"Great job. Needed a kitchen ceiling light and dimmer switch repaired. Turner was knowledgable, efficient, and professional. Good response time. Reasonable pricing. Will definitely use them again in the future."
"I engaged McBride to install two ceiling fans at my house. The installer, Justin, did an excellent job on both and I'm very pleased with Justin and the work he did for me. For my next electrical project I will be calling McBride."
"Mario was great from initial estimate to a very clean installation of whole home surge protectors and a new ceiling fan. Highly recommend and will work with Mario for all future electrical needs."
Tri-State Water, Power & Air has been provided products designed to improve the comfort and quality of life of our customers since 1992. Our specialty is Automatic Home Standby Generators. \nWe expect customer service excellence and aim to go above and beyond on every call. With 10 locations across 8 states, Tri-State is always ready to serve you.
"Christopher did an amazing job installing a new light fixture over my bathroom sink. He was on time, cleaned up the work area, and even took the time to teach me some things. I highly recommend this company. Will definitely use them again!"
"Went very well. Very professional experienced nice team of guys. Very polite and work efficiently & effectively. They also installed our security cameras. We've worked with & met the owner as well. Always quote price before work is started most of the time when the appointment is scheduled. They always arrive on time or before but send text to give notice when they will arrive. Very dependable & reliable. AWESOME workers."
"Finally here is a company that you feel really good about working to protect your home. Superior knowledge and very responsive to all my homes electrical,issues."
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.
While natural gas generators are costly, they’re a great option for standby power due to the reliability of natural gas as a fuel source. Unlike other fuels, natural gas is delivered through underground pipes, making outages extremely rare and less likely to be affected by the elements. As long as the area isn’t prone to earthquakes, they offer an unlimited supply of natural gas that doesn’t degrade over time or require storage in tanks.
Natural gas and electricity rates vary significantly based on location, and pricing can change over time, too. It’s possible that in locations where natural gas is particularly inexpensive, it will cost less than grid-based electricity will. However, you should also factor in the generator’s initial costs and maintenance needs, as well as its noise level and if it can comfortably power all your home appliances.
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.
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.
The Bedford, TX 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 Dallas, TX varies based on factors like generator size, fuel type, and installation complexity. Learn the typical price range and what influences your total cost.
Find out the average generator repair cost in Dallas, TX. Learn what you can expect to pay for local backup power fixes and get your system running safely.
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.
Thinking about a generator installation? Learn about backup power options, costs to expect, and how to hire the right local pro to keep your home running.