The Most Dangerous Thing About a Portable Generator Is Not What Most People Think
After every major storm or ice event in Northwest Arkansas, portable generator sales spike. Most homeowners who buy them are focused on keeping the lights on and the refrigerator running. They are not thinking about carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of generator-related deaths. The CDC reports that generators cause more CO poisoning deaths than any other single source during and after storms. CO is produced whenever gasoline or propane burns. It is odorless and colorless. You cannot smell it, see it, or taste it. At high concentrations, it can incapacitate and kill within minutes.
In NWA, we see this risk spike after ice storms and severe weather events when homeowners drag generators into garages or covered porches to protect them from the elements. That decision has killed people. Understanding this risk is the most important thing you can take from this article.
Where Should You Never Run a Generator?
Never run a portable generator in any of these locations:
- Inside any part of the home, including the basement or utility room
- In an attached or detached garage, even with the garage door fully open
- On a covered porch, patio, or carport
- Near any open window, door, or vent where exhaust can enter the home
- In any partially enclosed space, regardless of how well-ventilated it seems
The generator must be at least 20 feet from the home, with the exhaust directed away from any windows or doors. If that means running a longer extension cord in the rain, that is the right answer. Keeping the generator dry at the cost of your life or your family’s life is not a trade worth making.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors Are Non-Negotiable During Generator Use
Every home that uses a portable generator should have working carbon monoxide detectors on every level, particularly near sleeping areas. This is true even when the generator is placed correctly outdoors. CO can migrate into homes through cracks, HVAC intakes, and gaps around doors and windows, even at distances that seem safe.
If a CO alarm sounds while a generator is running, get everyone out of the house immediately. Do not stop to gather belongings. Get to fresh air and call 911. Do not re-enter the home until emergency responders confirm it is safe.
CO detectors should be tested monthly and replaced every five to seven years. Most combination smoke and CO detectors have the manufacture date printed on the back.
How Do You Safely Connect a Portable Generator to Your Home?
There are two safe ways to connect a portable generator to your home’s electrical system, and one very dangerous way that is also illegal.
Safe Method 1: Extension Cords Directly from the Generator
The simplest approach is to run heavy-duty extension cords directly from the generator to individual appliances. Use outdoor-rated cords with adequate gauge for the load. A 12-gauge, 15-amp cord is appropriate for most appliances. Never overload a cord by plugging in more than its rated capacity.
This method requires no electrical work but limits you to what you can reach with a cord and does not power hardwired equipment like your HVAC system.
Safe Method 2: Manual Transfer Switch Installed by a Licensed Electrician
A manual transfer switch installed at your electrical panel allows you to safely connect the generator to selected circuits in your home. When the generator is running, the transfer switch disconnects your home from the utility grid before connecting the generator. This prevents the dangerous situation of generator power flowing back onto utility lines.
This is the right solution for homeowners who want to power HVAC equipment, hardwired appliances, or multiple rooms from a portable generator. A licensed electrician installs the transfer switch. In Northwest Arkansas, this work requires an electrical permit.
Never: Back-Feed Through a Dryer Outlet or Wall Outlet
Plugging a generator into a dryer outlet or any wall outlet to power the house, sometimes called a suicide cord or back-feed, is illegal, instantly voids homeowner’s insurance, and has killed utility workers. When a generator back-feeds into the utility grid, the power travels back onto lines that utility workers believe are de-energized. People have been electrocuted because of this.
Do not do this under any circumstances. If you want to power your home’s circuits from a portable generator, install a transfer switch.
Generator Sizing: How Much Power Do You Actually Need?
Generator capacity is measured in watts. Choosing the right size requires adding up the wattage of everything you want to run simultaneously, plus the startup surge of any motorized appliances.
- Refrigerator: 600 to 800 running watts, 1,200 to 2,400 startup watts
- Window AC unit: 900 to 1,440 running watts, 2,200 startup watts
- Central AC (2.5 ton): 3,800 running watts, 7,000+ startup watts. This is why central AC requires a large portable or a standby generator.
- Sump pump: 750 to 1,500 running watts
- Lights, phone chargers, small electronics: 50 to 150 watts each
A 5,500 to 7,500-watt portable generator covers essentials for most NWA homes without central AC. Running central AC requires 10,000 watts or more, which pushes most homeowners toward a standby generator.
Generator Maintenance: Do Not Skip It
A generator that sits in a garage for two years without being run will not start when you need it. Gasoline degrades in as little as 30 days. Old fuel gums up carburetors. Batteries in electric-start units go dead.
Run your portable generator under load for 30 minutes every 30 to 60 days. Use fresh fuel treated with a fuel stabilizer. Change the oil annually or after every 100 hours of use. Check the air filter and spark plugs each season. Treat generator maintenance the same way you treat vehicle maintenance.
Want a manual transfer switch installed so your portable generator can safely power your home? Call NWA C&S Electric and we will handle it right.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far does a generator need to be from the house?
At least 20 feet from any door, window, or vent opening. The exhaust should point away from the home. More distance is always safer. If you cannot achieve 20 feet, do not run the generator.
Can I run a generator in the rain?
Generators should not be operated in rain or wet conditions without a properly designed canopy or tent that allows adequate ventilation. These are available at hardware stores. The canopy must not restrict airflow. Never improvise a shelter that could trap exhaust near the generator.
Is it safe to run a generator overnight?
With working CO detectors and the generator properly positioned outdoors at least 20 feet from the home, running it overnight is generally safe. Never run a generator while sleeping if there is any possibility of CO entering the home, and ensure CO detectors are working before going to sleep.
How do I store a portable generator safely?
Store generators in a dry, ventilated space. Before storage, run the generator until the fuel is depleted, or add a fuel stabilizer to the tank and run it briefly to distribute the stabilizer through the system. Never store a generator with fuel in the tank in an attached garage.
What size generator do I need for my NWA home?
For essentials only, a 5,500 to 7,500-watt generator handles a refrigerator, lights, a few outlets, and a window AC unit. For central AC and more circuits, you need 10,000 watts or more, or a standby generator. Do a load calculation by adding up the wattage of everything you want to run at once.
Be Ready Before the Next Storm Hits NWA
The time to buy a generator, install a transfer switch, and learn how to use it safely is not the day a storm hits. It is now. The homeowners who are prepared before an outage are the ones who keep their families safe and comfortable while others scramble.
NWA C&S Electric installs manual transfer switches for portable generators across Springdale, Fayetteville, Rogers, Bentonville, Bella Vista, and the surrounding Northwest Arkansas area. Call us or schedule online.
Call NWA C&S Electric: (479) 391-8655 | Schedule online at nwacselectric.com
