What type of generator is right for me?
Natural gas standby generators can power your entire home, including your air conditioner, or just selected circuits for your refrigerator, lights and fans. Consider your needs and desired level of comfort. Do you have personal possessions that are likely to be damaged by extended periods of excessive heat and humidity or extreme cold? Do you work from a home office or operate a home-based business that would be affected by an extended power outage? If so, a whole home, natural gas powered generator may be right for you.

Why should I buy a permanently installed automatic standby generator instead of a portable generator?
During a utility power outage, an automatic standby generator provides numerous advantages over a portable generator:

• The American Red Cross recommends permanently installed standby generators as a safer way to provide backup power to a home than a portable generator.
  
• With an automatic standby generator properly installed outside, your home is protected from deadly carbon monoxide poisoning that is a much greater risk with portable generators.
  
• Running on the home’s natural gas fuel supply is less expensive than gasoline and does not need to be refilled.
  
• They start automatically within seconds of a power outage, and eliminate the need to haul a portable generator outside or run extension cords throughout your home.
  
• They provide protection 24/7, whether you're home or away, and they turn themselves off when utility power returns, so there is no need to monitor the unit during an outage.

How do I correctly size a generator for my home?
The most logical way to determine your needs is to envision your home without power! Some outages may be short in duration, while others could last for days or weeks. What would you like your living conditions to be? Do you just need lights and a few appliances or do you want to power your entire home, including your air conditioner or furnace?

Generators typically come with predetermined numbers of circuits based on the generator’s kW power rating. Eight circuits are supplied for the eight kW generator and as many as 16 circuits are supplied for the 17 kW generator. Each circuit is directly connected to a matched circuit on the home’s main circuit breaker panel, providing electricity to that specific appliance or area of the home.

We recommend consulting with a participating dealer or a qualified electrician to accurately and safely determine the right size generator based on your needs.

Why should I choose a participating dealer?
First, only a participant dealer is authorized to offer you $500 off your natural gas when you purchase and install a qualifying generator.
Second, a standby generator is a significant investment and you want to be sure you’re contracting with a qualified dealer.  All participating program dealers provide customers with the following benefits and met the following eligibility requirements for participation in the program:

Benefits

• Only participating dealers automatically qualify for CenterPoint Energy’s streamlined service process which expedites the installation of your generator.
• All dealers are approved and recommended by Generac (nation’s leading installer of standby generators)
• All participating dealers provide  turnkey installations including securing all necessary permits,
• CenterPoint Energy’s dealer selection criteria exceeds general industry standards, participating dealers must comply with this criteria or be removed from the program (View All Eligibility Requirements)

Eligibility Requirements

• Must hold either Premier or Elite Status with Generac (nation’s leading installer of standby generators)
• Must undertake extensive product and installation training,
• Must have factory trained service technicians on staff
• Must be recertified periodically in strict accordance with Generac established guidelines
• Must carry ample parts and inventory.
• Must be licensed for turnkey generator installation
• Must carry worker’s compensation insurance in the amount of $1M or greater
• Must have a General Liability insurance exceeding $1M
• Must perform installations by or under the direction of a licensed master electrician
• Must perform installations by or under the direction of a licensed master plumber
• Must comply with all relevant local, state and national codes
• Must offer turnkey installations including securing all necessary permits,
• Must offer warranties on generators and related equipment
• Must offer post sales maintenance agreements

Why is it better to choose natural gas to fuel my generator instead of gasoline or propane?

The most important reason to choose a natural gas generator is reliability. Natural gas pipelines are buried underground so they’re less susceptible to damaging winds and flooding common with severe storms. Natural gas is also delivered directly to your home. You won’t have to worry about storing or running out of fuel because a fuel truck can’t reach your home or neighborhood gas station. And even if gasoline is available at the pump, gasoline pumps won’t work without electricity. Finally, natural gas typically costs less for emergency generation than gasoline or propane.