After the worst freeze we’d ever had in my lifetime, 2021 Winter Storm Uri, we all learned a lot of lessons. Some chose to ignore many of the obstacles we face here, but most chose to make changes to protect their biggest investments – themselves & their families, and their homes. We paid attention and now I’m sharing my experience on how to choose a portable generator in Texas.
Disclaimer
I am NOT an electrician and this is not a DIY project. This is just information based on our experience choosing and using a generator in our home.
That freeze was a terrifying experience for the city of Houston because it was the first of it’s kind and something no one could have ever prepared us for. Now that we are experiencing all sorts of weather phenomenon, including annual freezes since 2021, I thought I would document my family’s experience and what we chose to change.
First a few things to note. Texas is different in that:
- We are on our own power grid managed and controlled by ERCOT. In general, we cannot access power from other states, so when it’s out it’s OUT. FULL STOP. I won’t go into detail about this but you can google it to find all sorts of information about it.
- We are not used to ice & snow but we are more used to ice than to snow. Either way, the city pretty much shuts down for safety reasons – driving is a hazard, walking is a hazard, survival is crucial.
- Based on #2, no one here owns any ice or snow related tools (or clothing, for that matter – although that’s starting to change).
These are my top tips for making it through a freeze in Texas, specifically Houston & surrounding areas:
- Make sure you have plenty of “personal” insulation. From socks & underwear to outerwear to comforters, pillows, and blankets.
- Speaking of comforters, pillows, and blankets, always be prepared for guests (friends, family, neighbors) and pets if you have them. That means always having extra on hand + towels. Too much is not enough.
- Make sure you have enough home insulation. Purchase enough pipe insulation & faucet covers for all outdoor exposed pipes, including sprinkler systems & pool equipment. If you don’t have any or enough, refer to #2 above – use the thickest textiles you have and secure them with duct tape. Anything is better than nothing.
- Time is NOT on our side. If freezing weather is forecast, try to prepare at least 2 days ahead. This includes stocking up on necessities like food & toiletries as well as all of the above items in #1-3.
- Stock up on batteries and lighters too.
- Quick story… in 2021 we were all bundled up & huddled together on the sofa and floor in the family room or sleeping in 1 bed for the body heat. Avery was still pretty small & we had our 1 year old grandson so it worked out BUT we were missing out on heat because of 1 thing we didn’t know. We have a gas fireplace; electricity is needed to ignite it. Our neighbor told us that the fireplace is just like the gas stove except it has a battery backup.
- That was a game changer! We were able to cook everyday without power because we’d just turn on the gas and “ignite” the stove with the lighter. Now we could add warmth through our fireplace the same way – “ignite” with the lighter using the batteries to power it! The lesson is to stock up on batteries of ALL sizes – the fireplace required D batteries, which we never kept on hand. Luckily, the neighbor who told us about this had extras! Praise God, that 1 thing may have saved our lives!
- Learn how to manually use the things that we are so used to being automatic like the items mentioned above in #5. The garage is another example. Learn to turn off the opener and manually open & close the garage.
- Last but certainly not least, get a generator. No. I’m not talking about a $20K+ whole home stationary generator. You can make it through a “short” power outage with a much less expensive generator just large enough to power a few key items or large enough to power an entire home (more on that later). In Texas, this too is a game changer since we get power outages during the summer from hurricanes and now tornadoes as well as the winter from heavy ice. We also have some seemingly random power outages, thanks to the occasional rolling blackouts (but you didn’t get that from me😉).
How to choose a portable generator in Texas + how to use a portable generator to power an entire home.
*Note: For reference, our home is about 3350 square feet.
The quick version of how to choose a portable generator in Texas is to decide how much power you need. If you only want to power a few appliances, your retailer can usually help with this.
In my opinion, it’s best to get a model that can run on gasoline and propane (and make sure you have enough of both) since during times like these it can be hard to get gas or anything else.
Always follow manufacturer instructions but basically you will just power on the portable generator in a well ventilated area and plug any specific items you need into the unit up to the wattage it will tolerate. We did this for a neighbor after back to back tornadoes & hurricane last summer 2024. Works like a charm to keep cool & prevent spoiling food when a smaller generator of <6,000 watts is all that’s available.
If you want to power your entire home with the exception of the clothes dryer, it’s best to consult with an electrician to get the best sized portable generator for your needs. By the way, even the large expensive installed generators have limits similar to this solution. I only know this because we went down the rabbit hole of both options & dodged a huge expanding bullet (like a buckshot) to our finances specifically.
This is our story. We happened to have an electrician over for a completely different reason when we somehow got on the subject of solar panels (which by the way, I’d never install on my rooftop unless I choose to live totally off the grid).
He agreed with our assessment of solar panels and added that “all you need is a portable generator & a built in plug to power this whole house.”
!!!!!! THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT !!!!!
We walked the perimeter of house and in less than 10 minutes we’d decided what wattage generator to get and where to put it.
We bought this dual fuel 13,300W generator and put it at the end of our garage with the exhaust facing outward. This allows us to leave the generator in place & covered at all times including when it’s running. All we have to do is open the garage enough for venting when the generator is running – about 2 feet.
Our electrician installed an extra switch in out electrical box specifically for the generator. He then installed a special plug for it right next to the electrical box.
He tested everything out, showing us how to switch over to the generator and then told us to run it once a month to make sure it’s always in good shape. “It’s like taking care of a car” he said. Just routine maintenance.
I will admit that I was very skeptical about this initially, until we had our first outage since installation. We plugged in the generator and started it, then powered down the house down by flipping the main switch to the house in the electrical box to off. Then flipped the generator only switch in the electrical box to on.
And just like that, everything that went out in the house was on again! The best part is that the entire setup including installation was less than $1500. Generator prices have gone up since then but this can still be done for less than $2000 – at less than 10%, that’s a far cry from the $20,000+ we were quoted for the big brand installation.
Even though it worked seamlessly, I still went all over the house turning off anything we didn’t need as if we needed to conserve. I think I do this out of habit but it’s not a bad habit to have.
We’ve now had to use it multiple times although we try to only use when absolutely necessary. The best part is being able to help friends, family & neighbors whenever we have an outage.
That’s what community is all about. That and this! Sharing our experiences to help each other.
I hope you found this helpful. Please share it with your friends and anyone you think could benefit.
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