For most homeowners, owning a backup generator it is an investment in safety, comfort, and peace of mind rather than an absolute necessity. We can’t guarantee that a home will ever be 100% exempt from a power outage. Nor is it possible to know how long an outage in a community will last, especially if it’s hurricane season and multiple locations are impacted by the outage. While you can reach for a flashlight to carry on with some tasks, this isn’t an easy fix for those dependent on electricity for medical needs, long outages that lead to food spoilage, or when essential security equipment is suddenly powerless. The answer is having a backup generator—either a portable unit or permanently installed standby generator.

6 Reasons to Have a Generator 

Having a home generator can instantly restore electricity during a grid outage. 

To help you determine if a generator is a sound investment for your home, consider these things: 

• How frequently does the power go out in your community and for how long?
• Do you have someone in your home that depends on essential medical equipment?
• What are your property risks? For instance, is your home prone to flooding so operating a sump pump is essential.
• Are you interested in whole house luxury or basic emergency survival?
• Investment and resale, a generator is a lasting home improvement.

These are the leading reasons homeowners use a generator:

1. Medical Reliability: Necessary when someone in the household is dependent upon essential home medical devices such as oxygen concentrators, a CPAP machine, home dialysis equipment, or other life-saving devices requiring continuous operations. 
2. Home Protection: Used to keep critical home systems operational such as a sump pump to prevent flooding during a heavy storm, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and security systems as well as well pumps and sewage ejectors to provide fresh water and flush waste from a home. 
3. Food Spoilage Prevention: Avoid loss of food stored in refrigerators and freezers which can be costly to replace and provide necessary sustenance during the outage. 
4. Remote Connectivity: Allows remote workers to connect to their jobs plus charge phones and other digital devices and have reliable access to emergency alerts and updates. 
5. Climate Control & Comfort: Maintains HVAC systems, heaters, unit air conditioners to provide comfortable air temperatures and avoid extreme household temperatures or avoid frozen pipes. For someone with respiratory issues, this can be essential.
6. Added Property Value: A whole home generator is a desirable upgrade that can increase resale value and give your home an edge with buyers who prioritize comfort and storm preparedness.

Choosing the Right Generator for Your Home

Depending on your home’s requirements you may decide to purchase a portable generator or go with a permanent alternative with a standby generator. 

Standby Generator

This type of generator is permanent installed outside the home and fueled by natural gas or liquid propane. This type of unit will turn on within seconds of a power outage—requiring no set-up during a storm. Choosing a standby generator increases the home’s resale value by 3% to 5%. Installation cost can begin at $5,000 and go from there based on specifications of the system needed to support the size and requirements of the home. 

Portable Generator

This generator unit is moveable, operates on gasoline or portable propane, and connects to the home via a plug into an inlet box. After the manual set up, outdoors safe ventilation is required to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. This unit will need manually refueling. The cost is more affordable with prices beginning at $400 and based on the unit’s size and output capacity. Homeowners prioritizing operating a few lights and a few essential appliances often choose portable generators. 

Knowing the 80% Generator Rule

The 80% rule for generators is an industry best practice stating that you should only continuously use about 80% of a generator's maximum wattage capacity. This leaves 20% of the capacity as a safety buffer. Many appliances (like refrigerators, air conditioners, and well pumps) require an initial surge of extra wattage to start up. The 20% buffer ensures the generator can handle these sudden spikes without tripping breakers or stalling.

When you apply the 80% rule you are proactively accommodating power surges, preventing overheating, and extending the lifespan of the generator.

Wattage Usage Calculation Formula

To determine your home’s 80%, follow this formula:

1. Add up the running wattage of all the appliances and devices you plan to power simultaneously.
2. Identify the device with the highest starting surge wattage and add this amount to your running total.
3. Your total required wattage should not exceed 80% of your generator’s rated capacity.

As you determine which generator to purchase, take your calculations with you to discuss with the sales team. You’ll want to purchase a generator that’s rated to meet your capacity’s needs. 

Since 2004 Sara Lyn Nguyen continues to bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate around the Houston area to those she serves. Sara is a multi-year award winning REALTOR® and relocation specialist where her clients trust her to have up-to-date information on the real estate market. She has been one of Gary Greene’s Multi-Million Dollar Top Producers, and citywide was the #2 Top Producing agent in 2020, #3 in 2021, #2 in 2022, #5 in 2023 and 2024. When it’s time to buy, sell, invest, or relocate speak with a trusted professional knowledgeable in the homes and neighborhoods of Fort Bend/Sugar Land and the surrounding region.