Choosing a Whole-Home Generator for Houston-Area Storm Season

Portable Versus Standby: Two Different Things

A portable generator is a gas-powered engine on wheels that you roll out of the garage, connect to extension cords or a manual transfer switch, and refuel every 8 to 12 hours. It keeps the refrigerator running and a few lights on. A whole-home standby generator is a permanently installed unit that sits on a concrete pad next to the house, connects to a natural gas or propane line, and starts automatically within seconds of detecting a power loss. It can run indefinitely as long as the fuel supply holds.

The two are not different sizes of the same product. They are different products for different problems. A portable generator gets you through a one-day outage. A standby generator keeps the house fully operational through a multi-day event, which is what Houston-area storm seasons regularly produce.

Fuel: Natural Gas Versus Propane

Most homes in The Woodlands have natural gas service, and that is the simplest fuel choice for a standby generator. The gas line is already there, the supply is continuous (natural gas infrastructure rarely fails during storms in this area), and there is no tank to refill. The generator connects to the existing gas meter through a dedicated line sized for the unit's BTU demand.

Propane is the alternative for homes without natural gas service or for homeowners who want a backup fuel source independent of the gas grid. A propane-fed generator needs a tank (typically 250 to 500 gallons for whole-home use) installed on the property, and the tank needs periodic refilling. The advantage is fuel independence. The disadvantage is that propane delivery can be delayed during widespread storm events when everyone is ordering at once.

Some generators are dual-fuel and can run on either. If you have natural gas but want the option of switching to propane during an extended grid event, dual-fuel is worth considering.

Sizing: What Actually Needs to Run

Generators are rated in kilowatts (kW). A 22kW unit is the most common residential size for a full-house application in this area. It will run a 5-ton central AC system, the refrigerator, the water heater, lights, and a reasonable number of outlets simultaneously. A 16kW unit handles most of that but may require load management (the generator controller decides which circuits to shed under peak demand). A 10kW or 12kW unit covers critical circuits only: refrigerator, a few lights, the well pump if you have one, and not the AC.

The sizing calculation is not guesswork. An electrician runs a load calculation based on the circuits you want covered, the starting surge of your largest motor loads (AC compressor, well pump), and any future additions you are planning. Oversizing wastes money. Undersizing means the generator sheds loads you expected it to carry, which is a bad surprise during a storm.

The Transfer Switch

The transfer switch is the device that sits between the utility feed and your panel and decides which source powers the house. When the utility is live, it feeds the panel normally. When utility power drops, the transfer switch signals the generator to start, waits for it to stabilise (about 10 to 30 seconds), and then switches the house onto generator power. When utility power returns and holds steady for a set interval, the switch moves the house back to utility and the generator shuts down.

An automatic transfer switch (ATS) does all of this without intervention. You can be asleep, at work, or out of town, and the house transitions on its own. That is the point of a standby system. A manual transfer switch requires you to go to the panel and flip the switch yourself, which defeats much of the value of a permanently installed generator.

Placement and Clearance

A standby generator needs a level concrete pad, clearance from the house and from property lines (manufacturer specs and local codes both apply), and access for maintenance. In The Woodlands, deed restrictions and HOA rules may also govern where outdoor mechanical equipment can be placed. Check before the pad is poured, not after. The unit generates noise during operation, typically in the 65 to 70 decibel range at full load, comparable to a loud conversation. Placement relative to bedrooms and neighbours' windows is worth thinking about.

Maintenance After Install

A standby generator that sits idle for months needs regular exercise to stay ready. Most units run a self-test cycle weekly (a short start and run at low load), but that does not replace annual service. An annual maintenance visit includes an oil and filter change, spark plug inspection, battery test, coolant check (on liquid-cooled units), and a transfer switch test under load. The battery is a common failure point: a generator that will not start during a storm because the battery died in March is a generator that failed at its only job.

The Woodlands Plumbing and Air installs whole-home generators as part of their electrical service line, licensed under TECL #40351. Their team also handles the gas line connection under master plumber licence M-16642 and can coordinate the full installation without splitting the job across multiple contractors. Serving The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, and Magnolia. Call 281-715-9593.