Generator Installation For Your Home Or Business
Standby or portable hookup. Whole-home or critical circuit backup. We size it, install it, permit it, and test it under load.
Request A Free On-Site Scope
We call back the same day. No call center, no rotating crew. Steve answers the phone and opens your panel.
Or call (707) 803-6332Generator Installation That Starts With A Load Calculation
A generator installed without a proper load calculation is either undersized (and will fail under real demand) or oversized (and burns more fuel than needed). Towers EC sizes every generator to the load it will actually carry, installs the transfer switch to prevent backfeed, tests the transfer sequence under real conditions, and provides documentation of the complete installation. When the power goes out, the system works.
The install itself is several distinct jobs that have to line up. There is the concrete pad or composite base the unit sits on, set level and clear of the clearances the manufacturer requires from windows, doors, and the gas meter. There is the fuel hookup, natural gas or propane, sized so the unit gets the volume it needs at full demand without starving. There is the electrical: a new sub-feed off the panel, the transfer switch wired so utility and generator can never tie together, and the bonding done correctly at the transfer point. We coordinate all of it on one schedule so you are not chasing three trades.
Talk To The Master Electrician- Pre-purchase assessment available: We assess your home before you buy a generator to confirm size and placement. Free visit.
- Correct neutral bonding at transfer point: A common wiring error on generator installs. We do it right.
- Load tested before job closeout: Transfer sequence under real load, documented.
- Manufacturer-compatible installation: We follow the generator manufacturer’s installation manual, not just our standard practice.
What We Do
Every service we provide comes with the same master electrician standard , CA Lic. 847255, lifetime warranty on install labor, permits pulled, inspections passed.
Generac Standby Installation
Whole-home and essential-circuit Generac systems, full ATS included.
Kohler Standby Installation
Commercial-grade Kohler systems for homes and small businesses.
Portable Generator Interlock
Safe, code-compliant connection for portable generators via interlock kit.
Essential Load Transfer Panel
A smaller transfer switch for critical circuits , refrigerator, furnace, lights.
Solar/Battery with Generator Backup
Hybrid systems with generator as the final backup tier.
Generator Site Assessment
We assess gas supply, placement, clearances, and load before you buy a generator.
What A Generator Install Actually Involves
Buying the unit is the easy part. Putting it in so it starts, carries load, and passes inspection is the work. Here is what we do on a typical residential standby install.
Placement and the pad
The unit has to sit on a stable, level base and meet code clearances from openings in the house and from the gas meter. We mark the approved location during the site visit, before equipment is ordered, so there are no surprises on install day. Placement also affects exhaust direction and noise, which matters more than people expect once the generator is running a long outage.
Fuel and the gas hookup
A standby unit runs on natural gas or propane, and the line has to deliver enough volume at full demand or the engine starves and stumbles under load. We confirm the supply will carry the unit before it goes in. Gas line work is coordinated with a licensed gas fitter, and the electrical side stays our responsibility from the panel to the transfer switch.
Transfer switch and wiring
The transfer switch is the part most installs get wrong. It has to be wired so the generator and the utility can never be connected at the same time, with the neutral handled correctly at the transfer point. Done wrong, you get a back-feed hazard to utility crews or a bonding fault that trips the unit. This is exactly the kind of wiring a master license exists to verify, and it is where three decades of doing it right shows.
Permit, inspection, and commissioning
A generator install pulls an electrical permit and gets inspected; we handle both. Then we commission the unit: run the start sequence, transfer the load, and confirm it carries what it is supposed to carry. You get the documentation and a walkthrough of how to operate it. If you want a free scope before you buy anything, we will walk the property and put the recommendation in writing.
Why The Install Is The Part That Matters
People shop generators by brand and wattage, and those matter, but the reason one generator runs a household through a three-day outage and an identical one quits in the first hour usually comes down to how it was put in. The fuel line, the transfer wiring, the bonding, and the commissioning are where the reliability lives. A unit bought from a big box and dropped in by a low-bid crew that skipped the load calculation is the unit that disappoints when it counts.
In Solano and Napa counties the outages people plan for are real: winter storms off the Pacific, summer heat that strains the grid, and public-safety power shutoffs during fire season. A standby generator is the difference between riding those out at home and packing a cooler. If you run a home office, keep a well pump, or have someone in the house on medical equipment, the case for a permanent unit over a portable is not close.
A master license is not a formality on this work. The transfer switch is the one place in your electrical system where two power sources meet, and wiring it so they can never tie together is a life-safety job that protects you and the line crews working to restore the grid. We do that wiring to the manufacturer manual and to code, pull the permit, and stand behind the labor for the life of the install. That is the standard on every job, residential or commercial.
Steve Torres has spent more than thirty years doing electrical work where a failure was not an option, including the server-room infrastructure behind the early internet. He runs every generator install personally and gives you a straight read on what your home actually needs. No upsell to a bigger unit than the load calls for, no corners on the parts you cannot see. Call (707) 803-6332 for a free scope and a recommendation in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you install any brand of standby generator?
We work with all major standby generator brands , Generac, Kohler, Cummins, Briggs. We have the most experience with Generac and Kohler residential lines. We recommend the brand based on your load and availability of local service, not commission.
How long does generator installation take?
A standard residential standby generator installation typically takes one to two days for the electrical work. Gas line connection is coordinated separately. We give you a schedule after the site assessment.
Where does the generator have to be placed?
Clearances from windows, doors, gas meters, and property lines are set by code and by manufacturer requirements. We assess placement during the pre-install site visit and mark the approved location before equipment is ordered.
What maintenance does a standby generator need?
Oil and filter changes every 200 hours or annually, air filter inspection, spark plug replacement per manufacturer schedule, and annual load test. We can provide initial maintenance training and refer you to generator service providers for ongoing maintenance.
Can I get a free assessment before committing to a generator purchase?
Yes. Call (707) 803-6332 or email storres@towersec.net to schedule a site visit. We’ll walk the property, review your load, and give you a clear recommendation in writing.
Talk To A Master Electrician
The person who picks up is the person who shows up. 30+ years of electrical work in Vacaville and the North Bay. CA Lic. 847255. Lifetime warranty on installation labor.
View our project gallery or visit the contact page to schedule a free on-site scope.