GENERATOR
INSTALLATION.

Between summer storms and winter ice, the Roanoke Valley loses power often enough that backup generation has become a mainstream home upgrade — and for businesses with refrigeration, medical equipment, or servers, it's simply insurance that pays. Covenant Electrical installs standby systems and portable hookups, sized correctly and permitted properly.

Whole-home standby systems

A standby generator with an automatic transfer switch starts itself within seconds of an outage and runs on natural gas or propane. The installation covers the concrete pad placement, the transfer switch, load calculations to size the unit for what actually needs backing up, gas coordination, the permit, and inspection.

Portable generator hookups

The budget-friendly route: a properly installed inlet box and manual transfer switch (interlock), so a portable generator powers selected circuits safely. This eliminates the extension-cords-through-the-window routine — and the genuinely dangerous practice of backfeeding through a dryer outlet, which can injure utility line workers and is illegal for good reason.

Sizing honestly

The most common generator mistake is buying before calculating. A unit sized for "everything" costs thousands more than one sized for what matters — heat, refrigeration, well pump, some lights and outlets. A load calculation before purchase means the quote covers the right machine, not the biggest one.

Frequently asked questions

Standby or portable — which makes sense?
Standby systems suit homes that need automatic, unattended backup (medical equipment, frequent travel, well pumps, sump pumps). A portable with a proper transfer switch covers shorter outages at a fraction of the cost. The load calculation and an honest conversation settle it quickly.

Do generator installations need a permit?
Yes — both standby installations and transfer switch work are permitted and inspected in the Roanoke Valley jurisdictions. It's part of every Covenant installation.

Can you install a generator I already bought?
Yes, provided it's appropriately sized and safe for the intended use. If it isn't, you'll get a straight answer about it before any work starts.

How long does installation take?
A portable hookup with transfer switch is typically a half-day. Whole-home standby installations usually run one to two days once the unit and gas work are in place.