Generator Sizing - How big of a Generator do I need?

Generator photo from GE Home Generators' website.

You are ready to protect your home from disaster and power loss - that's great! Your kids, significant other, pets, and food in the refrigerator thank you!

But what size generator do you need for your home? This is a very common question among any homeowner considering a home generator.

In deciding generator size, you basically need to consider two important things:

1. What is the square footage of your home?
2. What are the power requirements for your central air conditioning system?

Finding out these two things are a great start to determining how much power your home will need in the event of a power outage. 

In order to figure out the amount of power your air conditioner uses, all you need to do is find the nameplate on the unit. That nameplate should have the BTU rating. That BTU rating will help you determine the tonnage needed for the air conditioning unit. 12,000 BTU is equal to one ton of cooling power. Now just add up the BTUs to figure out the cooling tonnage.

Once you have these two pieces of information it would be helpful to find a generator sizing guide to help you find the best generator for your needs. There are several generator sizing guides out there, feel free to try any of these:

• GE Home Generators Generator Sizing Guide
• Home Depot's Sizing Guide
• Generac's Sizing Guide
• Honda's  Sizing Guide
• Yamaha's Sizing Guide

You can also contact a licensed electrician and he will be able to give you an accurate understanding of what you need.