Start with what your home actually draws
Every electrical device in your home draws a certain number of watts. Add up everything running at once, and that's your load. A generator has to cover that load — plus extra headroom for the surge when big motors start. An air conditioner's compressor, for example, can draw three to five times its running watts for a split second at startup. That's the moment that stalls an undersized generator.
Typical ranges for Maryland homes
These are typical national ranges, not a quote — your home's real number comes from a load calculation. That said: small homes or essential-circuits-only (fridge, lights, sump pump, furnace blower, a few outlets) usually land in the 7–14 kW range. Mid-size homes wanting most things running (including one central AC) typically need 16–22 kW. Larger homes or true whole-home coverage (multiple AC zones, electric range, well pump, pool equipment) often need 24 kW and up, sometimes into the 30s or 40s for big properties.
Why you can't just pick the biggest
Oversizing wastes money twice: you pay more for the generator, and it burns more fuel every hour it runs — including its weekly self-test. An oversized generator also runs lightly loaded, which over years can cause maintenance issues. The goal is the smallest generator that reliably covers your real load, not the biggest one that fits the budget.
The loads people forget
Well pumps (big startup surge), sump pumps (they run during storms — exactly when outages happen), electric water heaters, and second refrigerators or freezers. In Southern Maryland, the well pump is the one rural homeowners forget most — and it's the one that matters most when the power's out for days.
How we size it
Our sizing consultation is a real load calculation: we inventory your major loads, check your panel, account for motor starting surges, and factor in load management if you want a smaller unit to do more. You get a number backed by math, not a guess. Send the form for a free assessment.