At Sparky S Electric, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service that we provide to meet the consumer's needs. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. In order to understand the needs and expectations of our customers, we take great care to work and communicate with every customer in a professional manner. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
We take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality, and customer service that we provide to meet the consumer's needs. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. In order to understand the needs and expectations of our customers, we take great care to work and communicate with every customer in a professional manner. Our reputation is based on service, safety, and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.
At Virgil Morgan we pride our company on reliability, great communication, integrity, and quality work. We are experts in our trade and will do our best to keep you as educated as we can on your particular task or project. We look forward to earning your business!
It’s usually better to repair your generator if it isn’t working properly, as it will typically be much more affordable and should yield similar results. Generator repairs cost around $300 on average, while installing a new whole-house generator costs around $5,000 on average. The only exception is if you know your generator is reaching the end of its useful life, usually between 30 and 40 years. If you have an older generator, you could face multiple repairs in the coming years, which might mean that a full replacement will be more cost-effective over time.
As a safety measure, you should always turn off the main breaker while operating your generator’s backup breaker. In addition, you should also switch off all appliance breakers so you don't have a power surge when the main breaker turns back on. And finally, turning off the main breaker prevents back-feeding, which endangers utility workers with the risk of electrocution. Back-feeding could also destroy the electrical circuits of your neighbors if they use the same power network.
Generators are safe to use as long as they are installed and operated correctly according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The most critical safety tips are to never use a portable or fuel-powered generator inside an enclosed space due to the risk of lethal carbon monoxide poisoning; always operate it outdoors where fumes can dissipate away from your home. Additionally, never attempt to connect a generator to your home’s electrical panel yourself—hire a professional to ensure the setup meets safety standards. Finally, avoid overloading the generator by not connecting more appliances than it is rated for, as this can damage your equipment or cause a fire.
If you’re deciding between a solar battery versus a generator for the best backup power solution, you can take a few factors into consideration. Solar batteries are quiet while generators can be quite loud. Generators have a lower up-front cost, but they require fuel and ongoing maintenance while solar batteries are more expensive but don’t have many ongoing costs.
Whole-house generators can run continuously for extended periods, even for weeks at a time (around 400 to 500 hours), as long as they have a sufficient fuel supply. However, this type of extensive use will increase wear and tear and can shorten the generator's overall lifespan. During long periods of operation, it's important to check and refill the engine oil as needed, potentially as frequently as daily depending on the model. If your generator uses a fuel tank, ensure it is kept full to prevent unexpected shutdowns.
The Low Mountain, AZ homeowners’ guide to generator installs
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Natural gas generators are whole-home standby generators that are connected to your home’s natural gas line. The average cost for a natural gas generator is $12,000.
Generators should give you peace of mind, but you’ll only get that if your installer knows what they’re doing. Learn how to hire a pro and what red flags to look for.