PSPS-ready. Owner-installed.
Southern California outages are not going away. A properly sized standby generator runs your whole home automatically — fridge, HVAC, wifi, medical equipment — without you lifting a finger.
What size generator do I need for my Los Angeles home?
Most LA homes need a 14–22 kW standby generator sized to run essential circuits: refrigerator, HVAC, lighting, wifi, medical equipment. Oversized units waste money; undersized units nuisance-trip.
We do an NEC load analysis using your actual appliance list and square footage. Modern generators include load management that sheds non-critical circuits under peak demand, letting a right-sized unit back a larger home than traditional sizing suggested.
Generac vs Kohler vs Briggs & Stratton
The three brands we install most. Here's how they compare honestly.
- ✓Widest dealer network
- ✓Best monitoring app (Mobile Link)
- ✓Competitive pricing
- ○Louder than Kohler
- ○Earlier controller board issues (fixed in current gen)
- ✓Quieter by 3–6 dB
- ✓Longer-life Command PRO engine
- ✓Better transient load handling
- ○Higher price
- ○Smaller service network
- ✓Lowest upfront
- ✓Simple reliable design
- ○Smaller sizes
- ○Fewer features
How does a standby generator handle a PSPS event?
The automatic transfer switch detects utility power loss, starts the generator within 10–30 seconds, and switches the home over. When grid power returns, it transfers back automatically. No intervention required.
Most LA standby generators run on SoCalGas natural gas, which maintains pressure through almost any outage short of an earthquake. Propane is used when gas service is not available.
From sizing walk to startup — 2 to 4 weeks
Most of the timeline is permit, utility, and concrete cure. On-site work is about 2–3 days spread across the project.
- 1
On-site sizing walk
30 minutesLoad calc, gas line assessment, placement walk. Written quote same day.
- 2
Permits pulled
1–2 weeksElectrical + gas permit with LADBS. HOA signoff if needed.
- 3
Concrete pad + gas line
2 daysPad poured and cured. Gas line sized to generator BTU spec.
- 4
Unit set + wired
1 dayGenerator placed, ATS installed at main panel, battery commissioned.
- 5
Final inspection + startup
1–2 business daysLADBS inspects. We test under load and walk you through the app.
Generator terms worth knowing
Electrical work uses specific terms. Here is what the jargon means in plain English.
- PSPS
- Public Safety Power Shutoff — preemptive utility de-energization during extreme fire weather to prevent line-ignited wildfires.
- ATS
- Automatic Transfer Switch. The device that senses a utility outage and transfers your home to generator power automatically.
- kW rating
- Generator output capacity in kilowatts. 1 kW = 1,000 watts of continuous power.
- SoCalGas
- Southern California Gas Company, the natural gas utility serving most of Southern California including LA.
Home generator FAQs
PSPS prep + generator resources
How to Size a Home Generator for LA Wildfire Outages
Generator sizing is the #1 mistake LA homeowners make. Here's the straightforward way to figure out what kW you actually need for PSPS events.
Generac vs Kohler Home Generators: A California Homeowner's Comparison
Both are solid units, but they're not the same. Here's what we've learned installing both brands across LA and Ventura County.
PSPS Power Shutoffs in Southern California: How to Prepare Your Home
PSPS events are going to keep happening. Here's the full prep checklist to keep your family safe, fed, and connected when the grid goes dark.
Generator installations across LA and Ventura County
What typically pairs with generator work
100A to 200A panel upgrades in Los Angeles. Federal Pacific and Zinsco replacements.
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Learn morePSPS season is coming.
Free on-site sizing walk. Permit and gas coordination handled. Owner on every job.