Tuesday
August 13, 2024 
More and more frequently, homeowners are turning to whole house generators for peace of mind and to keep much more than the lights on during a power outage or other emergency.
From keeping remote professional office systems going during power outages to making sure essential appliances like refrigerators, freezers, cooktops and ovens — as well as luxury home benefits like hot tubs and pools — powered, few units can beat a whole house generator.
Dan Harrison, co-owner of Harrison Generator in Newtown, said today’s whole house generators can power “all the stuff in your house along with the AI (artificial intelligence)” that is part of many home systems.
“Not much has changed with generators in a long time. They work the same as they always have — with the big difference being (mostly) everything in a house now runs on electric,” Harrison said.
As the coronavirus prompted many to set up remote offices or work-from-home arrangements, the demand for whole house generators was high.
“For people who have a generator, now they’ll never want to be without it. For those who don’t have one, they’ll typically get one when they’re able,” he explained.
Smaller generators have typically been in the air-cooled category, while liquid-cooled are generally larger and able to handle larger building size needs — from homes at 15,000 square feet or larger or commercial, industrial or institutional settings, Harrison said.
“What we’re seeing is (professionals) with…larger homes need those expanded generators,” he said.
Because of demand on the high-end level, he said the market continues to expand.
A smaller unit with “load management, which prevents the generator from topping out from too many high use demands at the same time” is another way to mitigate generator sizes, according to Harrison.
“Load management can make a smaller unit work, but not all of the appliances or systems will be able to work at the same time,” he said.
Harrison’s approach is to size — or design — the setup so the right generator is installed based on the home, the client’s wants and needs, and the home’s existing electrical service.
Not ready or not willing to do a whole house generator? Battery technology is on the horizon, and it is entering conversations.
John Gemmi, owner of Gemmi Construction Inc. in Buckingham Township, said battery “panels or walls” can run a house for three to four days — often enough time for power service to be restored.
“We’re building a new home right now with this power backup feature and if you don’t want to go with a whole house generator, this is a nice option,” he said.
The battery system is clean, noiseless and can mount on a garage wall. Power must be accessible to charge the battery panel. If a solar setup is available, Gemmi said the solar system can be used to charge the battery panel or wall.
“There are different whole house battery systems out there, and we’re early in the process,” he said.
While the mechanics of generators haven’t changed, Smart upgrades to monitoring them — either for the homeowner or product manufacturer — have.
Philip Kolb, co-owner of Kolb Electric LLC, in Telford, Montgomery County, said many generators have an app assistant to monitor operation of the unit.
“Look for monitoring services connected to your Wi-Fi,” Kolb explained.
Some apps will alert the property owner of generator “alarms” or performance issues, while others offer a manufacturer-direct alert system. This type of alert system first goes to the product manufacturer, then to the local service provider, and homeowner or product client.
“Monitoring devices can also be placed on the generator (like a cell phone) that will go directly to the owner’s smartphone, too,” Kolb said.
Kolb said most residential generators are running on propane or natural gas, while larger units and those suited for commercial coverage may be natural gas, propane or fuel oil.
“For gas-powered generators, a certified plumber must connect the gas, while for propane installations, the propane provider will connect the system,” Kolb said.
Kolb said he rarely has issues these days getting orders filled quickly for customers.
And most supply chain issues have been resolved since the coronavirus pandemic disruption, so prospective clients typically can have their units up and running onsite in a month — or less — from order placement.
The schedule provides time for zoning and municipal permits, product orders and fulfillment, and for certified plumbers or propane company professionals to connect to the generator’s fuel source.
“The only time I have problems getting generators is after a major hurricane,” Kolb said.
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