"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!"
"These guys did a fantastic job and were an absolute pleasure to work with. Small business, all primary work done by the three owners/operators of the group, who are are masters in their respective fields: "Tech Guy", Electrician, and Gas Fitter. (I genuinely hope to not cause offense by this broadly generalized description). I had a 20kW Cummins LP/NG-fired automatic backup generator installed and connected to a new automatic transfer switch, and (since we had no existing gas system) a new 500gallon LP propane tank installed and under-grounded to feed the generator. My main electrical panel was brought up to current code in the process. The excavation and burial work was subcontracted to a trusted local operator that did really nice work, and they worked with Southern States to provide a tank and first fill. They handled all the permits and coordinated the inspections. Waiting for the county inspector, and waiting for Southern States to fill the tank after the gas inspection, were the only observable delays in the process, and those were negligible/reasonable. The SciFiHomes people were quick, efficient, and obviously practiced with all of their pieces of the work. They will strongly prefer Cummins-brand generators over the competitors, and they are more a more expensive initial investment compared to them. After doing my own research after their sales pitch, it is a very worthwhile "upgrade". The difference between Cummins' generators and the competitors is fuel efficiency; according to the math, I'll get over 24 hours of additional runtime vs (as an example) Generac's 20kW generator at 40% average load on a full 420gallons of propane in the new 500gal tank. With an extended outage, or multiple long outages as with last winter in Frederick County, that's a very significant advantage. Sorry for the "sales pitch"; I only included this to prove that they're in my opinion very justified in pushing the "premium" brand. We purchased the extended warranty uplift as well as their extended service agreement. We can't recommend them enough; fantastic experience, and this generator has already flawlessly provided over 20 hours of outage coverage in the 5 months we've had it. Winter is coming, and we'll be ready this time. It just works... These guys and their total solution probably isn't the absolute cheapest in the area... but we absolutely got what we paid for. Thanks SFH!"
"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."
"The service that Zack Weaver and Justin Fox provided when they installed my new furnace was fantastic. The attitude and willingness to answer my questions are what you are looking for when such a major addition to your home is happening. I have been in the people business for over 30 years and these professional rank in the top 5% when it comes to service. Job well done."
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."
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.
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.
Generators are usually sized by running watts and starting watts. Ideally, you’ll want a generator that can offer both the necessary running watts and starting watts for everything you need to power without going beyond 90% of its capacity. Calculate your home’s electrical load based on the breakers in your home or adding up the appliance and lighting needs of connected rooms.
If you’re wondering whether gas generators produce carbon monoxide, know that natural gas generators do not produce carbon monoxide if they are functioning properly, as natural gas burns cleanly. However, if the generator malfunctions and the gas does not burn completely, there is potential for carbon dioxide to be produced. To prevent malfunctions, it's crucial to perform regular maintenance, including running the generator weekly and scheduling professional inspections every 6 to 12 months. Also, be sure to test your carbon monoxide detectors regularly to ensure they function in the rare case of the generator producing carbon monoxide.
Many services include assembling the unit and securing it in the window. Confirm with your provider.
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.
