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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,132
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Generac generator for whole house

I'm pondering as to whether to invest in a whole house generator.  It's just me now,in probably an 1800 sq. ft. house.  Any pros or cons on a Generac generator? Any other brands that you love instead? TIA

Contributor
Posts: 69
Registered: ‎08-13-2013

Re: Generac generator for whole house

I have a Briggs & Stratton and love it.  It can power everything except for the oven.  I had a Generac but didn't like the automatic start.  Our power frequently goes off for a few minutes at a time and I didn't want the generator to come on while I wasn't home.  I now have a second breaker box next to the main breaker box.  When the power goes out I have one button to push to turn the generator on/off. 

I don't regret the purchase at all.  It was a worthwhile investment.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 38,221
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Generac generator for whole house

I would love to have a Generac myself. My house is old, build in 1973, so they say I will need a new breaker box so it could work with my house. Houses built before 1998 are more likely to need the upgrade. That will add several thousand dollars to the cost. I cannot afford it right now.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,162
Registered: ‎09-12-2010

Re: Generac generator for whole house

[ Edited ]

We looked at a Generac last year and had one of their sales people come out to give us an estimate. I don't remember the exact amount but it was expensive - over $10,000. Besides the cost, we couldn't have one installed because the outside unit has to be so many feet away from the home's structure (unlike what you see on the TV ads). For us, that would have put it on common ground since we're in a town home. Putting anything on common ground isn't allowed and our only other option would have been to tear up an entire area around our patio.

 

I think it would be wonderful to have, but we really don't lose our electricity all that much, and when we do it's usually for a couple of hours or less. Plus, the cost....a lot more than what I thought it would be. Our town home is 1900 sq ft.

 

ETA: we also would have had to replace our electric box as the other poster mentioned since our town home was built in the late 60s. I had forgotten about that extra expense.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,616
Registered: ‎05-15-2016

Re: Generac generator for whole house

We have a generac we've been happy with. We live out in the country and it's come in handy several times in the seven months we've had it. It was expensive ~$10,000 but it will help with resale should we decide to move 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,275
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Generac generator for whole house

I toured the Generac plant years ago. They did business with my company.  They are a top name, if not the top name. 


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,904
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Generac generator for whole house

we scored big when we moved to Florida six years ago. Found a practically new I-Power 12000 watt generator for $800 on fb marketplace. Only had 30 hours on it. In our area we have frequent lightning storms and of course the occasional hurricane. Our generator will power our whole house, 1300 sq ft  I feel much more secure knowing we have it


Harmonize the World
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,039
Registered: ‎04-20-2010

Re: Generac generator for whole house

My neighbors ha a whole house generator and it sounds like a tractor running. I can hear it inside my house with all the windows closed.

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 107
Registered: ‎04-27-2010

Re: Generac generator for whole house

[ Edited ]

Best purchase I have made.  Had an old gas generator for years. It got too cumbersome & heavy to be filling up gas cans at the gas station and lugging them home. Then filling the generator.

 

It will cost around $10,000 +  for a Generac. That included a separate electrical box and I had propane tanks installed.  I own the Generac but lease the  2 propane tanks.  I have it right outside my den window and I do not find it to be noisy when it is running.

 

Wish I had done it years ago. My house was built in 1959.

 

Super Contributor
Posts: 293
Registered: ‎04-01-2011

Re: Generac generator for whole house

I will share my experience.  We have had a Generac Generator whole house generator for the past 3 years.  Expensive.  Yes.  But, it was the best $15,000 we spent.  We live in Wisconsin, live off the grid somewhat, and suffered from frequent power outage from dead ash trees from Ash Bore Disease.
Generac workers were professional.  The wiring was neat and tidy. Workers were respectful to me personally and to our old farm house.  They cleaned up every bit of debris outside and in,  We have an app that communicates with the company for malfunction,  (we have had no problems).  There is a self test every Monday at 10 AM which results are sent to the company.  I can't say enough about Generac.