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Your Generator Readiness Checklist

Seven practical steps to plan backup power before an outage. Work through one a day or at your own pace; this checklist does not guarantee that a purchase or installation can be completed in seven days.

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Read it here, without waiting for an email. All seven steps are below, with links to free site resources. This is planning help, not a substitute for the manufacturer's manual, a licensed installer's load assessment, or local requirements.

  1. 1. List the loads that matter

    Write down the appliances you want to run together during an outage. Record their actual running and starting requirements from the manufacturer or appliance label, and mark any 240V loads. Generic wattage tables are estimates, not measurements of your home.

    Your next step: Use the free generator sizing calculator to organize an initial estimate. Have a qualified installer confirm large motor loads, overlapping starts, and standby-system sizing before buying.

  2. 2. Plan a fuel supply you can manage

    Check which fuels are supported by the exact generator. Consider approved fuel storage, local availability during an outage, refueling needs, and the generator's output on each fuel. A home's natural-gas supply also needs a professional capacity check.

    Your next step: Compare propane and natural gas considerations, then confirm fuel requirements in the model's manual. Do not assume a generator can use a fuel or conversion kit it is not approved for.

  3. 3. Decide on a safe location and connection

    Run a portable generator outdoors, at least 20 feet from the home, with exhaust pointed away from doors, windows, and vents. Never run it in a garage, even with the door open. Use working carbon-monoxide alarms in the home; a generator's CO shutoff is not a substitute for safe placement.

    Never feed generator power into a wall or dryer outlet. Connecting to household wiring requires properly selected and installed transfer equipment. Ask a licensed electrician about compatibility, permits, and operation. Standby siting and fuel work also require the manufacturer's installation instructions and local approval.

    Your next step: Prepare a location and connection plan to review with your installer. See what a standby installation involves and EPA generator and carbon-monoxide safety guidance.

  4. 4. Make a model-specific maintenance plan

    Find the owner's manual and note its oil, filter, spark-plug, battery, exercise, and service requirements. Calendar intervals and operating-hour intervals both matter; follow whichever the manufacturer requires first. Do not use a general checklist to override the manual.

    Your next step: Use the free maintenance checklist to organize the tasks that apply to your model. Record completed service and keep required supplies ready.

  5. 5. Plan for weather and storage

    Check the manufacturer's cold-weather starting, fuel-storage, and operating-weather instructions. Keep a portable generator dry using an approved operating shelter that maintains required ventilation and clearances, never an enclosed space. Let the engine cool before refueling.

    Your next step: Review the seasonal and storage sections of the maintenance checklist, then confirm the details in your manual. Arrange a safe operating location before a storm arrives.

  6. 6. Know when to stop and get help

    Before an outage, save the model and serial number, owner's manual, and manufacturer or local service contact. Learn the normal controls and shutdown procedure. For a problem, start with only the basic owner checks permitted by the manual.

    Do not bypass a safety shutdown, work inside a live electrical panel, or keep running equipment with a fuel leak or abnormal operation. If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside to fresh air and call emergency services.

    Your next step: Write a short household plan that includes who can operate the generator and who to call when it is unsafe or will not run. People relying on powered medical equipment should arrange an appropriate backup plan with their care team and equipment provider.

  7. 7. Compare options and confirm the full cost

    Choose between automatic backup, manually managed essentials, or RV and small-load use. Compare the exact model, fuel-specific output, outlets or transfer equipment, noise rating conditions, warranty, and local service. Equipment price is only part of a standby project's cost.

    Your next step: Compare generators by situation. For standby, obtain a written load assessment and itemized installation quote before ordering. If you already own a suitable generator, maintenance and a safe operating plan may be the useful next step instead of another purchase.

Not sure what size to investigate?

Start with your essential-load list. The free calculator helps organize the numbers; it does not approve an installation or guarantee that a particular generator will start every appliance.

Use the free sizing calculator →