"I have been hiring Cody Malone since we purchased our house in July 2012. They have switched out outlets, installed indoor ceiling fans, installed outdoor ceiling fans, ran electrical to my outdoor water feature and switched out my light fixtures. I plan to hire them again when I add electric to my detached garage. They always do a great job and arrive when they say they will. I have never had a single issue and they have been to my house for no less than six different projects!"
"The guys arrived exactly at the prearranged time. They informed me that the work would take longer than the '2 man hours' that I bought through the Angie's List Deals before they began the job - which I appreciated. They were on task and professional the whole time. They explained any problems they encountered while re-installing the old light fixture - need new bulbs. They cleaned up any mess they made at the end of the job. Rates and cost of supplies were reasonable. I WILL BE CALLING THEM BACK FOR ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL WORK IN THE FUTURE. "
"You cannot find a better contractor than Raufi Services. We hired Raufi Services to install 240V/50A wiring for a hot tub. They were extremely efficient, polite, and timely. The quality of their work was outstanding--I couldn't even tell they ran the wiring in the house after they were done. They were also very competitive in their cost estimate."
"They were very knowledgeable, explained everything carefully in great detail, and came promptly because of a gas leak. I would recommend them highly for any kind of water heater problem."
Benfield Electric Company is an area leader in the Electrical Service field, serving customers throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. We work with residential and commercial clients and pride ourselves on our capability to meet all types of electrical wiring demands and deadlines. Established in 1968, we are a licensed, bonded and insured class A Electrical contractor. We are focused on providing a wide array of services to meet all our customer's needs
Stinnett Electrical Services, 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 your interests and make your concerns the basis of our business.
"The technicians were very polite and knowledgeable. We needed to replace some outdated light fixtures in our basement with brighter and more efficient lights, and they installed much better fixtures. They did great work!"
"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."
It might seem counterintuitive, but installing a generator transfer switch will save you money in the long run. While you’ll have to pay between $400 and $2,500 to have the transfer switch installed, you’ll recoup that amount later on when you don’t have to pay for expensive repairs to your appliances, devices, and electrical system that may have burned out, overloaded, or stopped working due to a sudden loss of power or an incorrect hook up of a generator to your home.
Natural gas generators are designed to run for extended periods of time, such as power outages during a natural disaster. Since there’s no limit to the supply of natural gas, they don’t need to stop for refills. However, generators do need maintenance, including pauses to check and add oil. Constantly running them will also cause a lot more wear and tear, leading to a shorter lifespan.
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.
While the rating will tell you how many watts the refrigerator needs at the peak of its cycle, it requires additional wattage to start. At the bare minimum, you’ll need a 1,500-watt generator to get the fridge up and running after a blackout. A 2,000-watt generator should be sufficient for most home refrigerators.
Generators run on a variety of fuel types, ranging from natural gas to solar power. Keep in mind that fuel costs varying by type:
Natural gas: $2,000–$21,000 per year
Liquid propane: $2,000–$21,000 per year
Diesel: $3,000–$20,000 per year
Gasoline: $500–$3,000 per year
Solar generator: $2,000–$25,000 per unit
Battery backup: $10,000–$25,000 per unit
The Remington, VA homeowners’ guide to generator installs
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Natural gas generators are whole-home standby generators that are connected to your home’s natural gas line. The average cost for a natural gas generator is $12,000.
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.
