland
- Whole house standby, installed with ATS and pad: $8,000 to $16,000
- Manual transfer switch and inlet for a portable: $1,200 to $2,500
- Gas line work: quoted separately by your gas plumber, we coordinate
After installation
Standby units self-test weekly. Keep the enclosure clear, change oil per the schedule, and have it looked at annually. We service what we install and plenty that we did not.
Serving electrician in Waldorf, electrician in Salisbury, electrician in Hagerstown and every Maryland city. Call (888) 592-6466.