Have you lived in DFW long enough to know the power can go out anytime, day or night? It seems inevitable here in the DFW metroplex. We have severe storms in the spring, ice storms in the winter, and summer heat waves when the Texas grid becomes overworked. A whole-home generator is going to help you sleep well at night when your DFW-area neighbors are not. Read on for a quick overview of generator sizing and costs, and what to expect during installation.
Why DFW Homeowners Need a Whole-Home Generator
Texas weather puts the power supply in jeopardy. Storms that hit Texas with tornadoes and hurricanes can knock down power lines. Summer power demand is often too much for the Texas power grid to handle. Texas can also get an ice storm in the winter that can cut the power off to an entire household. If your home was one of these households in one of these weather events, you would understand the inconvenience if you had no heat, no water running, and no lights on during the outage. If it was 30 degrees outside, you would not be very happy with having to move into a motel because there was nothing else you could do.
With a whole-home standby generator, your whole house can run during the storm if and when the power does go out, and you can sleep soundly at night. A whole-home generator is installed outside your home and will automatically turn on when the power goes out. The unit is hooked up to a transfer switch that allows it to take over for the grid. The system is also hooked up to your gas or propane line to use as a fuel source. As soon as the transfer switch detects a power failure, it activates the generator and the generator starts and provides power to your home. This all occurs automatically. With no work required of you. You are going to stay cool and safe and warm during any power outage that lasts anywhere from 30 seconds to hours to days.
Standby Generator vs. Portable Generators
Portable Generators
Portable generators will be small enough to sit on the driveway to run a refrigerator, lights, and a portable AC unit. The cost will be $500-$2,000 and are run off of gas fuel that will have to be purchased and stored. They are noisy and should only be run outdoors as it produces carbon monoxide that can be harmful to you and your family. These generators should not be used to run your home unless they can supply power to your circuits or you have an electrician set up an extension cord system to hook to your circuits.
Standby Generators
Standby generators are installed as part of a permanent system that is installed on the side of your home or set up on a pad outside of your home that allows your gas or propane to power the generator. The transfer switch automatically senses when the power grid is down and switches your home power over to your whole-home generator. These generators are the easiest and safest generators to have for extended power outages. They may run a portion of your home or all of your home based on how large the generator is. You will pay more for your whole-home generator, but they will provide power to your home in a short amount of time during a power outage.
Generator Installation Cost in Fort Worth
The cost of a whole-home standby generator varies based on your home electrical system, the labor involved, and the size of the generator that you install.
- Generator size is the costliest portion of your whole-home generator installation. Homeowner generators vary in size from 14kw to 26+ kw.
- The generator alone ranges from $3,000 to $8,000.
- Installation of the transfer switch and electrical wiring from the generator to your electrical panel will add anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000 depending on electrical complexity and distance from generator to home.
- The installation of an electrical panel or changing your electrical wiring to handle a generator installation will also affect cost.
- Most cities will need you to purchase a permit.
The entire installation cost will range from $7,000-$15,000 for most DFW-area homeowners. Installation can go above $20,000 if your electrical system needs a lot of work or you need a large generator.
Generator Installation Process
Planning and Permitting
A professional will install your whole-home standby generator. They will inspect your home to make sure you will have adequate power from your generator and what size generator will be best for your home. Then the generator will be installed, and the whole home generator installation is complete. Most generator installations take one or two days.
Installation
The electrician will set up a pad for the generator, run wires to your main electrical panel, and hook up a fuel line from a natural gas line or your propane tank. The generator and electrical panel setup should only take one day, although sometimes two days are needed. They install the pad, the generator, the automatic transfer switch, the electrical hookups, and the natural gas/propane hookup.
Testing and Walkthrough
After the generator is installed, the electrician will test the generator to prove it will work in case of a power outage. The test shows how the transfer switch works, shows the generator kick-on, shows how the generator shuts down when power is restored to the home, and shows how the transfer switch kicks back to utility power. You will also get a walk-through of your new generator system including all indicators and operation details, and simple maintenance procedures.
Picking the Right Generator Size
If the generator is too small, it can become overloaded. If it is too large, you end up with extra costs that you didn't need.
A licensed electrician will do a load calculation based on your AC, heating, hot water, refrigerator, lights, outlets, and other major electrical loads in your home.
The average sized 2000-sf home in DFW can use a 20-22kW generator for almost all needs in the home. The average AC in DFW is about 4 kW. This size generator will be able to power everything in your home and still have some power in reserve. A 24-26kW generator is needed for some larger homes or homes with more than one AC. An electrician should determine the right size generator so you don't buy one that is the wrong size for your home and your budget.
Why you must use a licensed electrician for your installation
When you install a whole-home generator, you are connecting your generator to your whole home electrical panel, and your generator is connected to your natural gas or propane line. It is important that you stay compliant to local and national electrical and fuel codes, plus any safety regulations that apply. In the state of Texas, only a licensed electrician is qualified to install your standby generator system.
An incorrectly installed whole-home generator can send electricity back to the grid which puts the utility worker's safety in jeopardy and can damage utility grid electrical equipment. An incorrectly sized fuel line could lead to the inability to operate the generator properly. And if your generator installation was never permitted, you will have an issue with your home when you sell your home, and with your homeowners' insurance company in case of a claim.
By hiring a licensed residential electrician for your whole home generator installation, you will get a code-compliant installation that has been permitted and inspected. The new system will have been tested and is ready for the day that you need it to be your new power solution during your next major power outage.
Secure your Home Now, Before the Next Power Outage
Power outages happen in DFW. One of the safest and most reliable ways to protect your family and home is by having a whole-home generator installed. By getting the correct size generator and using a licensed electrician for the install, your generator will continue to work for many years to come.
If you have questions about a new whole-home generator for your Fort Worth, Arlington, Southlake, or surrounding DFW home, KSI Electric offers free no-pressure quotes and is committed to a response time of one business hour. KSI Electric has been protecting North Texas homes since 1995. Contact us at (817) 932-5882 or visit ksiresidentialelectric.com for your free generator consultation.
Whole-Home Generator Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to install a whole-home generator in Texas?
Most whole-home generator DFW home owners will spend $7,000 to $15,000 installed for a generator system including the generator, transfer switch, labor, and permitting. The price depends on the generator size, any electrical improvements in your home, and the type of fuel source used.
How long is a whole-home generator installation?
In the majority of cases, the physical generator install will take one day, sometimes two days. The entire process from quote to installation will take from two to four weeks to allow time to pick out the generator unit, do the permitting, schedule the electrician, and have the unit tested.
What size generator will I need for my home?
Most 2000-sf DFW homes have their needs met with a 20-22kW generator. Larger homes or homes with heavier electrical needs may require 24-26kW or more of capacity. A licensed residential electrician should perform a load calculation in your home in order to determine the correct size generator for your home.