Whole-Home Generator Installation in Denver, CO

Whole-Home Standby Generator Installation

What is a whole-home standby generator? A standby generator is a permanently installed unit, fueled by your natural gas line or a propane tank, wired to your electrical panel through an automatic transfer switch. When utility power drops, the transfer switch senses the outage, starts the generator, and moves the home onto backup power within seconds. When the grid returns, it switches back and shuts the generator down. Nothing to roll out, fuel, or plug in.

Denver homeowners choose standby power for the situations that actually happen here: winter storms that take lines down, high-wind events along the foothills, summer thunderstorms and hail, and wildfire-related public safety power shutoffs. What people most want to protect is the furnace in January, refrigerators and freezers, the sump pump during spring melt, medical equipment, and the home office and internet that now carry a workday.

How Much Does Generator Installation Cost in Denver?

What determines the cost of a whole-home generator installation? The generator size is only one variable. The transfer-switch configuration, the distance and size of the gas line run, natural gas versus propane, where the unit can sit on the property, the base, any trenching, panel or service changes, load-management equipment, permits, and utility coordination all move the number. Two identical generators on two Denver lots can be very different projects.

The Electricians provides a written turnkey price after completing the site walk and the load assessment. That price covers the generator, automatic transfer switch, gas connection, base, electrical work, permits, and inspections, and it is locked before we start. Financing options are available for qualifying customers through GreenSky.

What Size Standby Generator Does Your Home Need?

Generator sizing is based on the loads you want backed up, not square footage alone. We calculate starting and running loads for HVAC, appliances, pumps, electric cooking, EV charging, and other major equipment, then determine whether load management can reduce the generator size needed. Motor loads such as air conditioners and well pumps draw far more at startup than while running, and that surge is what drives the size.

A note on EV charging: homes with EV chargers require additional load planning. Depending on generator size and load-management strategy, EV charging may be reduced, delayed, or excluded while the home is running on backup power.

Recent Generator Installations in Denver

Real installs from Denver metro homes. Every project is permitted and inspected, and every homeowner receives the load study we sized the generator from.

Generac Standby Generator, Centennial, CO

Generac Guardian set on a level base with the gas line run and automatic transfer switch wired by our own team. Permitted and inspected through Arapahoe County.

Whole-Home Generator with Panel Upgrade

The existing panel could not accept a whole-house transfer switch, so the panel upgrade and generator were installed together under one permit.

Whole-Home Generac Installation, Denver Metro

Natural gas Generac sized from a full load study to carry the home, including central air, with the transfer switch prioritizing major equipment.

Standby Generator Installation, Denver, CO

Generac Guardian placed to meet manufacturer clearances from the house and openings, with gas connection and electrical work completed by one crew.

Natural Gas vs. Propane Standby Generators

Which fuel is better for a standby generator? Neither is universally better. The right fuel depends on what is available at your property and how long you want to run without outside supply. Fuel capacity is evaluated as part of every system design, because a generator that cannot get enough gas at startup will stumble no matter how well it is wired.

Electrical and Gas Installation From One Licensed Team

A standby generator installation requires more than electrical work. The fuel system must also be sized and connected correctly, and on most projects the gas line is the part that slips the schedule. The Electricians is licensed for both the electrical and the gas piping work, which lets one team coordinate the electrical panel, automatic transfer switch, generator, gas line, and every required permit without sending you to a separate contractor.

That means one site walk, one written price, one crew on installation day, and one company accountable for the whole system. Most electrician-only installers subcontract the gas connection and pass the scheduling and the markup to you.

Denver Standby Generator Permits and Inspections

Do you need a permit to install a standby generator in Denver? Yes. A generator installation at a Denver address requires an electrical permit from the City and County of Denver through Community Planning and Development, and the gas piping and mechanical portions carry their own permit requirements. Surrounding jurisdictions such as Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson County and the cities within them each run their own permit offices with their own forms, fees, and inspection schedules.

Placement matters as much as wiring. Generac Guardian units must sit a minimum distance from the structure and farther from any window, door, or vent per the manufacturer installation manual, and local codes and HOA covenants can add setbacks and screening requirements. We confirm placement on the site walk so the plan passes review the first time. The Electricians applies for every required permit under our licenses, schedules the inspections, meets the inspector on site, and closes the permits out. An unpermitted generator can create problems during a home sale or an insurance claim. For more on how Denver permitting works, see our Denver electricians page.

Generac Standby Generators

The Electricians is a Generac Authorized Dealer installing the full Guardian residential lineup. Generac warranty service must follow the manufacturer warranty requirements, including authorized warranty diagnosis and repair. As an authorized dealer, our team handles installation, activation, warranty registration, eligible warranty diagnosis and repairs, and ongoing service through the authorized dealer network, and every install includes Generac Mobile Link remote monitoring so you can see status and alerts from your phone.

Generator Maintenance and Repair

Regular maintenance reduces the chance of a starting or performance problem when an outage occurs. Our annual service plans cover oil and filter changes, battery and connection checks, load testing, and firmware and monitoring updates. For repairs, our technicians diagnose and service all Generac models and most other brands, including Kohler and Cummins, with priority dispatch for plan members.

Electrical Panels and Load Management

A standby generator connects to the home through the electrical panel, so the panel decides a lot about the project. A whole-house transfer switch needs service equipment that can accept it. Older 100-amp panels, fuse boxes, and Federal Pacific or Zinsco equipment often need a panel upgrade first, and doing both at once saves a second permit and a second visit. Load-management modules let a mid-size generator carry a home by staggering the air conditioner, range, dryer, and EV charger instead of starting them all at once, and a SPAN smart panel can do the same job at the circuit level with app control.