How To Find What Size Generac Generator You Need

Power outages have become more frequent due to extreme weather. Hurricanes in Florida, flooding in Louisiana, and thunderstorms in Texas have many homeowners asking, “What size generator do I need?” The answer depends on your home’s size and whether or not you want power supplied to your entire home, or just the essential items you choose. No matter what you decide, keep in mind that the most reliable backup power solution is a Generac generator, the nation’s #1 selling brand.

Having a Generac home backup generator is no longer a convenience, but a necessity. A generator ensures your home continues to function during outages to keep your lights on, your appliances running, and your family safe and comfortable.

Here, we’ll answer the question, “What size Generac do I need?” and provide additional information about sizing, installation, and more.

 

Understanding Your Home’s Power Needs

Follow these steps to calculate the total wattage needed to power essential appliances and systems during an outage:

 

1. List Your Essential Appliances

During an outage, you won’t necessarily need to power every device in your home, so it’s essential to prioritize. Consider items such as your refrigerator, freezer, HVAC system, lighting, and medical devices. 

 

2. Calculate Both Running and Peak Wattage

Appliances use two types of power: running wattage and peak wattage. Running wattage refers to the power needed for continuous operation, while peak wattage (also called surge wattage) refers to the higher power required when an appliance first starts up.

Here are typical wattages for what you may want to keep up and running during an outage: 

• Refrigerator (700 watts running, 1,200 watts peak)
• Freezer (500 watts running, 800 watts peak)
• HVAC system (3,500 watts running, 7,200 watts peak)
• Lights (60-300 watts total, depending on usage)
• Medical equipment, such as oxygen machines or ventilators (wattage varies widely by device)

Once you have the total wattage needed for your must-have items, you’re ready to move to the next step: selecting the right generator size.

 

Determine What Size Generac Generator You Need

Generac offers a variety of generator sizes and knowing what size generator to run a house on depends on the wattage you calculated. Here are three common sizes to help guide your decision:

Generator Size	Use Cases	Advantages	Limitations
10KW	Small homes, essential systems only	Affordable and compact	Limited to powering only essential appliances
18KW	Medium-sized homes, partial home coverage	Powers multiple large appliances and systems	May not support full-house power simultaneously
24KW	Large homes, full-house coverage	Provides whole-house, all-on power	Higher upfront cost, may require load-shedding

 

Load Shedding for Managed Power Coverage

For homeowners who need whole-house power but want to manage costs, load shedding can provide a practical solution. Load shedding is when a generator provides continuous power to critical appliances and systems, while turning off or “shedding” power to non-critical appliances and systems. The result is efficient and cost-effective use of your generator during outages.

 

Why Professional Expertise is Critical

While determining your essential appliances and their associated wattage is important to selecting the right size of home generator, getting input from a professional is also important and can prevent costly mistakes. And this is where the expertise of Canter Power’s Generator Specialists comes into play.

A free estimate is the most accurate way to find out which generator is right for you, and it can be conducted at your home or virtually. When a Canter Power Generator Specialist begins an at-home or virtual estimate, they’ll start by asking about your needs, expectations, and preferences. They’ll want to know if you want to power your whole home, or just certain essential items. They’ll also want to know if you have a budget you want to stay within. Then they’ll assess your home’s layout, site conditions, and power load requirements.

At the conclusion of your estimate, your Generator Specialist will provide you with installation specifications, a complete materials list, project details, financing options, service plans, and pricing. You’ll have it all.

 

Get the Generac Generator That’s Right for You

If you’re still wondering, “What size generator do I need for my house?” let a Canter Power Generator Specialist and our 75+ years of expertise be your trusted guide. Get a free estimate to ensure you and your home are fully prepared for the next power outage.