Many homeowners are surprised to learn that most solar systems stop working during an outage — even on sunny days. That’s why many people add a backup generator (or solar batteries) to make sure their ...

The hands-off nature of today’s most powerful, durable, and quiet standby generator means homeowners don’t really need to think about the inner workings of the machine. Still, understanding the basics ...

Our editor-tested and researched portable and whole-home options keep appliances and other essentials running during an ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. We don't usually talk or think about generators, but they can be real lifesavers when power outages happen. A backup generator will keep your ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The power just went out—again. As you dig around for candles and wonder whether your laptop is fully ...

After Hurricane Ike knocked out electricity to most of Houston in 2008, my 83-year-old father fired up his portable generator, running extension cords through an open kitchen window to a handful of ...

Jeff Somers is a freelancer who has been writing about writing, books, personal finance, and home maintenance since 2012. When not writing, Jeff spends his free time fixing up his old house. He has ...

A generator can be a good backup, but be sure you understand how and when it will work with your solar panels. Some or all of the mortgage lenders featured on our site are advertising partners of ...

When you lose power, a whole-house generator keeps your home’s systems up and running. Some are permanently installed to power your home in an emergency, while others are portable for off-grid camping ...

Picking a generator depends mainly on the size of your home and what you wish to power. The average house will take at least 5,000 to 7,500 watts to run only the most critical equipment—think fridge, ...