"Outstanding! Super professional. Offered advice on my electrical installation and did the work quickly. I was very pleased with the end installation."
"Oupekkha showed up exactly on time, explained clearly what he was doing, what his annual service contract included and reassured me that our generator is good to go. He even topped off the oil for us. I signed up!"
"Outstanding service. I originally needed an electrician to determine why I lost power to ½ my house. What Jody uncovered was a defective circuit breaker and my main switches overheating and in the process of melting down. He was able to change out the panel and install new breakers immediately. I’m grateful for the prompt response by Gene and the professionalism of Jody and Brian."
"Anthony and his team do expert electrical work of all kinds. We are a 145 year old non-profit organization with buildings and grounds, and have contracted with Technician Engineers Group (TEG) on two large projects (and several small ones) over the last 15 years. One project rewired a large 125 year old building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and one installed an extensive outdoor lighting system. In these two unusual situations TEG worked closely with us to find innovative solutions to our unique needs. We are very pleased with the results, enjoyed their can-do approach, and highly recommend this company for any electrical challenge. We found TEG reliable, honest, on time, and all the work was completed ahead of schedule."
Calvert Generator is committed to excellence in every aspect of our business. We uphold a standard of integrity bound by fairness, honesty, and personal responsibility. Our distinction is the quality of service we bring to our customers. Accurate knowledge of our trade combined with ability is what makes us true professionals. Above all, we are watchful of our customers' interests, and make their concerns the basis of our business.\n
"Ron Ethridge (owner) did the work. He was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and experienced. He was available on the phone during the project - after hours and weekends. He is very familiar with permitting and licensing and working with Pepco and the inspectors."
"Anthony is a true professional. He is very personable which made him easy to talk to. The young men working for him were courteous and about their business. Thought the prices were reasonable. Excellent service. If you are thinking about upgrading, installing outlets or any of your electrical needs, I highly recommend calling this company first."
"I ended up hiring someone else who could install a ceiling fan as Paradise Construction was afraid of needing to tear up a large section of the ceiling and I didn’t want to create additional work and expense."
"We would definitely contact Mr. Williams for more household projects. He installed a gas cooktop with a downdraft for us. During the install, he discovered that the vent pipe being used by the old downdraft fan was too small. To ensure that we would have a working cooktop that evening, Mr. Williams went to the hardware store for new parts. The price of the project was very reasonable. He also followed COVID-19 safety protocols (mask, gloves, social distancing, staying within the worksite) for the entire project."
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.
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.
To reduce AC startup power for a whole-house generator, install a soft start kit or hard start capacitor, which lowers the initial surge by gradually ramping up the compressor. Using a smart load manager can also help by staggering startup loads, preventing a system overload and future costly repairs.
Here’s what you can run with different wattages and types of generators:
Portable generator:
2,000 watts can handle a large appliance like a freezer or refrigerator, plus a few smaller items like phones or computer chargers.
4,000 watts will keep two large appliances operating and a few smaller devices.
8,000 watts should power most essential appliances and other devices, including a sump pump, well pump, or your dishwasher.
Partial to whole-house generator:
20,000 watts and above will make it seem like your home’s power is still on.
You can expect a diesel generator to last for up to 30,000 hours of use, which works out to 20 to 25 years with the proper maintenance, of course. That depends on how much you use it, so a diesel generator used for emergencies a couple of times a year will last a lot longer than a generator that takes over for a faulty electrical grid every month for a day or two.
The Capitol Heights, MD homeowners’ guide to generator installs
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
The cost to install a whole-house generator in Baltimore, MD varies based on factors like generator size, fuel type, and installation complexity. Learn the typical price range and what influences your total cost.
The cost to install a whole-house generator in Washington, DC varies based on factors like generator size, fuel type, and installation complexity. Learn the typical price range and what influences your total cost.
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.