"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."
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 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."
"Phenomenal job by Evergreen. Analyzed the current box and gave me options, best, most cost effective was upgrading the 40 yr old CB panel and adding a generator interlock. Work was done perfectly and efficiently...now when the neighborhood goes dark (all too often when the weather is bad in Northern VA), we have power and AC. Thanks Evergreen."
"Awesome! I wanted to do a heavy-up at my new home. I shopped around and got quotes from several companies incl Tim. I chose Paradise because of the price, responsiveness, and professionalism that Tim conducted himself. The job called for significantly more work than expected because of my desire to eventually add a backup generator, Tim made sure that I would not need to reinvent the wheel later and installed the right equipment to meet my future needs. During the course of his work I decided to add several additional outlets and discovered a mis-wired light. He took care of all of the work in short order. Tim is officially my go-to electrician."
"Very professional service. The sale person came to verify the scope of work and provided us with a detailed quote. We scheduled the installation soon after. We had only a minor issue, becuase when the technical crew came in they realized that more work was needed (but no change in the quote). We rescheduled the installation a week after and everything went very well. The sale person remained our point of contact before, during and after the installation and he performed a follow up visit to make sure everything was fine. The technical crew was also very professional. I would reccomend them for sure. "
"It went very well. Tony is very responsive, courteous, and goes out of his way to make things convenient for the customer. Not only is he very competent and thorough in his work, but he also did a lot of the leg work, picking things up at the electric supply store, returned a couple things that I had incorrectly purchased there in my own trips prior to hiring him, and even went there on my behalf for a bed lamp that needed a new contact. He disconnected it, brought it to the store, took a trip back to the store a week later to pick it up, and reinstalled it for me. Tony could have applied a trip charge for each of the many visits he made to my place but didn't. He also took the time to explain options, solutions, and even gave me a bit of free schooling in electrical work. I highly recommend him and his business.
"The owner was extremely helpful and very easy to work with. I would definitely recommend them to anyone in the area who is looking into having a generator installed."
To power a central air system during a power outage, the whole-house generator will need to be at least 5,000 watts, and this number will significantly increase for larger units. Check the specific wattage requirements of your AC unit to choose the right generator size. Consider consulting a generator installer to ensure your whole-house generator meets your electrical load needs.
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.
Setting up utilities on a vacant property usually takes at least a few months, or between 6 weeks to 16 weeks. This process requires working with the local planning and zoning department, hiring a building contractor or engineer to design the utility layout, securing permits, laying the lines, and connecting the utilities.
With proper maintenance, a whole-house generator can last between 20 and 40 years. The specific lifespan depends on how often and for how long the generator is used, and some models may have their life expectancy rated in hours of operation. To maximize its lifespan, expect to spend around $150 to $300 per year for annual maintenance checks from a qualified technician. During these checks, a technician will inspect the engine filter, starting mechanism, fuel, lubrication, and coolant levels. Consulting your installer and choosing a low-impact fuel like natural gas or diesel can also help ensure your generator lasts as long as possible.
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.
The North Beach, 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 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.
