Home Power Plan Builder: Your Personal Backup Power Plan

Not sure whether you need a generator, a battery, solar or just a better outage kit? Answer six quick questions about how often you lose power, what is critical in your home, how you heat, your priorities, solar and EVs. The builder turns your answers into an ordered plan, and every step links to a free calculator or a research-based guide.

How to use this tool

1. Choose the answer that best fits each question. There are no wrong answers; pick the closest match.
2. Read your plan from the top. Steps are ordered so the cheapest, most universal protections come first.
3. Open the linked tool in each step to put real numbers on it, starting with your essential loads.
4. Use Print or save as PDF to keep a copy, or copy a link that restores your answers.

Worked example

With the default answers (rare outages, nothing critical, gas furnace, lowest upfront cost, no solar, no EV), the plan starts with an outage kit, then a load list, then a portable generator done right with a transfer switch or interlock, and ends with surge protection and a maintenance routine. Change the critical-equipment answer to “medical equipment” and a dedicated step for battery backup of medical devices moves near the top.

Understanding your results

Your plan shows your biggest focus, the number of steps, and each step with a short reason. Steps link only to pages on this site, and the plan never names a brand. If outages are frequent or long, or you choose automatic protection, the plan points you toward standby generators or whole-home batteries; if quiet and clean matters most, it points to batteries and power stations.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the basics. A kit, charged power banks and appliance thermometers help in every outage, whatever backup you buy.
• Buying before measuring. Always size from your own load list.
• Forgetting the connection. Budget for a transfer switch or interlock and a licensed electrician, not just the generator.
• Ignoring maintenance. A generator that has not run in a year may not start.

Next steps

Start with the Home Generator Size Calculator or the Home Power Station Selector, then read Start Here for the full five-step path.

Frequently asked questions

Does the plan builder recommend specific products?

No. It recommends categories, sizes and next steps only, so an affiliate commission can never shape your plan. Use the linked calculators to size equipment, then compare products that meet those numbers.

Is my information saved?

No. The builder runs in your browser and nothing you choose is stored or sent to us. A copied link stores your answers only in the link itself.

Can I change my answers?

Yes. Change any answer and the plan updates instantly.

This tool is for planning and education only. It does not store your entries. Work on home wiring must be done by a licensed electrician. Read our disclaimer.