Backup Power
The power goes out and the list of what stops working is longer than you think: the well pump, the furnace fan, the sump pump. This is the no-nonsense version of home backup power for rural properties — how generators and batteries work, how to size one, what they cost, and what actually matters when the grid goes dark. Written for homeowners, not electricians. More guides are on the way.
Generator Size Calculator
Add up what you actually need to run — well pump, sump pump, fridge, heat — and get a right-sized wattage range instead of a guess.
Know your system
How backup power actually works — generators, batteries, transfer switches — and what keeps the essentials running.
How Home Backup Power Works
Portable vs. standby generators, transfer switches, fuel choices, and sizing basics — a plain-English guide to keeping the lights and the well pump on.
What Size Generator Do I Need?
Start with your well pump's starting watts, not the box's big number. How to read a pump nameplate, two worked sizing examples, and transfer-switch math.
Portable vs. Standby Generators: Which One Actually Fits Your Home?
Portable vs. standby generator compared: 10-year costs, outage economics, fuel, noise, and installation — plus which one fits your situation.
Costs
Costs
What backup power actually costs — installed, fueled, and maintained over the years.
Whole-House Generator Cost: What You'll Actually Pay
Standby generator installed cost by size ($6,000–$28,000), what moves the number, annual maintenance, fuel cost per hour, and a 10-year ownership example.
Your well pump
Your well pump
The well pump is the hardest load in the house to start. Match the generator to the pump.
Best Generator for a Well Pump: What Actually Matters
A well pump is the hardest load in your house to start. This sizing-first guide shows how to match a generator to your pump — conventional or constant-pressure — using real locked-rotor numbers, not marketing watts.
Alternatives
Alternatives
Other ways to keep the power on — and where they honestly fall short.
Solar vs. Generator for Rural Homes: An Honest Comparison
Grid-tied solar shuts off in a power outage. Here's what it actually takes to keep the lights on, what solar-plus-battery costs, and when a generator wins.
Pairs with
Your well pump is the heaviest load on the generator
A well pump's startup surge is usually the biggest single draw on a rural home's backup power — and the most common reason an undersized generator trips. Know your pump before you size anything.
Browse the Well Water guides →
Well pump & pressure tank troubleshooting →