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Generac Generator Installation
Generac home standby generators sized to your loads, wired through the right transfer switch and placed to code. Free quotes from a family-owned electrician.
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Licensed and insured | Family owned | Free quotes | Office Mon to Fri, 7 am to 5 pm
3D Electric provides Generac Generator Installation for homes across Southeast Michigan, from the first walk-around to the first test run. We are a family-owned, licensed and insured electrical contractor based in Belleville, with about two decades in the trade. Our Generac Generator Installation service plans the generator, the pad, the transfer switch, the fuel connection and the permit steps as one job, with one written estimate.
Generac makes two kinds of home standby units. Air-cooled Guardian models cover most houses, and liquid-cooled models handle larger homes and heavier loads. We have installed a 22 kW Generac on natural gas and a 35 kW Generac in Belleville, MI. If you are still comparing brands and options, start with our whole house generator installation overview. If you already know you want a Generac, the details below show how the job goes.
Lectro's tip
Before your quote visit, snap a photo of your panel label and your gas meter so the plan starts with real numbers.
What a Generac Installation Includes
A standby generator is a small power plant wired into your house. It only works well when every part of the system is planned together. Here is what goes into a typical Generac job.
The generator and its pad
The unit sits level on a concrete or composite pad outside the house. We place it at the distances Generac lists for windows, doors, vents and walls, and where your local code allows.
The automatic transfer switch
The transfer switch watches utility power. When it drops, the switch disconnects the utility, starts the generator and moves your circuits over. When power returns, it switches back. We have installed 200 amp and 100 amp automatic transfer switches. Our generator transfer switch installation page explains the choices.
Load management
Load management modules shed big loads, such as central air or an electric range, when the generator nears its limit. They let a mid-size unit cover more of the house without overloading.
Fuel connection, permits and inspection
The generator needs a gas supply sized for it, an electrical permit and in most towns a gas permit, each with an inspection. Read our generator permit guide for Michigan homes for the usual steps.
Choosing the Right Generac Size
Size a generator by what you want to keep running, not by the square footage of the house. A furnace blower, sump pump, well pump, fridge and a few lights need far less power than central air, an electric range and a dryer running at once.
Generac size | What it usually covers |
|---|---|
About 10 to 14 kW | Essential circuits: furnace, sump pump, fridge, some lights and outlets |
About 18 to 22 kW | Most of a typical house, often the whole home with load management |
24 kW and up | Larger homes, more than one air conditioner, or electric heat |
Why 22 kW is a common pick
On a house with 200 amp service, a 22 kW air-cooled Generac paired with load management can often carry the whole home. Big loads take turns instead of all starting together.
Get the size from a load review
We look at your panel, your large appliances and the items you cannot lose during an outage. Then we recommend a size and explain why. Our guide on what size generator your house needs walks through the math.
How a Generac Installation Goes, Step by Step
Every house is different, but most Generac installs follow the same order.
Free quote visit. We look at the panel, the gas meter, the wall where the unit could sit and the loads you care about.
Written estimate. You get a detailed estimate in advance that lists the generator, transfer switch, pad, wiring and permits.
Permits. The work is filed with your city or township building department before installation.
Pad and placement. The site is leveled and the pad is set at the planned spot.
Setting and wiring. The generator goes on the pad, the transfer switch goes in near your panel, and the two are wired together.
Fuel hookup and inspections. The gas supply is connected, and the inspectors check the electrical and gas work.
Startup and walkthrough. We run the system under load, test a transfer and show you the controls.
Floors are covered, work areas are contained, and we clean up before we leave.
Placement, Clearances and the Gas Supply
Where the generator sits affects safety, cost and how it sounds from your deck or your neighbor's bedroom.
Clearances from the house
Generac sets minimum distances from windows, doors, vents and soffits so exhaust stays out of the home. Your building department may add its own rules. We plan the spot around both before anything is set.
Michigan weather
Snow drifts, roof runoff and low spots that collect water all matter here. A good spot stays clear in winter and drains in spring, so the unit can breathe and you can reach it.
Gas supply
Most Generac units in this area run on natural gas. The gas meter and line must be large enough for the generator and your furnace, water heater and stove together. Your gas utility may need to check or upsize the meter. Homes without natural gas can run on propane. Compare the two in our natural gas vs propane generator guide.
Shorter runs, cleaner job
A spot close to both the gas meter and the electrical panel keeps wire and pipe runs short. That keeps the install simpler and the estimate lower.
Generac, Honeywell or Kohler
3D Electric installs and services Generac, Honeywell and Kohler home standby generators. They work the same basic way: an automatic transfer switch, a controller and a scheduled self-test. The right pick often comes down to the size you need, the fuel you have and what is available when you are ready.
Comparing the brands
If you are torn, read our plain comparison of Generac vs Kohler home generators, or see our Kohler generator installation page.
Not ready for a standby unit
A portable generator can still power key circuits safely through a panel interlock and an inlet box. See our generator interlock kit installation service. Never backfeed a house through a dryer outlet. It is illegal and puts line workers at risk.
What Changes the Price of a Generac Installation
The generator is only part of the total. These things change the estimate from one house to the next:
The kW size and whether you want whole-home or essential-circuit coverage
The transfer switch amperage and the number of load management modules
The distance from the pad to the panel and to the gas meter
Whether the gas meter needs upsizing
The condition of your panel, since an old or full panel may need work first
Permit fees in your city or township
Our whole house generator cost guide explains each factor. For your own number, ask for a free quote. Straightforward pricing is one of our guarantees, with no hidden charges. Financing is available.
After the Install: Exercise, Maintenance and Repair
A Generac standby unit runs a short self-test on a set schedule. That keeps the engine ready and tells you early if something is wrong.
Routine care
Like any engine, it needs oil, filters, spark plugs and a battery check on the schedule in its manual. Our Generac generator maintenance service handles that work, and our Generac generator repair team troubleshoots units that will not start or transfer.
When the power is out
24-hour emergency service available. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm.
Generac Installation in Your Town
We install Generac generators across Wayne, Washtenaw and Monroe counties. Our three closest local pages cover the details for each town:
Generac installation in Belleville, close to our home base
Generac installation in Ann Arbor, for Ann Arbor and nearby townships
Generac installation in Ypsilanti, for Ypsilanti and nearby townships
Live somewhere else nearby? Request a free generator quote and tell us your address.
Recent Generac Installs
22 kW Generac
A 22 kW Generac home standby generator running on natural gas.
35 kW Generac
A larger 35 kW Generac standby generator installed in Belleville.
200 Amp Automatic Transfer Switch
A 200 amp automatic transfer switch that moves the whole service to generator power.
Related pages
Local details for Belleville and Van Buren Township
Local details for Ann Arbor homes
Local details for Ypsilanti homes
Automatic and manual switches
Oil, filters, battery and tests
Size from your loads
A plain brand comparison
Photos of real installs
Frequently Asked Questions
Often, yes, on a home with 200 amp service when load management is added. Large loads like central air and an electric range take turns instead of starting together. A load review of your panel and appliances confirms it before you buy.
Yes. A standby generator usually needs an electrical permit and, for gas units, a gas permit, each with an inspection. Your city or township building department sets the rules, so confirm current requirements for your address. We include the permit steps in the plan.
It needs a level, stable base. Many Guardian units sit on a composite pad, and larger units often go on a poured concrete pad. The right base depends on the model, the soil and local rules.
Yes. The automatic transfer switch is part of every standby install we quote. We have installed 200 amp and 100 amp automatic transfer switches, matched to the service and the generator.
The generator size, transfer switch, load management, wire and gas pipe distance, gas meter capacity, panel condition and permit fees all change the total. Every house is different, so we give free written quotes. Financing is available.
Yes. We handle routine Generac maintenance and repair. 24-hour emergency service available; office hours are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm.