The most expensive mistake is the wrong size
Generators get bought wrong in two directions, and both cost thousands. Too small: it stalls when the AC compressor starts, or it runs at maximum strain and dies young. Too big: you overpaid upfront and you burn extra fuel for the next twenty years. Both mistakes come from the same place — guessing instead of calculating.
What a real load calculation includes
We inventory every major load in your home: HVAC (with the actual starting surge of your specific unit, not a generic number), water heater, well pump or sump pump, kitchen appliances, dryer, and the general lighting/receptacle load. We check your panel's capacity and configuration. We ask what you actually want running during an outage — because "whole home" and "essentials plus AC" are different numbers. Then we apply the electrical math: running watts, starting watts, diversity factors, and code requirements.
Why online calculators aren't enough
Calculators ask for square footage and appliance checkboxes and spit out a kW number. They can't see that your 4-ton AC has a hard-start kit (lower surge) or doesn't (higher surge). They don't know your panel is a 100-amp service that can't take a service-rated switch without an upgrade. They don't factor load management, which can let a smaller generator do a bigger job. A calculator gets you oriented; a consultation gets you the number you'd bet $15,000 on.
What you get
A written sizing recommendation: the kW range your home needs, which circuits are the big drivers, whether load management makes sense for you, and whether your panel needs work first. If you buy from us, the consultation fee is credited toward installation. If you don't, you still have the number — and you can hold any other bidder to it. Read our sizing guide for background.
Send the form below — the consultation is free, and it's the smartest first step in the whole process.