A plain-English guide from Abel Electric, an authorized Generac dealer serving Lake Martin, Dadeville, Jacksons Gap and Lake Harding
The storm rolls across the lake, the lights blink, and the house goes quiet. Then, a few seconds later, you hear it. The generator outside kicks on, the lights come back, and the fridge starts humming again. Nobody had to go outside in the rain, pull a cord or run an extension cord through a window.
That's the whole point of a home standby generator. Here's how it pulls that off.
Portable vs. Standby: What's the Difference?
A portable generator sits in the garage until you need it. When the power goes out, someone has to roll it outside, fuel it, start it and plug things in.
A home standby generator is installed permanently outside your home, like an HVAC unit. It's wired into your electrical system and connected to your home's fuel supply, so it's ready to go on its own.
The Part That Does the Thinking: The Transfer Switch
The key piece is the automatic transfer switch. It sits between the utility power and your home and watches the incoming power all the time.
When the utility power drops, the transfer switch:
- Senses the outage
- Tells the generator to start
- Switches your home over to generator power
When the utility power comes back and stays steady, it switches your home back and the generator shuts itself down. You don't have to do a thing, and it works whether you're home or not. That's a big deal for lake houses that sit empty during the week.
What Does It Run On?
Home standby generators run on natural gas or propane, so you're not hauling gas cans during a storm. We'll look at what fuel your home already has when we come out.
It Checks on Itself
Generac standby generators run a short self-test on a regular schedule to make sure they're ready when you need them. It's normal to hear yours run for a few minutes on its test day.
What Will It Power?
That depends on the size of the generator and how it's set up. Some homeowners want everything on, from the HVAC to the well pump. Others just want the essentials, like the fridge, lights and a few circuits. We'll walk through what matters to you and size it to fit.
Why the Installer Matters
A standby generator is only as good as its install. It has to be sized right, placed right, connected to fuel safely and wired into your panel correctly. That's why who installs it matters as much as the generator itself.
When Abel installs your Generac:
- It's installed in one day.
- It comes with a 10-year warranty that's exclusive to Abel installation.
- Financing is available.
- We service Generac generators and offer 24/7 generator support, so you always have someone to call.
We're also licensed electricians in Alabama and Georgia, so if your panel needs work to handle the generator, the same team takes care of it.
Thinking About a Generator for Your Home or Lake House?
Abel Electric has been serving the Lake Martin area and the Chattahoochee Valley since 2008.
Call Donnie at 706-442-9093, visit abelgenerators.com, or see our Generators page to get started on a Generac home standby generator in Lake Martin, Dadeville, Jacksons Gap or Lake Harding. Own a dock too? Read our guide to dock and boat lift wiring on Lake Martin.
