Standby Generator V.S. Portable Generator: Which One Should I Get?

websitebuilder • Oct 11, 2021

Homeowners have options about how to get backup power for their homes. Portable or Standby, which is right for me?

Homeowners often struggle with the pros and cons of getting a portable generator for their home for power-outages, or getting a standby generator installed, which automatically activates and powers your whole home while the grid is down. It is probably obvious that a standby generator is a better and more capable solution, but it is also a more expensive one.

Here is a brief video that describes some of the common conditions in which homeowners will want to purchase a backup power solution, and which is needed for your circumstances.

Portable generators are generally fine for very short outages, and to power a small number of devices and appliances. These portable units must be started manually, monitored and refueled regularly to prevent the generator from running out of gas and stalling. This can be particularly troublesome in Upstate New York, where our winter storms make going in and out difficult and undesirable.

Home Standby Generators on the other hand are hooked up directly to a propane or natural gas line, and can go for extensive periods of time without any performance issues. These backup units are installed with automatic transfer switches that immediately switch your home over to generator power, which means homeowners often experience only a few seconds of power loss, or sometimes none at all.

Standby generators can be sized to power your entire home, everything from your appliances to your furnace, which is impossible with any kind of portable generator. The Cummins Quiet Connect series generators we recommend also have remote monitoring over the web and through their proprietary smart phone app.

Both standby generators and portable generators have to vent out exhaust which means they must always be located outside the home. People have attempted to run portable generators inside their homes with devastating effects, including inhaling deadly fumes. It goes without saying that this is not recommended.

Standby generators are built to withstand both high and low temperatures; our Cummins Generator default lows being 0 °F, which can be expanded to subzero temperatures with a cold-weather kit, another big "plus" for Upstate New Yorkers who are often losing power during snow storms.

If you're interested in learning more about Home Standby Generators fill out a form on our site right here or give us a call directly at (585) 244-0099.

We service major areas all across New York State, all the way from Albany to Buffalo. We also provide free power assessments as well, to help homeowners discover what generator options will work best for them.

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