Generators & Backup Power

East of Ottawa, backup power isn't a luxury purchase. It is how a rural house rides out an ice storm. When the power goes down in January, the furnace, the well pump, the sump, and the fridge are what stand between a nuisance and a real problem. A backup system is designed around exactly that list.

There are two honest paths. A portable generator with a properly installed inlet and interlock is the economical one: you wheel the generator out, plug in one cord, flip the interlock, and feed the circuits that matter. A standby generator with an automatic transfer switch is the complete one: it starts itself, carries the load you sized it for, and the house barely notices. Which one makes sense depends on your budget, your outage history, and what you need running. That conversation comes before the quote.

One thing gets said plainly because it matters. Never backfeed a generator through a dryer plug or any other improvised connection. It can kill a Hydro line worker restoring your street, and it is illegal for good reason. A proper inlet, interlock, or transfer switch is what makes generator power safe, for your house and for the people fixing the lines.