A whole-home generator is one of those investments that feels optional right up until the moment it isn’t. Power outages in central Virginia can come from summer storms, winter ice, or grid issues with little warning and no predictable end time. For homeowners with medical equipment, remote work setups, young children, or elderly family members in the house, the calculus changes quickly. A properly installed standby generator means the lights stay on, the heat or AC keeps running, and life continues — without you having to do anything at all.
One Bad Outage Has a Way of Changing Your Mind
Most homeowners who call us about generator installation aren’t doing it on a whim. They’ve already been through something — a multi-day outage that spoiled a freezer full of food, a winter storm that left the house without heat, a situation where someone in the home really needed power and didn’t have it. That experience has a way of making the decision feel less like a luxury and more like a reasonable precaution. If you’re on this page, you’ve probably already done enough thinking to know this is something you want. The question is just how to get it done right.
Standby vs. Portable — Understanding Your Options
Portable generators are affordable and flexible, but they require manual setup, outdoor operation, fuel management, and a transfer switch to connect safely to your home — and they won’t run indefinitely. Standby generators are permanently installed, connected directly to your home’s electrical system and a natural gas or propane supply, and they turn on automatically within seconds of an outage. You don’t have to be home. You don’t have to do anything. For homeowners who want genuine peace of mind rather than a partial solution, a standby generator is the meaningful difference. Both options have their place, and we’re happy to talk through what makes sense for your situation.
What Generator Installation Actually Involves
Standby generator installation touches a few different systems — your electrical panel, your fuel supply, and your property — which is exactly why having an experienced team handle it makes the difference. The process includes installing the unit, connecting it to a transfer switch, coordinating the fuel connection, and pulling the necessary permits. It sounds like a lot of moving parts, and it is — but that’s what we’re here to manage. For the homeowner, the experience should feel straightforward. You make the decisions upfront, we handle the execution, and when it’s done you have a system that runs itself.
Sizing It Right From the Start
One of the most common mistakes in generator installation is undersizing — buying a unit that can’t actually handle the load of the systems you need it to run. A generator that can power your lights and a few outlets is a very different machine from one that can run your HVAC, refrigerator, well pump, and the rest of your home simultaneously. Getting the sizing right requires a proper load calculation based on your home’s actual electrical demand — not a guess. We’ll help you understand what you need before anything gets ordered, so you’re not discovering the limitations of your generator during the next outage.
Fitch Has Been Powering Charlottesville Through the Unexpected
Generator installation is one of the more involved services we offer, and it’s one we approach with the care it deserves. We’re a licensed, family-owned company that has been serving homes in Charlottesville and the surrounding area since 1983 — and we’ve seen what happens when the power goes out and a family isn’t prepared. We handle the electrical work, coordinate the necessary permits, and make sure everything is installed and tested correctly before we consider the job done. When the next storm rolls through, we want your home to be the one where nothing changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Generator sizing depends on what you need to power during an outage. A unit sized only for essential circuits — lights, refrigerator, a few outlets — is a very different machine from one designed to run the entire home including HVAC, well pump, and large appliances simultaneously. Getting the sizing right requires a proper load calculation based on your home's actual electrical demand. Undersizing a generator is one of the most common installation mistakes — and discovering the limitation during an actual outage is the worst time to find out.
A portable generator runs on gasoline or propane, requires manual setup and operation, and must be used outdoors due to carbon monoxide risk. It can power selected appliances through extension cords or a transfer switch but won't run indefinitely and requires fuel management. A standby generator is permanently installed outside the home, connected directly to the electrical system and a natural gas or propane supply, and starts automatically within seconds of a power outage — without any action required from the homeowner. For whole-home protection and genuine peace of mind, a standby generator is the more complete solution.
A standby generator connected to a natural gas supply can run for an extended period — days or even weeks — as long as the fuel supply is uninterrupted and the generator receives proper maintenance. Propane-powered standby generators are limited by the size of the propane tank. Most manufacturers recommend allowing the generator to cool down and performing basic checks after extended run periods. For practical purposes in most power outage scenarios, a properly installed standby generator will run as long as needed.
The most common issues we see with standby and portable generators include battery failure — particularly in units that sit idle for long periods — fuel system problems from stale fuel or carburetor buildup, worn or failed transfer switches, control board faults, and low oil conditions that trigger the safety shutoff. Most of these issues are preventable with regular maintenance and periodic test runs. When they do occur, accurate diagnosis by a technician familiar with both the electrical and mechanical sides of generator systems is the most efficient path to a reliable repair.
Most generator manufacturers recommend annual service visits as a baseline — more frequently for units that see heavy use or operate in demanding conditions. Standby generators that run automatically on a weekly self-test cycle still benefit from professional servicing once a year to inspect components, change the oil and filters, test the battery, and verify that the transfer switch and control systems are functioning correctly. The best time to schedule service is before the season when the generator is most likely to be needed.
A generator that isn't maintained regularly is one that may not work when you actually need it. The components most likely to fail — batteries, fuel systems, and transfer switches — are the ones that deteriorate quietly during the long periods of inactivity between uses. Regular maintenance catches these issues before they become failures, extends the service life of the equipment, and gives you confidence that the generator will perform when a power outage occurs. A generator that fails during an emergency provides no protection at all.
Still have questions?
Real Reviews from Your Charlottesville Neighbors
See All ReviewsGeorgia P.Great Sewer Line Repair
James B. (Charlottesville, Virginia)Going to use them for everything I can now including my HVAC maintenance. Replaced my sewer line for a great price. Camera'd my line for free and gave me a truly free estimate whether I used them or not. Job ended up being tougher than what was expected and not once did they bring up the possibility of changing from what they quoted me. Good group of guys right there. Chris and his crew know what they're doing.
Paul B. (Charlottesville, VA)As I commented on both Facebook and Angie's List this was a good experience. The service was performed as scheduled and well. There was a glitch in the billing, but your own people detected it and contacted me about it and took care of it on your own initiative. Greatly appreciated!
Johanne (Charlottesville, VA)Very efficient, quick diagnosis, and quick fix.
Charlottesville Family Favorites Winner
Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite Winner
Best of HomeAdvisor Winner
Elite Service HomeAdvisor Award
Ready to Schedule Service?
Let’s take care of it together.
Submit your request and experience the Fitch difference: a local team who shows up on time, and finishes the job right — often in a single visit.
