Ten seconds. That's how long a standby generator takes to kick in and power your entire home—every room, every outlet, both AC units. It runs on the same natural gas line that fuels your stove, so there's no fuel to buy, no tank to refill, and no limit on how long it runs. The grid could be down for a week. Your generator doesn't care.
It's a natural gas engine connected to your electrical panel. When the grid drops, it starts automatically. That's genuinely it.
Storm, transformer failure, ERCOT load shedding—the automatic transfer switch detects the outage instantly.
Within seconds, the transfer switch disconnects your home from the grid and signals the generator to start.
The generator fires up on your existing gas line. No fuel tank to run dry, no gas station runs in the dark.
Every circuit in your house comes back online. AC, fridge, lights, garage door, pool pump—everything. For as long as needed.
We work with every major brand. These four cover 90% of what Texas homeowners need—from the budget-friendly to the whisper-quiet.
Most popular choice for 2,000–3,000 sq ft Texas homes.
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Large Texas homes (3,000–5,000+ sq ft) with heavy AC loads.
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Homeowners who prioritize quieter operation and build quality.
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Budget-conscious choice without sacrificing whole-home coverage.
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In Texas, the answer almost always comes down to one thing: your air conditioning. A 3-ton AC unit needs about 3,500 watts just to start. Most homes have at least one. Many have two. Start there and add the rest.
These are guidelines. Your actual sizing depends on your specific appliances, AC tonnage, and whether you have special loads like an EV charger, pool heater, or workshop.
Don't over-buy or under-buy. Too small and your generator overloads during a Texas summer. Too large and you've wasted thousands. Our free assessment calculates your exact kW requirement. Take the 3-minute assessment →
Generators aren't better than batteries. Batteries aren't better than generators. They're different tools for different situations. Here's the honest breakdown.
Want the honest answer? If you have natural gas and want whole-home backup without thinking about capacity limits, a generator is hard to beat. If you want silent, seamless operation with solar compatibility, batteries shine. Can't decide? Hybrid systems give you both.
Generator unit (18-24kW)
$5,200–$8,500
The generator itself. Price varies by brand and output.
Installation labor
$3,000–$5,000
Concrete pad, electrical connections, transfer switch install.
Automatic transfer switch
$800–$1,500
The brain that detects outages and switches to generator power.
Gas line extension
$500–$2,000
Running gas from your meter to the generator pad. Distance matters.
Permits & inspection
$300–$800
Required in most Texas municipalities. Your installer handles this.
Expect to spend $12,000–$18,000 for an 18-22kW system fully installed, or $18,000–$25,000 for a 24kW+ system on a larger home. That includes everything: generator, transfer switch, concrete pad, gas line, permits, and installation labor.
Financing is available through most installers. Many offer 0% for 12-18 months.
Annual operating costs: Natural gas to run the generator during outages is minimal—about $3-5 per hour at current Texas rates. Annual maintenance runs $200-$400 through a service plan. For context, most Texas homeowners use their generator 2-3 times per year for a total of 20-40 hours.
Texas produces more natural gas than any other state. That's not trivia—it's why standby generators make so much sense here.
Natural gas is piped directly to your generator through your existing gas line. During an outage, the gas keeps flowing—the pipes are underground and unaffected by storms. No running to the gas station, no propane deliveries, no fuel going stale in a tank.
Texas has some of the lowest natural gas rates in the country. Running a 20kW generator costs roughly $3-5 per hour—a fraction of what gasoline or diesel portable generators cost. During a 24-hour outage, you're looking at $72-$120 in fuel.
Most Texas suburban homes already have natural gas for cooking, water heating, or heating. Extending the line to a generator pad is straightforward—usually $500-$1,500 depending on distance from your meter.
Unlike gasoline (which you can't get when gas stations lose power) or propane (which requires delivery), natural gas infrastructure is largely underground and operational even during major weather events. It stayed on for most customers even during Winter Storm Uri.
From signing the contract to flipping the switch, plan on 8-12 weeks. The generator itself arrives in 2-4 weeks, but the real timeline bottleneck is permitting (2-4 weeks in most Texas municipalities) and scheduling the gas line connection with your utility. Your installer handles all of this. The actual installation takes 1-2 days once everything's in place.
Our free assessment takes 3 minutes and gives you a personalized recommendation based on your home size, AC systems, and power requirements.
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