Standby Generator Installation in Altadena, CA
Permanent home standby generators with automatic transfer switches, sized to your panel, permitted through LA County and installed by licensed electricians.
Why Altadena Homeowners Are Adding Backup Power
Altadena sits against the San Gabriel foothills, and the outages that came with the Eaton Fire showed how quickly a neighbourhood can lose power for days, not hours. Wind events, fire-weather shutoffs and grid repair work all leave foothill homes exposed. For households with medical equipment, home offices, sump pumps, well pumps or a refrigerator full of food, a few hours without power is a real cost.
A home standby generator is permanently installed outside, runs on natural gas or propane, and switches on automatically when the grid goes down. Unlike a portable unit, there are no extension cords, no refuelling at 2 am, and no risk of carbon monoxide inside the garage.
What We Install
Whole-home standby
A generator sized to carry your entire panel, including central air and major appliances, through an automatic transfer switch at the service entrance.
Essential-circuits standby
A smaller unit feeding a dedicated sub-panel of the circuits you choose: refrigerator, lights, internet, furnace, medical equipment. Lower cost, smaller footprint.
Portable generator connections
A code-compliant power inlet with an interlock or manual transfer switch, so a portable generator can safely power selected circuits without extension cords.
How a Standby Generator Installation Works
- Site visit and load calculationWe review your panel, list what you need running during an outage, and calculate the load. This is what sets the generator size, not a guess.
- Placement and fuelWe pick a location that meets the manufacturer’s clearances from windows, doors and vents, keeps exhaust away from the house, and considers your neighbours. Natural gas units also need a gas line sized for the generator, run by a licensed plumber, and sometimes a larger gas meter from SoCalGas.
- PermitsFor Altadena addresses we file with LA County Public Works Building & Safety. Homes in Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia and other cities go through that city’s building department.
- InstallationA concrete or composite pad is set, the generator is placed, and the transfer switch is wired at the service. If your panel needs work first, we do that as part of the same job.
- Inspection and start-upThe County inspector signs off the work. We then commission the unit, run a simulated outage so you see the switchover, and walk you through the exercise schedule and maintenance.
Standby Generators and Your Electrical Panel
The generator is only as reliable as the panel it feeds. Many Altadena homes still have 100-amp or older panels, and some have brands with known breaker problems. Adding a transfer switch to an overloaded or failing panel just moves the weak point. During the site visit we look at:
- Service size and whether the panel has room for a transfer switch or a generator sub-panel
- Panel condition, brand and breaker availability
- Grounding and bonding, which must be correct for a separately derived or non-separately derived system
- Future loads such as an EV charger or heat pump, so the generator isn’t undersized next year
Where the panel needs it, we handle the panel upgrade and the generator together under one plan. We also recommend whole-house surge protection alongside any generator, because power returning after an outage is a common source of surges.
Rebuilding After the Eaton Fire?
If you are rebuilding, design the generator in now. With the walls open and a new service going in, the transfer switch, generator sub-panel, gas stub and pad location can all be shown on your plans and inspected with the rest of the electrical work. That is far cheaper than retrofitting later. Before construction starts you will also need a temporary power pole, which we install too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size standby generator do I need for my home?
It depends on what you want to run during an outage. Essentials-only setups (fridge, lights, internet, furnace fan, a few circuits) need far less capacity than whole-home coverage with central air, an electric range or an EV charger. We size the unit from a load calculation of your actual panel, not a rule of thumb.
Do I need a permit to install a standby generator in Altadena?
Yes. Altadena is unincorporated, so permits come from LA County Public Works Building & Safety. A typical install needs an electrical permit for the generator and transfer switch, and a separate permit for the gas line run by a licensed plumber. We pull the electrical permit and schedule the inspection.
Is an automatic transfer switch required?
A transfer switch of some kind is required. It is what stops a generator from back-feeding the utility lines, which can injure line workers. An automatic transfer switch starts the generator and moves your loads within seconds of an outage, with no one needing to be home.
Can my existing electrical panel handle a generator?
Many can. Older panels that are full, undersized or a recalled brand may need work first. We check the panel during the site visit and tell you whether a panel upgrade or a dedicated sub-panel is needed before anything is ordered.
Can I use a portable generator instead?
Yes, if it is connected safely. A properly installed inlet and interlock or manual transfer switch lets a portable generator power selected circuits. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet: it back-feeds the grid and is a serious hazard.
Is building a new home after the Eaton Fire a good time to add a generator?
It is the easiest time. Walls are open, the panel is new, and the generator pad, gas stub and transfer switch can be designed into the plans rather than retrofitted. Ask us to include it in the electrical plan before your permit set is submitted.
Plan Your Backup Power
Tell us what you need running in an outage and we will size the system, handle the permit and install it properly.