"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."
"We wanted to try a local contractor and came across Evergreen by chance. It was an excellent experience. Thad was knowledgeable and professional and easy to work with. The crew was exactly the same. Nice, respectful, competent. The worked around my crazy schedule as we had other improvements going on. They had a slight delay in getting the generator as there was a back order, but called and let us know and we worked around it. Laurie in the office was equally good and kept us in communication on details or things to do and schedule etc. I could not be more happy with the experience on such a big purchase. They were always accommodating and helpful. The Generator and switch were high quality and I think the price was fair. They even did some easy side things for us for no charge. We will definitely use them again soon to install an attic fan."
"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."
Yes, in most municipalities, you will need a permit to install a permanent home generator, including emergency backup, partial-home, and whole-home models. Because these installations involve significant alterations to your home's electrical system and produce exhaust fumes, local governments often require a permit or inspection for safety purposes. A generator permit typically costs between $50 and $250, depending on your location. Your electrician or certified installer can usually handle the permitting process for you, but you will be responsible for the cost. It's a good practice to confirm with your installer that they will pull all necessary permits before work begins.
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.
Potential benefits of using a natural gas generator include reducing your carbon footprint, lower likelihood of carbon monoxide exposure, budget-friendly operating costs, and low-maintenance, continuous fuel supply. Some possible drawbacks, though, include higher initial installation costs, dependency on a natural gas supply, and installation complexity. Keep in mind that pros and cons will vary based on the type and brand of natural gas generator.
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.
A 10,000-watt generator can run a small to mid-sized central AC unit (typically up to 3 tons or 36,000 BTU) along with a few other appliances. However, larger AC units or additional loads will require a bigger generator. Consult a local generator installer to ensure you add the correct size generator to your home.
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.
