Most people don’t think about backup power until they’re sitting in a dark house during a summer storm or a winter cold snap. Questions about backup generators are among the most common ones the Denver electricians at Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical get asked.
If you’ve been curious about how these systems actually work and whether one makes sense for your home, here’s a clear breakdown.
A generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Most residential generators do this by burning fuel — natural gas, propane, or gasoline — to spin an internal combustion engine, which turns a component called an alternator. The alternator produces the AC current that powers your home’s electrical system.
The key difference between a portable generator and a standby generator is how much of that process is automated and how much of your home it can power.
Portable generators are the units you see at hardware stores for a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars. You wheel them out, add fuel, start them manually, and run extension cords or connect them through a transfer switch. They’re useful for basic needs during a short outage, but they require hands-on operation and can’t run your whole house.
Standby generators are permanently installed outside your home, connected directly to your electrical panel and your home’s gas line or a propane tank. When the power goes out, the generator detects the outage within seconds and starts itself automatically. You don’t have to do anything. The house stays on.
For Denver homeowners dealing with outages from Front Range wind storms, summer hail events, or winter blizzards, that automatic operation is a significant advantage, especially if anyone in the household relies on medical equipment, or if you have a sump pump, a refrigerator full of food, or a furnace that needs electricity to run.
Whether you have a portable or standby generator, a transfer switch is what makes it safe to use. The transfer switch disconnects your home from the utility grid before connecting the generator. Without it, power from your generator can back-feed into the utility lines and create a serious hazard for workers trying to restore power.
A manual transfer switch requires someone to physically flip it. An automatic transfer switch handles this on its own the moment it detects a loss of utility power, then switches back when grid power is restored. Standby generators almost always include an automatic transfer switch as part of the installation.
Proper generator installation in Denver by a licensed electrician ensures the transfer switch is correctly wired and up to code — this isn’t a DIY project.
This depends on the generator’s size, measured in kilowatts (kW). A rough guide for Denver homes:
Sizing matters. An undersized generator will trip its breaker when demand spikes. A licensed electrician will calculate your home’s load requirements before recommending a size, so you’re not paying for more than you need or ending up short.
Natural gas is the most convenient option for most Denver homeowners since there’s no tank to fill. The generator connects directly to the existing gas line, the same way a furnace or range does. It’s worth having a plumber evaluate your gas line capacity before installation to make sure the supply can handle the added demand.
Propane works well for homes without natural gas service. It stores well, but you’ll need a tank sized for extended outages and a relationship with a fuel delivery company.
Gasoline is really only practical for portable units. It degrades over time, requires storage, and isn’t suited for a permanently installed system.
A standby generator sits idle for months at a time and needs to be ready to perform the moment power fails. Most modern units run a brief weekly self-test to exercise the engine and flag any issues. Beyond that, they need annual maintenance: oil and filter changes, battery checks, and a full load test.
Think of it like a vehicle that doesn’t get driven often. You still need to keep up with it, or it won’t start when you actually need it.
If you’re weighing all your options, a backup battery storage system is also worth exploring, particularly if you’re thinking about solar or prefer outage protection without a combustion engine.
Bell’s electrical team can walk you through the options, handle the full installation, and make sure everything is permitted and up to code. Reach out today to set up a consultation.
Some fixes are simple. Others need a pro’s touch. If you’re unsure, let Bell take a look—we even offer free second opinions. Call us today!
At Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electrical, we have proudly served the Denver Metro Area Since 1926! Check out this list of the cities we service. Give us a call for all your home service needs!
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