‘Tis the season for winter storms… which unfortunately means power outages. Just because you can’t avoid blackouts doesn’t mean they should put a halt to your everyday life. This is why many people look to install a home generator. We’ve already highlighted the reasons you should have a standby generator this season, but at Air Group we understand that a generator is a major purchase that you don’t want to jump into blindly. Here we explain what we do, how long it takes to do it, and what it will cost you.
Groundwork
This is the longest part of the process.
When we send an Air Group representative to first survey a home for a natural gas powered standby generator, it’s essential to look at your present gas meter. Once the size is documented the representative will take an inventory of all the gas-fueled appliances in your home to determine if your current gas supply is adequate to serve the both the generator as well as your household appliances. If not, we must send a “gas load inquiry” form to the correct Utility Company. At this point, we must wait for a response from the company which will inform us of the proper plan of action.
In most cases a simple meter upgrade is required, at minimal, or no cost to you, the homeowner. Unfortunately, however, in some cases the Gas Company must install a larger gas line from the street to the house, which escalates the cost dramatically.
Permits
In an ideal situation, a homeowner will have adequate gas coming to their home. The next step is to apply for the town permits (electrical, fire, etc.) which Air Group handles completely, as well as making sure we have all of the needed zoning approvals. After we apply for all necessary permits, the generator is usually installed within a month of our initial visit.
Installation
Once the gas issue is resolved and the permits are obtained, the actual install takes just two to three days. To completely install a whole-house generator you don’t just need the paperwork, you also need a licensed plumber, licensed electricians and an installer capable of maneuvering a 400-500 lb. machine. Here at Air Group, we are licensed electricians and plumbers who have installed over 680 Generac Generators in the last few years. There are no sub-contractors involved with your actual generator installation, unless excavating is necessary.
During this we need the power to be off for at least four hours on the last day. There are necessary town inspections that MUST accompany our installation, and our representative will schedule those accordingly.
To finish, we make sure your generator will work when you need it the most — our technicians do a variety of start-up tests and will register your generator to ensure its warranty.
Even once your generator is ready to go, Air Group is there for you. We offer a wide variety of maintenance plans that will keep your generator healthy, reliable, and cost effective.
Are You Prepared For The Next Storm?
The worst of the season is just around the corner, you don’t have a second to waste! Just call us at 1-800-545-1020 or fill out the form down below to receive your free estimate or to schedule your next generator maintenance.
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