What it's like to get a home backup generator

We've been talking about getting a generator for years, but Superstorm Sandy clinched it. We ended up in a hotel for a week, until the power came back on in our neighborhood. Many of our neighbors stuck it out in the 45-degree weather, but Max's muscles get tight because of his cerebral palsy and we didn't want him to be uncomfortable. The electricity in our area is generally not very reliable—it has a lovely habit of going out for a few hours during storms. And we need to make sure our sump pumps work; flooding from Hurricane Irene destroyed our basement. Generators can be even more critical for families with medically-fragile kids who use machines that require electricity, like ventilators.

We looked into standby generators, aka the kind that hook into your natural gas line. During Sandy we'd seen the people at gas stations—gas cans in hand, waiting in line for hours to fuel up their portable generators—and a home backup generator seemed worth it. We decided on a Kohler. From the research I'd done online and reviews I'd read, it was clear they're the best, most highly-rated kind of generators. Friends who have them only have good things to say.

ConsumerReports magazine (I subscribe, because I am geeky that way) gives Kohler home generators top ratings for ease of use, power delivery, power quality and noise. I'd met up with some Kohler staffers at the BlogHer conference; I got in touch and we received a discounted generator so I could share our experiences. It arrived this fall and sat on our driveway, all 535 glorious pounds of it.

Neighbors joked (half-joked) they'd be at our house during the next storm. As long as they bring chips and dip, we'll let 'em in. (Half-joke.)

We got the Kohler 20kw, a fully automatic generator powerful enough to rev up the entire house within 10 seconds after the power goes out—all appliances, the heat or AC and Sabrina's hair dryer because it's a basic life necessity, of course. It has a commercial-grade engine; a corrosion-proof enclosure; and a five-year, 2000-hour warranty. (If we ever run it for more than 2000 hours, I may just consider a move to Mars.) The suggested retail price starts at $4197. We spent about half that on a hotel stay. So we figured it would pay for itself in the upcoming years (global warming: it's real). Remodeling magazine estimates that you recoup 68 percent of the cost of a standby generator if you sell your home.

Getting a generator installed is a process. Not a hard one, but it's not insta-gratification. First up: Finding an authorized Kohler dealer to do the job. Super-nice Kenny Halligan of Halligan Electric Co. was our man. If you're getting a portable generator, give it a test-run before you're dealing with a storm situation. More portable pointers: They're for outdoor use only—not for enclosed spaces, like a garage, and need to be kept away from windows and doors. Don't operate them on a combustible surface, either, like a wooden deck; place them somewhere level, with the exhaust directed away from building. Also, note: You most definitely do not want to connect one to your barbecue, as a Kohler rep said she'd seen. Eep. 

Our utility company had to determine that the flow of gas into the house was enough to fuel our home and the generator. Check! Then we needed to decide where to put it. Our local building code requires generators be placed a minimum of 5 feet away from a house, plus a 2-foot setback from your property line. (I know I sound like an expert but sorry, I am not for hire.) Our generator ended up in the narrow yard on one side of the house; there was just enough room. Kenny filled out the permit paperwork, we dropped it off at our town's building department, and two weeks later we had it in hand.

Kenny and his crew spent the better part of the day at our house, installing the generator on a concrete pad and doing a massive amount of wiring. They turned off the electricity for a few hours, which was no biggie given that we aren't going to be without power ever again.  

The install involved digging a major hole to connect gas pipes to the generator. If your kids like dirt, they will really enjoy this part.

The automatic transfer switch (aka the brains of the generator), which connects to the electric box in our basement. 

A plumber came by on another day to run the gas piping from the basement to the generator (all in all, the install cost us about $4000). Then we had to have the electric/gas company install a larger meter, to accommodate a bigger flow of gas should we use the generator. Happily, that was free, probably because they'd be glad to have us using vast amounts of gas. Last, four different town inspectors stopped by at various points—the building inspector, fire inspector, plumbing inspector and electric inspector. (Did I mention this was a process?) Everything passed with flying colors.

Our generator kicks on for 20 minutes once a week, every Friday, to make sure it's humming along. It's reassuring to hear it come on. I've heard portable generators and they are loud. At 69 decibels, the Kohler 20kw sounds like how the air-conditioning HVAC does when it starts. (As a comparison, leaf-blowers range between 95 and 102 decibels). Honestly, even if it sounded like a combination of a techno concert, a construction site and an erupting volcano, I wouldn't have cared. I just want our house powered up when the next storm hits. 

We received the OnCue Generator Management System ($262), which is Windows compatible (you can have your Mac piggyback onto Windows). It basically connects your generator with Kohler's servers in Wisconsin, though sadly it does not import cheese from there. With OnCue you can see real-time power operation, make sure that all components are working and even turn the generator on and off via your computer. Once a week the OnCue system sends a "Generator is running" update to my email, which is very reassuring to read if you are at work and a major snowstorm is happening.

There's an OnCue Plus app, so you can check your system on your iPhone in between rounds of Candy Crush.

We're considering an annual service contract with a local Kohler dealer, who will help with monitoring and do an annual check-up. Most important, if our generator ever needs a tune-up in the midst of a storm, we'll be on a priority list. Otherwise, maintenance during a power outage is pretty straightforward: You check the oil with a dipstick, just like a car, after the generator has been on for about 8 hours, and change it after 100 hours of every use. (If you can't get to the generator because the wind will blow you away, at the very least check the oil after 24 hours of running). The tank holds three quarts of oil—ideally, 5W-30 Full Synthetic Oil.

Kenny makes sure Dave knows how to check the oil, because I'll be hiding under our comforter if we ever have another superstorm.

You can get a quote for a Kohler generator from a local dealer with this form. I'm glad we haven't had reason to use ours yet, but I have no worries—just peace of mind. And, sure, come on over during the next storm...as long as you bring chips and dip. 

We received a discounted Kohler 20kw generator and OnCue, but the opinions and peace of mind expressed here are solely my own.