Hurricane & outage guide
Keep the power on when the storm takes it out.
A practical plan for the Atlantic hurricane season, June 1 to November 30: how much generator you need, which fuel suits your home, how to connect it safely and what to do before, during and after a storm. Written from Wilmington, North Carolina, where this is not a theoretical question.
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01Size the generator to your home
Add up the running watts of everything you want on at the same time, then allow for the extra surge when the biggest motor starts. Refrigerators, sump pumps, well pumps, furnace blowers and air conditioners need two to three times their running watts for a second or two at start-up.
| What you want to keep running | Typical size | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Phones, lights, Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, a CPAP | 2,000–3,500W | Inverter generators, power stations |
| Add a sump pump, furnace blower, microwave and TV | 5,000–7,500W | Portable and dual fuel generators |
| Add a well pump, window A/C or washer | 8,000–14,000W | Large dual and tri-fuel portables |
| Central A/C, water heater and the whole house, automatically | 20–26 kW and up | Home standby generators |
Not sure? Our power finder adds it up for you and shows the generators that can carry the load. Every generator page also has a “What it can run” planner.
02Choose a fuel you can actually get
After a big storm, gas stations can be closed or out of fuel for days. Choose the fuel that will still be available to you.
- Gasoline is easy to find before a storm, but it goes stale within months. Use a fuel stabilizer and rotate stored fuel.
- Propane stores for years without going bad. A dual fuel generator lets you switch between gasoline and propane.
- Natural gas comes from the utility line, so there is nothing to refuel. Home standby generators and tri-fuel portables can run on it.
- Battery power stations are quiet and produce no exhaust, but need recharging from solar panels, a vehicle or a generator during a long outage.
03Connect it safely
The safest way to power household circuits is a transfer switch or interlock kit installed by a licensed electrician. It isolates your home from the grid while the generator runs.
Never plug a generator into a wall outlet (“backfeeding”). It can send power back up the utility line, endangering line workers and neighbors, and can start a fire in your home.
Without a transfer switch, plug appliances directly into the generator with heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords rated for the load.
04Before the storm
- Test-run your generatorStart it and run it under a load for a few minutes once a month during the season. Home standby units run a short automatic self-test on a schedule; check that it is set.
- Stock fuel and oilStore fuel in approved containers away from the house and anything that can ignite. Keep spare oil of the grade your manual specifies.
- Check your CO alarmsInstall battery-operated or battery-backup carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home, and test them.
- Plan where it will runPick a dry, level spot at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointing away from doors, windows and vents.
- Charge everythingPhones, power banks, power stations and spare flashlight batteries.
05During the outage
- Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, basement, crawl space or shed, even with the doors open. Carbon monoxide is odorless and can kill within minutes.
- Keep it at least 20 feet from any window, door or vent.
- Keep it dry: run it on a dry surface under an open, canopy-like cover, never in standing water.
- Turn it off and let it cool before refueling. Fuel spilled on a hot engine can ignite.
- Start the largest motor load first, then add smaller appliances.
- If anyone feels dizzy, sick or weak, get to fresh air at once and call 911.
06After the storm
- Turn off and unplug appliances before switching back to utility power.
- Let the generator cool, check the oil level and the air filter before the next use.
- For storage, drain the fuel or treat it with stabilizer as the owner’s manual describes.
- Book any service visit early: technicians are busiest in the weeks after a storm.
07Thinking about a home standby generator?
A standby generator starts by itself within seconds of an outage and runs on natural gas or propane, so there is no refueling and nothing to wheel out in the rain. Installation needs a licensed electrician and, for the gas line, a licensed gas contractor, plus local permits. Installer schedules fill up as the season approaches, so plan early.