"Outstanding! Super professional. Offered advice on my electrical installation and did the work quickly. I was very pleased with the end installation."
"I had an excellent experience with Kevin. He installed a very large and complex crystal chandelier in our foyer, and the entire process was handled with exceptional professionalism and precision. This was not a simple installation,the chandelier is heavy, intricate, and required careful assembly and mounting at a significant height,but he approached the job with patience, attention to detail, and clear expertise.
He took the time to ensure every component was perfectly aligned and secure, and the final result looks absolutely stunning. The installation was done safely, efficiently, and with great care for our home.
I would highly recommend him to anyone needing electrical work, especially for challenging or high-end lighting installations. Truly outstanding workmanship."
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.
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"They were prompt, courteous, and informative. During the estimation process Darnell was very good and provided a very competitive price. I am pleased with the work done to install a new EV charger on the outside of our house"
"Ron Ethridge has been our Electrician of chose for the past three years. I started out using Ron to service my generator after the warranty lapsed. Heâ  s provided that big company expertise with that small organization connection. Since that time Ron and his team have provided electrical services for our entire home. I feel comfortable leaving Ron in our home while weâ  re away which is a huge feat for me particularly. Iâ  m grateful for the service that Ron and his team continues to provide to our family."
"We had been considering a home generator for a few years as the power grid we are on has periodic problems, with no solution in sight from Dominion Power. We did our due diligance on interviewing a number of providers found on Angies List. In the end, we had a couple of good offers, but none we are responsive as Patrick Collins of Ritzau. LLC. Patricks team we very responsive and professional. From the time I asked to schedule for an estimate until the deal was complete...he was always matter of fact and to the point, timely with responses to my questions, and was always open and honest. His company is smaller than some I interviewed, and he actaully is the installer and has hands on the entire project. Others companies while competitive, had sales reps visit and do the estimates, and were not part of the install team. It has been my experience that you want to deal directly with the team lead for these types of projects, and Patrick was the best. The package deal included the lastest Generac 22KW generator, vice the 20KW that others offered. The long pole in the tent was getting Washington Gas to install upgraded gas meter that would accomodate the generator, and the Fairfax Country inspections. Overall this was an excellent experience. I would highly recommend Ritzau, LLC and Patrick Collins to anyone who is serious about getting a home generator. They are the pros and get down to business. Quick, professional and timely.
"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."
Yes, in some locations, it is required by the National Electric Code (NEC) to have a transfer switch installed for electrical emergencies. In addition to following electrical code, generator transfer switches ensure your home is fully protected during a power outage. By switching the power from the main breaker to the generator breaker, you can seamlessly operate your HVAC, lights, appliances, devices, and more during an emergency.
If you’re wondering if you can use your electric vehicle as a backup battery, it depends on whether your EV is compatible with bidirectional charging. This technology allows energy to flow both ways, enabling vehicle-to-home (V2H) backup power, vehicle-to-load (V2L) for appliances and camping, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) to support the power grid. Compatible EVs convert stored DC energy into usable AC power, helping reduce energy costs and enhance grid stability while providing emergency backup power.
In some situations, yes. Never try to put biofuel into any home generator without checking the specifics first. If a generator has the ability to run on diesel, it can also run pure biofuel (the clear kind made from seed oils, for example). But if you are using biofuel made from animal fats or vegetable oils, the generator will need significant modifications before it can handle a sludgier type of biofuel.
Sizing a generator is a careful process that requires calculating the electrical load of your entire house. You have to take into account every device you want to use and their wattage requirements, plus the wattage needed to start them, and look for a generator that can safely run all that at around 80% capacity.
In more practical terms, a small home can run on a 10,000-watt generator (and if you only want to power a few key appliances, much less than that). A mid-sized home may need something between 15,000 and 22,000 watts. Larger homes require 25,000 watts or more.
Generally, you’ll want to keep between 60 and 70 feet between the generator and the transfer switch. There are a few reasons for this, including:
The distance reduces the noise coming from the generator into your home.
It increases efficiency because you won’t have a voltage drop from this short of a distance.
Prevents carbon monoxide poisoning: keep at least 15 feet between your generator and an open window.
The Marlow Heights, MD homeowners’ guide to generator installs
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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