Hurricane season is six months long here. A standby generator is what keeps the air conditioning (and the refrigeration) running through an outage.
What a generator actually has to carry in a Louisiana outage
South Louisiana loses power, and it does not lose it briefly. Atlantic hurricane season runs June to November, and the outages that follow a storm arrive in exactly the weather that makes cooling non-negotiable.
A standby generator matters most for the two things we already look after: the HVAC that keeps a house liveable, and the refrigeration holding a business’s stock. Sizing it around that load is the part worth getting right.
Generator work we cover
- Generator InstallationSized around the load you actually need to carry, not a round number.
- Transfer Switch SetupAutomatic changeover so the house does not wait for someone to be home.
- Generator MaintenanceA generator that has not been exercised is not a back-up plan.
- Storm-Season ChecksBefore hurricane season, not during it.
What size generator do you actually need?
This is the question that decides the price, and it is the one most quotes answer backwards: by picking a common size and working out afterwards what it will run.
Start from what you need to keep alive in an outage. Keeping the whole house running is a much larger machine than keeping the air conditioning, the refrigerator and a few circuits. In a summer outage here, cooling is usually the thing that matters, and the air conditioner is the largest single load in most houses.
The number that sizes it is not the running load, it is the start-up surge when the compressor kicks in, which is several times higher for a moment. Undersize it and the generator stalls at exactly the moment you needed it.
Tell us what you want to keep on and we will work out the load properly before quoting anything.
Spread this over monthly payments
A standby generator is a planned purchase rather than an emergency one, but it is still a large one. Any estimate over $500 comes with financing options automatically, so there is nothing to apply for first. Checking what you qualify for takes about a minute and does not affect your credit score. There are no origination fees, no prepayment fees and no late fees.
The payment calculator on our financing page shows what the monthly figures look like for a given job cost. Those are estimates, not an offer.
Financing provided by Wisetack.
All financing is subject to credit approval. Your terms may vary. Payment options through Wisetack are provided by our lending partners. For example, a $5,500 purchase could cost $253.54 per month for 24 months, based on a 9.9% APR, or $1,833.33 per month for 3 months, based on a 0% APR. Offers range from 0 to 35.9% APR based on amount requested and creditworthiness. Not all merchants and lending partners participate in 0% interest programs. Terms range from 3 – 120 months and may vary based on merchant, lending partner, or transaction size. State interest rate caps may apply. No prepaid finance charges or participation fees. See additional terms at wisetack.com/faqs.
Generator questions to settle before hurricane season
What size generator do I need?
It depends on what you want to keep running. Carrying the whole house is a different proposition from carrying the air conditioning, the refrigerator and a few circuits. The honest way to size it is to work out the actual load rather than pick a round number: ask and we will go through it with you.
Will a generator run my air conditioning?
It can, but the AC is usually the largest single load in the house and the compressor draws a surge on start-up well above its running current. That start-up surge is what determines the size, and it is the number most quotes gloss over.
What is a transfer switch and do I need one?
It is what moves the house from utility power to generator power. An automatic one does it without anyone being home, which matters if an outage starts while you are away and there is a refrigerator or a freezer full of food. It also isolates you from the grid, which protects line workers.
How often does a standby generator need servicing?
Annually as a rule, plus a check before hurricane season rather than during it. A generator that has sat unexercised for a year is not a back-up plan. It is an assumption.
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Plan for the outage before the season starts.
Ask us what your system actually draws, and what you would need to carry it.
Call (225) 772-4703Or book a visit online