Storm and Outage Readiness with a Standby Generator
Last verified: September 2026
A calm before, during, and after plan built around your automatic standby — because the machine handles the outage itself, and the rest is just quiet preparation. Rather have a hand getting ready? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Your Storm Plan, at a Glance
With an automatic standby generator, you've already done the hard part. When the power drops, it starts itself, carries your home, and shuts down when the utility returns. This guide is the calm plan wrapped around it — what to handle before a storm, what to check while it runs, and what to do after — tying together the whole standby series. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 What do I have to do when the power goes out?
Very little. An automatic transfer switch senses the outage, starts the generator, and switches your home over on its own — usually within seconds. Your job is to let it run, check the app, and keep snow and clutter clear of it.
2 What's the most important thing to do before a storm?
Handle it on a calm day: a serviced unit with a healthy battery, a clear area around it, tested CO alarms, and — if you're on propane — a topped-up tank. That calm-day work is what makes the storm itself easy.
3 How will I know it's working normally?
You'll hear it, and your monitoring app or the unit's status light will show it running. Once you've heard the weekly self-test a few times, the outage rumble becomes a familiar, reassuring sound.
4 Do I need to watch the fuel during a long outage?
On natural gas, usually not — the supply keeps flowing. On propane, glance at the tank gauge now and then and arrange a refill before it runs low. Our natural-gas-versus-propane guide covers both.
5 What should I do after a long outage?
The unit switches back and cools itself. Glance at the app for faults, note anything that seemed off, and consider a service check if it ran a long, continuous stretch — much like a car after a long road trip.
6 I'm on a well — what's different for me?
Water depends on power, so a standby sized to the pump keeps it flowing automatically — store some drinking water anyway, and on propane keep a refill plan. Our well-pump guide goes deep on this.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
A good storm plan is built calmly, before you ever need it. I'll walk your whole setup with you — the servicing, the fuel, the monitoring app, the alarms, and the checklist — so when the power quits, you can simply let the machine do its job. $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).