Generators
Generator installation and repair
When the power goes out, a standby generator takes over and keeps the house running. We install, repair, and maintain all makes and models in Anchorage and the Mat-Su.
What we do
Installation
Standby and whole-home generators, set and wired to your house so they take over when the power goes out. Portable generator hookups too.
Repairs
Units that won't start or won't run, and automatic transfer switches that don't switch over.
Maintenance
Regular service on the generator you have, so it's ready for the next outage.
Standby or portable?
Both keep the heat and the fridge going. The difference is how much they run and how much you have to do when the lights go out.
- Where it lives
- Standby:Outside on a pad, wired in for good.
- Portable with an inlet:In the garage or shed. You roll it out and plug it into an inlet box on the house.
- When the power goes out
- Standby:Starts on its own and switches the house over through an automatic transfer switch.
- Portable with an inlet:You start it, plug in the cord, and flip the switch or interlock at the panel.
- What it runs
- Standby:The whole house, or the circuits you choose, depending on its size.
- Portable with an inlet:A handful of circuits you pick ahead of time: heat, fridge, well pump, a few lights.
- Fuel
- Standby:Natural gas or propane, so there's nothing to refill by hand.
- Portable with an inlet:Usually gasoline, some run on propane too. You keep fuel on hand and refill it.
- Upkeep
- Standby:Runs a short test on a schedule and needs service at least once a year.
- Portable with an inlet:Start it now and then, keep the fuel fresh, and change the oil.
Never plug a generator into a wall outlet
A cord from a generator into a dryer outlet or any other outlet sends power back out the service line. It can hurt the line crew working to get your power back, and it can damage the generator and your house when the power returns. A transfer switch or an interlock with an inlet box keeps the house cut off from the grid while the generator runs.
Transfer switch or interlock
Transfer switch
A separate switch between the power company and your panel. An automatic one, paired with a standby generator, senses the outage, starts the generator, and moves the house over by itself. When utility power comes back, it switches back and shuts the generator down.
Interlock
A plate on your panel that lets the main breaker or the generator breaker be on, never both. It's a common way to hook up a portable: you plug into the inlet box outside, flip the main off and the generator breaker on, and choose which circuits to run.
Sizing starts with what has to run
Before we talk about generator sizes, we ask what you need running when the power is out. Make a list, then mark the ones you can't do without.
Anything with a motor, like a well pump or a compressor, pulls extra power for a moment when it starts, so that's part of the math. Electric heat, an electric range, a dryer, or an electric water heater takes a much bigger unit. We go through the list with you and size the generator and fuel to match.
- Furnace or boiler (the blower and controls)
- Well pump
- Sump pump
- Fridge and freezer
- Heat trace on pipes or a roof
- Medical equipment
- Lights in a few rooms
- Internet and phone chargers
- Garage door
- Water heater, range, or dryer (these are big)
Picking a fuel
Natural gas
If your house has gas service, a standby unit can run off the same line. Nothing to refill.
Propane
Runs from a tank. Tank size decides how long you can run, and deep cold makes a small tank work harder, so we size it with winter in mind.
Diesel
More common on bigger units, commercial buildings, and remote places without gas.
Gasoline
What most portables burn. It goes stale in storage, so use stabilizer or rotate it.
Ready for January
Outages here come in the cold, and the cold is hard on engines and batteries. Many standby units offer cold-weather parts, like a battery warmer or an oil heater. We'll tell you if yours should have them.
Where the unit sits matters too: clear of windows, doors, and vents so exhaust stays out of the house, and out from under roof edges where snow slides off.
A yearly service, at least
A generator sits for months, then has to work the first time. Regular checks catch small problems first.
- Oil and filter changes
- Battery check (the most common reason a standby won't start)
- Spark plugs and air filter
- Look for leaks and loose connections
- Test the transfer switch under load
- Clear snow, ice, and critters away from the unit
When to call us
Without power right now? Call (907) 561-7776, any hour.
- Your generator didn't start in the last outage
- The transfer switch isn't switching over
- You're adding a standby unit for the first time
- You want a safe way to hook up a portable
- An old generator needs replacing
Pay for it monthly
A generator can be paid off over time through our financing partner, Hearth. Checking your rate takes about a minute and doesn't affect your credit score.
Check my rateCommon questions
- Do you install whole-home generators?
- Yes. Call us and we'll talk through what you need running in an outage.
- What brands do you work on?
- All makes and models, for installs and repairs.
- Can you hook up my portable generator?
- Yes. We install an inlet box outside and a transfer switch or interlock at the panel, so you can run the circuits you pick without backfeeding the grid.
- How often should a generator be serviced?
- At least once a year, and more if it runs a lot. A standby unit also runs a short test on its own on a schedule; if it stops doing that, call us.
- Do you give estimates?
- Yes, free, in person or over a video call. You get the price before we start.
- Do you do other electrical work at home?
- Yes, everything from outlets to rewiring. See our residential services.
“Supreme was fantastic. They did the work that was asked, in a timely manner. It was easy to get ahold of them with questions. I will certainly be using them again next time an issue arises.”
Generator not working?
Call any hour if you're without power, or send a request for a new install.