Lexington experiences its share of extended power outages, mostly from ice storms in winter and severe thunderstorms in summer. A standby generator starts automatically within seconds of a utility outage and keeps your home running until power is restored. Whether one makes sense for your situation depends on your home, your life, and your budget.
A standby generator is a permanent outdoor unit connected to your home's electrical panel through an automatic transfer switch. When the utility power cuts out, the transfer switch detects the loss, signals the generator to start, and transfers your home's load to the generator within 10 to 30 seconds. When utility power returns, the process reverses automatically. You do not have to do anything.
A complete standby generator installation in Lexington typically runs between $7,500 and $14,000 depending on the generator size, the length of the gas line run, and whether a concrete pad is needed. That includes the generator unit, the automatic transfer switch, and all installation labor. A 10kW to 14kW unit (which handles essentials) costs less than a 20kW to 22kW unit that can run the whole house including central air.
Standby generators make the most financial and practical sense for homes with:
If a standby generator is outside your budget, a portable generator with a manual transfer switch is a reasonable alternative. You start the generator yourself, connect it through the transfer switch, and run whichever circuits you have designated. It takes more effort but keeps your core systems running at a significantly lower upfront cost, typically $1,500 to $3,000 installed.
If you are thinking about either option and want a realistic cost estimate for your home, call us at 859-555-0140. We size generators based on your actual load and give you a written quote before any decision is made.
