Can a natural gas generator power a whole house? (2023)

Can a natural gas generator power a whole house?

1. Natural Gas. Natural gas is typically in good supply, inexpensive, and burns cleanly. It is the most popular choice for powering a whole house generator for homeowners with a natural gas line running to their house.

Small generators can power an appliance or two, while a whole-home generator (sometimes called a home standby generator) can power an entire house.

How Big of a Generator Do I Need to Run a House? With a generator rated at 5,000 to 7,500 watts, you can run even the most critical household equipment, including things such as refrigerator, freezer, well pump, and lighting circuits. A 7500-running watt generator can run all these appliances at once.

On average, a standby generator can run for up to 3,000 hours powering a medium-sized home, though it is recommended you do not run a generator for longer than 500 hours continuously.

Compared with other generators that run on fossil fuels, natural gas generators are cost-effective, efficient to operate, and better for the environment. However, they're not as flexible as other types of generators and won't be the best choice for every application.

Power your HOUSE with a Portable Generator - YouTube

What Size Generator Do I Need To Run A 2000 Sq Ft House? Bring at least a 1000KWh generator for your 2000 sqft house, counting per month, which means a 32KWh for per day.

The national average cost is between $10,000 and $20,000 for a whole house generator. Most people spend around $15,000 on an 18kW generator capable of powering a 2,000 sq. ft.

If your home is 2500 square feet or less, a 20kW generator should suit your needs well, particularly if you have gas heat and hot water. If the range top is also gas, all the better. A 20kW generator will run most house receptacles, lights, and up to a 5-ton central air conditioner.

As illustrated, even when a range of electric prices are considered, natural gas prices are consistently two to three times lower than electric prices. In fact, when all charges are considered, for a $0.06 per kilowatt hour (kWh) electricity rate to be competitive, natural gas would have to cost $1.77 per therm.

How much does it cost to run a natural gas generator for a day?

Depending on the price of natural gas, it shouldn't cost more than $5 or $10 per month to run the unit in exercise mode. During a power outage, under 50% load expect to pay around $20-$40/day for gas usage. A lot cheaper than a hotel room or spoiled food!

Fuel Expenses

As an example, a 20 kW Generac home standby generator uses 204 cubic feet of natural gas per hour at 50% load, and 301 cubic feet at full load. With natural gas averaging about $11.00 nationally for 1,000 cubic feet, that puts fuel expenses at $2.50/hour at half-load, and $3.65/hour for a full load.

Installation: Your generator will be installed on a cement base outside your home. Once installed on the base, a plumber will connect the natural gas line. Then the electrician will hard wire the generator to your home and install your automatic transfer switch (ATS).

Gas-Fired Standby Generator

If you've ever used a portable gas engine generator, you know it's about as loud as a lawnmower.

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Portable Generators

When connected to your home's circuit-breaker panel with a transfer switch, they can power almost as much as a home standby generator.

Depending on the size and output of your portable generator, it can power 10 to 50 wall outlets in your home. A 15 or 20 amp breaker connects outlets in a home, with a total wattage of around 1,800. A 2,000-watt generator can power one of these circuits with 10 to 15 wall outlets.

Whole house generators (home standby generators) are the best generators for home use. They are designed to provide ample power for your appliances and HVAC systems. Portable generators are often used on job sites to power air compressors, nail guns, saws, hammer drills and other equipment.