Portable Generators

ESFI strongly recommends that a licensed electrician install home generators to ensure they meet all local electrical codes.

Also, make sure your generator is properly grounded in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Do not connect generators directly to the household wiring unless an appropriate transfer switch has been installed by a licensed, qualified electrician.

Without the proper transfer switch, the power provided by the generator can “backfeed” along the power lines, creating a significant electrocution hazard for anyone coming in contact with the lines, including line technicians making necessary repairs.

Never operate a generator inside your home or in any enclosed—or even partially enclosed—area. Generators very quickly produce carbon monoxide, which can easily enter your home.

Place the generator on a dry surface under an open, canopy-like structure. Do not operate the generator in wet conditions or where there is standing water.

Opening windows or doors or using fans does not provide adequate ventilation to prevent the build-up of carbon monoxide. Generators must be located outside, a safe distance away from your home’s windows, doors, and vents, through which carbon monoxide can enter your home.

Preliminary research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) indicates that even 15 feet from the home is too close to operate a generator safely.

Remember your neighbors, too. Keep your generator a safe distance away from their homes as well.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that is created when common fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood, or coal burn incompletely. This odorless, colorless, tasteless gas is often called the “silent killer” because it is virtually undetectable without the use of detection technology like a CO alarm. Extremely high levels of carbon monoxide can be fatal within minutes.

More than 80% of carbon monoxide deaths related to portable generators occurred in the home, often resulting from operating a portable generator within the living space of the home, including the basement, closets, and doorways.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include fatigue, shortness of breath, drowsiness, headache, and nausea. Get to fresh air right away if you feel dizzy or weak while running your generator.

Make sure that there is at least 1 battery-operated or battery-backup carbon monoxide alarm in your home. Test it before using your generator.