After the 2021 winter storm and subsequent grid reliability concerns, home generators have gone from a luxury to a serious consideration for many Texas homeowners. Whether you're looking for a portable generator for occasional outages or a whole-home standby system that kicks on automatically, here's what you need to know before making the investment.

Types of Home Generators

Portable Generators

Portable generators run on gasoline or propane and must be started manually. They can power essential circuits — lights, refrigerator, a few outlets — but require extension cords or a manual transfer switch to connect to your home's wiring safely.

Pros: Lower upfront cost, portable, widely available Cons: Must be started manually, require fuel storage, can't run your AC, produce carbon monoxide (must be used outdoors)

Standby Generators

Standby generators are permanently installed outside your home, connected to your natural gas or propane supply, and wired directly to your electrical panel through an automatic transfer switch. When the power goes out, they detect the outage and start automatically — usually within 10–30 seconds.

Pros: Automatic operation, can power your entire home including AC, no fuel storage needed (with natural gas), run indefinitely Cons: Higher upfront cost, require professional installation and permits

For most Texas homeowners concerned about extended outages, a standby generator is the better long-term investment.

Sizing Your Generator

Generator capacity is measured in kilowatts (kW). Choosing the right size depends on what you want to power:

• Essential circuits only (lights, refrigerator, outlets, well pump): 7–12 kW
• Essential circuits + central AC: 14–20 kW
• Whole-home coverage: 20–22 kW for most homes up to 2,500 sq ft

We perform a load calculation before recommending a generator size to ensure you're not over- or under-buying.

What's Involved in a Standby Generator Installation?

Installing a standby generator is a multi-step process that requires a licensed electrician:

1. Site Assessment

We evaluate your home's electrical load, identify the best location for the generator (must be a certain distance from windows, doors, and gas meters per code), and assess your gas line capacity.

2. Permits

Generator installations require permits in most Texas jurisdictions. We handle the permit application and coordinate the required inspections.

3. Electrical Work

We install an automatic transfer switch (ATS) at your main panel. The ATS monitors utility power and automatically switches your home to generator power when an outage is detected — and switches back when utility power is restored.

4. Gas Line Connection

A licensed plumber connects the generator to your natural gas or propane supply. We coordinate this work as part of the project.

5. Testing and Commissioning

We test the complete system, verify automatic operation, and walk you through maintenance requirements.

Maintenance Requirements

Standby generators need regular maintenance to ensure they'll start when you need them:

• Weekly self-test: Most standby generators run a brief self-test automatically
• Annual service: Oil change, spark plugs, air filter, battery check
• Load bank test: Periodic full-load testing to verify capacity

We offer generator maintenance plans to keep your system ready year-round.

Is a Generator Right for You?

A standby generator makes the most sense if:

• You have a well pump (no power = no water)
• You or a family member has medical equipment that requires power
• You work from home and can't afford extended outages
• You've experienced multiple extended outages in recent years
• You have a home with a sump pump or other critical systems

Cory Butts Electric & AC LLC is licensed (E TECL 35476) to install and service home generators throughout Lampasas and the Texas Hill Country. Call or text 512-556-6818 to schedule a free consultation.