Home Generators Vs Home Battery Backup Power Systems

Home battery backup like Tesla's Powerwall or Generac's PWRCell can use power from rooftop solar or the grid to provide power at night or when there's an outage.

It’s the most (unpredictable) time of the year! Weather-wise, that is. And as those of us in northern Virginia alternatively take a bracing stroll or hunker down for the snowpocalypse, it’s best to be prepared.  Hurricane season also leaves many of us in the dark for days on end!  What to do?!

One step many homeowners in this area take is to ensure the health and safety of their loved ones with home generators or battery backups for basic systems, like their furnace.

As a premiere HVAC service team in this area, we have some thoughts about this. AirPlus is also and Authorized Generac dealer and  can handle all of your electrical & plumbing needs too! 

So which is better? Home Generators or Home Battery Backup Power Systems?

Read on to learn what the difference is between a home generator and battery backup and some of the best technologies you can buy to keep your family safe and warm, even when the power is down.

Home Generator vs. Backup Battery Power

Should I Buy A Home Generator?

Home generators for backup power are available for your whole home or as portable models. A generator for your home may run from 6.5kw models to 100kw models. Generators can be powered by natural gas, diesel or propane but there are also new options with electricity (Tesla’s on it). Generators for your home can provide very powerful backups that keep all of your home systems, from HVAC to dishwashers, running for several days.

Some of the best home generator brands are Generac, Cummins and Kohler.

Costs: whole house home generators typically cost between $8,000-$12,000 and around $2,000 to install, not including permits and taxes. Portable home generators may cost around $2,500-$4,500. For permanent backup, you’ll want to install a generator on your property. There are a lot of factors that impact generator installation, like how big your house is and how it needs to hook up to natural gas lines or other fuel sources.

Home Generators

SECURITY & CONTROL

Today's home generators give you the comfort and security of knowing you'll have power if the grid goes down. Heating, cooling, refrigeration, entertainment & more! No matter what, your family's safe.

USER-FRIENDLY

Home Generators are integrated with your home's existing natural gas or propane supply. Making installation, maintenance & repairs easy.

Generac is the industry leader in home generators for emergency power.

Should I Buy A Home Battery Backup System?

Backup battery power is available for the times when your home goes off the grid. Battery backup inverters are powerful enough to run small appliances and home systems for a while. A battery for your home may run 20+ kilowatts for over 40 hours (although it’s expensive to do so). 

Some of the best home battery backup brands are Tesla, Generac and Enphase.

Costs: whole house battery backups typically cost between $2,000-$6,000 but have minimal installation fees. In recent years, many incorporate solar power integrations of some kind, so upgrades/added maintenance in the form of solar panels may be part of your final number. The big cost is in actually using these, as they can really burn through a lot of electricity, especially if they’re helping large appliances or your HVAC run.

Both options are equipped to detect power outages and switch on to generator supply until power has come back on. While there has been, historically, a line drawn between the “green, clean” option represented in backup battery power and the “fossil fuel dependant” option represented in a home generator, new products are upturning that paradigm.

Battery Backup Power System

CLEAN & EFFICIENT

Battery Backup Systems offer the latest technology in backup power that can harness the sun's energy. Rooftop solar as an energy source can allow you to reduce your energy bills and give you comfort that your power will be there when you need it most!

SMART ENERGY

Many Battery Backup Systems allow you to store energy from the grid when costs are low and allow you to use your system's stored energy during peak-demand, when prices are high. Helping you save money on energy!

A Battery Backup System Can Utilize Rooftop SOlar Or The Grid To Keep Your Power Supply Topped Up & Ready.

The Best Power Backup Options For My Home

Backup home power systems are sometimes called energy storage systems. A backup home power system can protect your appliances and systems from damage as well as keeping your home habitable in severe weather. And, you know, running water is nice.

Ready to do some real investigation? While traditional options are still great and can be efficient and effective, there are some new players in this area that are gaining a lot of attention. When you want the latest, greatest option, here are some backup home power systems you can buy online:

Best Home Generators

Home Generator: Generac

Generac is one of the most trusted and preferred companies for home generators. Generac home generators have provided power solutions and standby power systems for decades. They have a variety of products, including portable generator kits, partial home standby generator, whole house standby generator and the whole house standby generator Generac Quiet Series. Each of these can provide reliable backup power, run on natural gas and the larger units can run power in homes up to 6,000 square feet in size. Prices start at $3,575 for the Generac portable generator and go up to $11,500 for a whole home generator. Professional installation additional.

Home Generator: Cummins

Cummins is also a reputable company that has made reliable standby generators for a long time. Cummins home generators are offered in natural gas, propane or diesel fueled options. All of their models are touted for being quiet (or low noise) and featuring remote diagnostic capabilities and field-selectable fuel options. 

Prices start at $3,555 for the Cummins portable generator and go up to $14,950 for whole house standby power generators. Professional installation additional.

Best Home Battery Backup Power Systems

Battery Backup: Tesla Powerwall 

Predictably cutting edge, Tesla’s Powerwall for home power has been around for a couple of years now. It stores energy and provides 24/7 outage protection. Easily paired with solar, it can become a primary energy source in the event of an outage. It has easy app integration to monitor power and manage energy use. The unit itself is weather resistant and installed outdoors. As many as 10 Powerwalls can combine to keep homes permanently off-grid. Prices start at $11,500. Professional installation additional.

Battery Backup: PowerPod

PowerPod by Electriq is a smart home battery backup system. Its overarching goals are to protect homeowners from power outages/blackouts and save money on electric bills. Similar to Tesla’s Powerwall, it can be scaled and is a modular unit. It also works with or without solar and simply collects and stores power to be used when needed. It also has an integrated app and can be monitored and controlled with a tap. Prices start at $9,900. Professional installation additional.

Battery Backup: Generac

Similar in quality and reputation to its other energy systems, Generac makes clean energy in the form of its battery backup. The Generac battery backup is called the PWRcell and actually has 33% more battery capacity than the Tesla Powerwall. As an energy storage system, it can activate continuous power from its rooftop solar cells. You can hire local installers for Generac PWRcell, which starts at $9,999 for the standard solar plus storage setup. Professional installation additional.

Generac PWRCell vs Tesla Powerwall

Find an HVAC Company Near Me

If you are trying to find a reliable HVAC company in northern Virginia: we have got you covered. We have supported homeowners in the Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania area for years. Our office is located in Lorton, VA, and you can get a hold of us as soon as today to get service or ask questions about backup power for your home!

AirPlus has a wide array of services to keep your home running safely and your family in comfort. We understand that, if you lose power, you only have a couple of hours before the cold sets in. Don’t risk it. Save our number, bookmark this page and be sure you’ve got us in your back pocket for a rainy (windy, snowy, chilly) day.

Find a Generator Installation Company Near Me

Buy a home generator: “what size home generator should I get?” “How to install a home generator?” There are a few areas you could go wrong here. Buying the wrong unit is a waste of time and money. Our expert HVAC techs can provide a FREE estimate for a home generator for your space. Give us a call: (571) 470-7235.

Find home generator maintenance: AirPlus is one of the only HVAC providers in Northern Virginia that offers maintenance for home generators. Protect your investment and get the most life out of your machine with regular maintenance. Did you buy it from us? You can get a maintenance agreement on any home generator you purchased from AirPlus.

Find a Battery Backup Power System Installation Company Near Me

Buy a battery backup power systems: “what size battery backup system should I get?” “How to install a battery backup power system?” There are a few areas you could go wrong here. Buying the wrong unit is a waste of time and money. Our expert HVAC techs can provide a FREE estimate for a battery backup power system for your home. Give us a call: (571) 470-7235.

Find battery backup power system maintenance: AirPlus is one of the only HVAC providers in Northern Virginia that offers maintenance for battery backup power systems . Protect your investment and get the most life out of your system with regular maintenance. Did you buy it from us? You can get a maintenance agreement on any home generator you purchased from AirPlus.

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