Sizing a Whole-Home Generator Before California Fire Season

Every June, the same math starts across the North Valley: is this the year? If a PSPS shutoff takes out power for three days in September, a standby generator stops being a luxury and reads as the smartest money you ever spent. Here's how to size one.

Essentials vs Whole Home

10–14kW covers the essentials: refrigerator, lights, outlets, internet, and one stage of HVAC or a window unit. 18–22kW runs most whole Chico homes including central air — the difference between riding out an outage and evacuating to a hotel. 24kW+ covers large homes and dual HVAC systems.

Size From Loads, Not Square Footage

A proper load calculation inventories what actually draws power: HVAC tonnage, water heater type, range, well pump, medical equipment. Two 2,000 sq ft homes can need very different generators. Guessing from square footage either leaves you short or wastes thousands on capacity you never use.

What Installed Costs Look Like

Turnkey — unit, automatic transfer switch, pad, fuel connection, permits, startup — most Chico-area installs run $8,000–$15,000. The transfer switch is the brains: it senses the outage, starts the generator, and switches your home over in seconds, whether you're home or not.

The Timing Argument

After any named storm threatens the California coast, generator installers book out for months and equipment lead times stretch. Installations scheduled February through May get better attention, faster permitting, and — most importantly — power security before the season opens. Portable-generator owners should at least install a transfer switch and inlet box ($900–$1,800), which eliminates extension cords through windows and the carbon-monoxide roulette of improper placement.