Which Circuits Should Your Transfer Switch Back Up?
Last verified: September 2026
The most useful thing you can do for backup power is decide what to keep running — your must-run list. Here's how to build a good one. Rather do it together? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Choosing Your Circuits, at a Glance
The single most useful thing you can do for backup power is decide what you'd keep running in an outage — your must-run list. Walk your home, capture everything you'd want working in a two-day outage, catch the loads people forget (sump pump, well pump, medical devices, internet), and rank each 'must' or 'want.' That list shapes your whole system. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 How do I decide which circuits to back up?
Walk your home and ask what you'd truly want running in a two-day outage in the worst season. Sort it into 'must run' and 'nice to have.' That list becomes the circuits your electrician wires to the switch.
2 What do people most often forget?
The sump pump above all — a dead one floods a basement while the fridge hums happily. Also medical devices, the internet, and, for well homes, the well pump itself.
3 Do I have to back up my whole home?
No. Many homes back up a focused set of essentials, letting a smaller, cheaper system do the job. Whole-home is a choice, not a requirement.
4 Will my gas furnace run without backing it up?
No — even a gas furnace needs electricity for its blower and controls. Put it on the list to keep the house warm and the pipes from freezing.
5 How does my list affect the cost?
Directly — a short essentials list means a smaller, cheaper system; a longer list or whole-home coverage means a bigger one. Ranking honestly keeps the system (and cost) right-sized.
6 Can I change what's backed up later?
Often, yes — adding a circuit later is usually possible as licensed work. Better still, plan a little ahead so the room is already there.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Building your must-run list is where good backup power begins, and it's one of my favorite things to help with — I'll walk your home with you and catch what folks forget. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).