Connecting to Your House
Last verified: September 2026
Everything you actually need to know, in plain English - no jargon, no rabbit holes. If you'd rather skip the reading and just have someone help, my number is (330) 200-8042.
Connecting to Your House
When the power goes out and the generator's running in the yard, there are really just two ways to get that power into your house. You can run extension cords to a few things that plug in — the fridge, some lights, your phones — which is simple, cheap, and safe. Or, for whole circuits and the hard-wired things a cord can't reach, like the furnace or a well pump, a licensed electrician installs a transfer switch or interlock kit with an outdoor inlet. The one thing you must never do is back-feed power through a regular outlet. Here's the plain-English version, with a printable, 29-page guide up top if you'd like the full walk-through.
Common Questions
1 What are the two ways to connect a generator to my house?
There are just two safe ways. The first is extension cords — you run heavy outdoor cords from the generator to individual things that plug in, like the refrigerator, lamps, and chargers. It's simple, inexpensive, and needs no electrician. The second is a permanent hookup — a transfer switch or interlock kit with an outdoor inlet, installed by a licensed electrician, which powers whole circuits from one plug and can reach hard-wired things a cord cannot.
2 Can I plug my generator into a wall outlet to power the house?
No — please never do this. Using a cord with two male ends to feed power into a dryer, range, or wall outlet is called a suicide cord, and it is deadly. It can send voltage backward onto the utility lines and electrocute a line worker who believes those wires are dead, it can shock your family, and it can start a fire in your walls. It is also against code and illegal. The only safe way to power your home's circuits is a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician.
3 What's the difference between a transfer switch and an interlock kit?
Both safely keep your generator and the utility from ever being connected at the same time. A manual transfer switch is a small separate panel with its own labeled switches for a chosen set of circuits — the simplest to use. A panel interlock kit is a sliding metal plate on your existing breaker box that lets you use your normal breakers — often less expensive and able to reach more circuits. Both are safe, and your electrician will help you choose.
4 Can extension cords run my furnace or well pump?
No. The furnace, a well pump, a sump pump, and the water heater are hard-wired into your electrical panel with no plug to reach, and a well pump is usually 240 volts besides. An extension cord can only power things that plug into an outlet. To run hard-wired equipment from a generator you need a transfer switch or interlock, installed by a licensed electrician.
5 Do I need a licensed electrician, a permit, and an inspection?
Yes. Both a transfer switch and an interlock tie into your home's main electrical panel, which is licensed-electrician work — with a permit so it's done to code and an inspection so a second qualified person confirms it's safe. That's exactly what you want for something that protects line workers and your home. I'm not an electrician, so I coordinate a good one for the hookup and handle choosing the generator, planning circuits, and teaching you to run it.
6 Which one is right for me — cords or a switch?
Make a short list of what you'd truly want running in an outage, then sort each item: does it plug into an outlet, or is it hard-wired? If it all plugs in — a fridge, lights, phones — extension cords are likely your whole answer. If your list includes the furnace, a well pump, or whole circuits, you need a transfer switch or interlock. If you're not sure, have it assessed before you spend a dime, and I'm glad to help.
Want a Hand With Yours?
Picking a generator, setting it up, and learning to run it safely is one of my most-requested visits. I bring the patience and the know-how - you keep your seat. We'll match a unit to your home, set it up right, walk through starting it and staying safe from carbon monoxide, and get your internet, TV, and devices happily back on. $99 flat, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free. (330) 200-8042.
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).