Backup Generators
Portable, inverter, dual fuel and standby generators, plus transfer switches and safe hookups.
Keep the lights on. Spend less on power.
Power Through Any Outage, Smarter
Clear, research-based guides and free calculators for home generators, home batteries, solar, EV charging and outage prep, so you buy the right size the first time.
Size it right. Hook it up safely. Never sit in the dark.
Start here: five steps to an outage-ready home
Follow the path in order. Each step has a plain-English guide and a free tool that shows its working.
Get ready
Kit, plan and food safety basics. Outage checklist
List your loads
What must keep running? Size calculator
Pick your power
Generator, battery or both. Build your plan
Connect safely
Transfer switch or interlock, by a licensed electrician. Switch selector
Cut the load
Solar and efficiency shrink bills and backup size. Solar payback
Everything you need to power your home
Six guides, each built around the questions homeowners actually search for before they buy.
Home Batteries & Power Stations
Whole-home batteries and portable power stations sized from your real loads.
Home Solar
Costs, payback, net metering, plug-in and off-grid solar, explained with your own numbers.
EV Charging at Home
Level 2 chargers, NEMA 14-50 outlets, installation costs and charging times.
Outage Prep
Kits, food safety, medical devices, sump pumps and what to do when the power goes out.
Energy Savings
Audits, efficient appliances, heat pump water heaters and real appliance wattage.
Free calculators that show their work
Every tool explains its assumptions and formulas, runs in your browser, and never saves what you type. They recommend sizes, never brands.
Home Power Plan Builder
Six questions, one personalised step-by-step plan to keep your home powered, with the right tools and guides.
Home Generator Size Calculator
Add up running and starting watts for the appliances you need in an outage.
Home Battery Backup Calculator
How long a home battery or power station runs your essentials, with or without solar.
Home Power Station Selector
List your devices to get the capacity, output and solar size you need.
Solar Payback Calculator
Payback years and long-term savings from your own quote, rate and sunshine.
Solar Panel Calculator
How many panels and what system size cover your yearly electricity use.
Latest guides
Our first guides are being researched and fact-checked now. Get them by email as they publish.
Popular comparisons
Side-by-side comparisons that follow our published review methodology. We say clearly whether we tested a product or researched it.
Generator vs. home battery
Runtime, noise, fuel, cost and what each can really power.
Power station vs. whole-home battery
When a portable unit is enough and when you need a system.
Interlock kit vs. transfer switch
Cost, flexibility and which one fits your panel.
Safety first, sources always
Backup power can save a basement or a freezer full of food, and it can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and deadly backfeed when it is done wrong. Every guide follows official safety guidance and tells you when a licensed electrician is required.
- Generator placement and carbon monoxide rules from the CDC and CPSC
- Food safety timelines from USDA and FoodSafety.gov
- Outage planning from Ready.gov and your local utility
- Efficiency and solar data from the U.S. Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR and NREL
How we check a guide
- Start from official agencies and manufacturer manuals.
- Show the math behind every sizing or cost number.
- Say plainly what we researched versus tested hands-on.
- Re-check on a schedule, and fix fast when readers report a change.
Free flagship tool
The Home Power Plan Builder
Answer six quick questions about outages, critical equipment, heating, solar and EVs. Get a personalised, step-by-step plan with the exact calculators and guides for each step.
- Covers medical devices, sump pumps and well pumps first
- Generator, battery or both, matched to how often you lose power
- Safe connection options explained before you buy
- Runs in your browser; nothing is stored
Build your plan in two minutes
No sign-up and no email needed. Print it or save it as a PDF when you are done.
General guidance only. A licensed electrician should install anything connected to home wiring.
How we work
Editorial methodology
We cite primary sources, separate fact from opinion, and never claim to have tested something we have only researched.
Affiliate disclosure
We may earn a commission from some links, at no cost to you. Commissions never decide what we recommend or how a tool calculates.
Corrections
Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the source and log the fix.
Why PowerProof Home exists
PowerProof Home was founded by Jeremy Jarvis to give homeowners the backup power resource he wanted: clear numbers, honest trade-offs, safety guidance from official sources, and tools that show their work, instead of sales pages that push the biggest unit.
Frequently asked questions
Is PowerProof Home free to use?
Yes. Every guide and tool on the site is free. We are reader-supported through affiliate commissions, which never change how a calculator works or what it recommends.
Do your calculators store my information?
No. The calculators run entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent to us.
Do you test the products you recommend?
We tell you on every review whether we tested a product hands-on or researched it from specifications, manufacturer documentation and independent sources. We never present research as personal testing.
Can I connect a generator to my house myself?
Connecting backup power to home wiring needs a transfer switch or an approved interlock installed by a licensed electrician, and usually a permit. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet, because it can backfeed the grid and injure utility workers.
Should I get a generator or a home battery?
It depends on how often and how long you lose power, what you need to run, noise and fuel limits, and budget. Our free Home Power Plan Builder walks you through the trade-offs in about two minutes.