LED bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs - DOE
    Turning off lights when leaving saves $30-50/year per household - ENERGY STAR
    Standby power ('vampire load') can account for 5-10% of home energy use - DOE
    ENERGY STAR certified TVs use 25% less energy than standard models
    Programmable thermostats can save about 10% on heating/cooling - DOE
    Sealing air leaks can save 10-20% on heating and cooling costs - ENERGY STAR
    Heat pumps can reduce heating energy use by 50% vs. electric resistance - DOE
    Ceiling fans allow you to raise AC settings 4°F with no comfort loss - DOE
    Heating water accounts for about 18% of home energy use - DOE
    Low-flow showerheads save 2,700 gallons/year for a family of four - EPA
    Washing clothes in cold water can save $60+/year on water heating - ENERGY STAR
    Fixing a leaky faucet can save 3,000+ gallons/year - EPA
    ENERGY STAR refrigerators use 9% less energy than standard models
    Clean refrigerator coils annually for optimal efficiency - DOE
    Air-drying dishes instead of heat-dry saves 15-50% on dishwasher energy - DOE
    Proper attic insulation can cut heating/cooling costs by 15% - ENERGY STAR
    Windows can account for 25-30% of home heating/cooling energy use - DOE
    Window film can reduce solar heat gain by up to 70% - DOE
    Average US home solar system offsets 3-4 tons of CO₂ annually - EPA
    Solar panel costs have dropped 70%+ over the past decade - SEIA
    EVs cost about 60% less to fuel than gas vehicles - DOE
    Proper tire inflation improves gas mileage by 0.6% on average - DOE
    The average US household spends $2,000+/year on energy - EIA
    ENERGY STAR products have saved Americans $500 billion on energy bills
    LED bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs - DOE
    Turning off lights when leaving saves $30-50/year per household - ENERGY STAR
    Standby power ('vampire load') can account for 5-10% of home energy use - DOE
    ENERGY STAR certified TVs use 25% less energy than standard models
    Programmable thermostats can save about 10% on heating/cooling - DOE
    Sealing air leaks can save 10-20% on heating and cooling costs - ENERGY STAR
    Heat pumps can reduce heating energy use by 50% vs. electric resistance - DOE
    Ceiling fans allow you to raise AC settings 4°F with no comfort loss - DOE
    Heating water accounts for about 18% of home energy use - DOE
    Low-flow showerheads save 2,700 gallons/year for a family of four - EPA
    Washing clothes in cold water can save $60+/year on water heating - ENERGY STAR
    Fixing a leaky faucet can save 3,000+ gallons/year - EPA
    ENERGY STAR refrigerators use 9% less energy than standard models
    Clean refrigerator coils annually for optimal efficiency - DOE
    Air-drying dishes instead of heat-dry saves 15-50% on dishwasher energy - DOE
    Proper attic insulation can cut heating/cooling costs by 15% - ENERGY STAR
    Windows can account for 25-30% of home heating/cooling energy use - DOE
    Window film can reduce solar heat gain by up to 70% - DOE
    Average US home solar system offsets 3-4 tons of CO₂ annually - EPA
    Solar panel costs have dropped 70%+ over the past decade - SEIA
    EVs cost about 60% less to fuel than gas vehicles - DOE
    Proper tire inflation improves gas mileage by 0.6% on average - DOE
    The average US household spends $2,000+/year on energy - EIA
    ENERGY STAR products have saved Americans $500 billion on energy bills
    LED bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs - DOE
    Turning off lights when leaving saves $30-50/year per household - ENERGY STAR
    Standby power ('vampire load') can account for 5-10% of home energy use - DOE
    ENERGY STAR certified TVs use 25% less energy than standard models
    Programmable thermostats can save about 10% on heating/cooling - DOE
    Sealing air leaks can save 10-20% on heating and cooling costs - ENERGY STAR
    Heat pumps can reduce heating energy use by 50% vs. electric resistance - DOE
    Ceiling fans allow you to raise AC settings 4°F with no comfort loss - DOE
    Heating water accounts for about 18% of home energy use - DOE
    Low-flow showerheads save 2,700 gallons/year for a family of four - EPA
    Washing clothes in cold water can save $60+/year on water heating - ENERGY STAR
    Fixing a leaky faucet can save 3,000+ gallons/year - EPA
    ENERGY STAR refrigerators use 9% less energy than standard models
    Clean refrigerator coils annually for optimal efficiency - DOE
    Air-drying dishes instead of heat-dry saves 15-50% on dishwasher energy - DOE
    Proper attic insulation can cut heating/cooling costs by 15% - ENERGY STAR
    Windows can account for 25-30% of home heating/cooling energy use - DOE
    Window film can reduce solar heat gain by up to 70% - DOE
    Average US home solar system offsets 3-4 tons of CO₂ annually - EPA
    Solar panel costs have dropped 70%+ over the past decade - SEIA
    EVs cost about 60% less to fuel than gas vehicles - DOE
    Proper tire inflation improves gas mileage by 0.6% on average - DOE
    The average US household spends $2,000+/year on energy - EIA
    ENERGY STAR products have saved Americans $500 billion on energy bills

    Power Outages & Backup Power

    Planning for the Hours Without Power

    The EIA reports that U.S. electricity customers averaged about 11 hours without power in 2024, nearly twice the decade average, with about 9 of those hours caused by major events such as hurricanes. Outside major events, interruptions routinely average about 2 hours a year. South Carolina customers averaged nearly 53 hours in 2024.

    Size for the Loads That Must Run

    Backup power is a sizing problem before it is a shopping problem. The sizing worksheet in this hub starts from the loads that have to keep running (refrigeration, sump and well pumps, heating controls, medical devices), read their nameplates, and work out running watts, starting surge and the fuel or battery energy a realistic outage needs.

    Safety Comes With the Equipment

    CPSC reports that nearly 100 people in the U.S. die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by portable generators, and its guidance is to run them outside only, at least 20 feet from the house. Connecting a generator to house wiring without a transfer switch can energize utility lines. The worksheet treats placement, connection and CO alarms as part of the sizing, not an afterthought.

    Match the Plan to the Outage You Expect

    A short outage and a multi-day outage need different equipment. Ready.gov's guidance is that a refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours and a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours, so refrigeration alone rarely needs power every hour. Pumps, heating controls and medical devices are different: they set the minimum running capacity and the fuel or battery energy a long outage requires. The worksheet turns that list into watts and gallons, and our battery critical-load sizing guide does the same in kilowatt-hours, so a portable generator, a standby unit and a battery can be compared on the same footing.

    Use this hub alongside the standby generator cost guide, the transfer switch installation cost guide and the battery sizing guide above to choose a backup plan that fits your outage history.

    Available Guides

    1 guides
    2026-10-24EnergyBS

    What Size Generator Do You Need? A Load Worksheet With Surge, Fuel and Connection Rules

    Add the running watts of loads that must run together, then the largest motor starting surge. A worked essentials list needs about 3,600 running watts and 6,000 at start-up.

    READ GUIDE
    Important: Educational Purposes OnlyThe guides, tools, cost estimates, and ROI calculators provided on EnergyBS.com are for informational and educational purposes only. They do not constitute certified financial, tax, or professional engineering advice. Energy costs, government rebates, and installation fees vary significantly by location and are subject to change. Always consult with certified local professionals before undertaking home energy projects or making financial commitments.