Moving a portable generator into a garage, carport, or near an open door might seem like a practical response to cold rain and wind. It’s also one of the most dangerous choices during an outage. A running generator produces carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless gas that can build up quickly in enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.
Winter outages across Greater Puget Sound make weather protection important, but safe generator use starts with keeping the equipment outside and far enough from the home that exhaust can’t enter.
Start with Carbon Monoxide Safety
A portable generator belongs outdoors, more than 20 feet from the home, doors, windows, and vents. An open garage doesn’t make a generator safe to operate inside it. Puget Sound Energy warns against using a generator in any enclosed or partially enclosed area, even one that seems well ventilated.
Set the generator on a stable, dry outdoor surface with the exhaust pointing away from the home. Use an extension cord longer than 20 feet so distance doesn’t tempt anyone to move the generator closer during rain or overnight use. Follow these additional precautions:
- Place battery-operated or battery-backup carbon monoxide detectors near every sleeping area.
- Keep the generator outside, not in a basement, garage, shed, carport, or covered porch.
- Move everyone to fresh air immediately if nausea, dizziness, weakness, headache, or sudden illness develops while the generator is running, then seek emergency help.
Protect Airflow in Winter Weather
Rain, snow, and ice don’t change the need for open airflow around a generator. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for weather exposure, startup, and shutdown rather than improvising a cover that traps exhaust or blocks cooling vents.
Check the area regularly during a long outage. Clear snow and ice from the generator’s sides and vents with a plastic shovel, not a metal one, so the engine can cool and exhaust can disperse. Keep windows, doors, and vents closed on the side of the home nearest the generator.
Take care when checking equipment outdoors. Stay at least 35 feet from downed power lines, treat them as energized, and report the hazard to Puget Sound Energy or 911.
Use Cords & Connections That Prevent Backfeeding
Don’t plug a portable generator into a household wall outlet. Doing so causes backfeeding, which sends electricity from the generator into utility lines through the home’s wiring. It can injure utility line workers and damage electrical equipment when power is restored.
Connect only the appliances you need with heavy-duty, undamaged, outdoor-rated extension cords. Each cord’s wire gauge must be able to carry the connected appliance’s load. Don’t run cords through windows or doors where they can be pinched, damaged, or exposed to water.
A transfer switch is a permanently installed device that separates generator power from utility power. It provides the proper connection for supplying selected household circuits. A wall outlet isn’t a substitute.
Match Essential Loads to Generator Capacity
Most portable generators are intended to power individual essential appliances, not every circuit in a home. Before an outage, prioritize equipment such as refrigeration, medical devices, and a furnace blower.
The generator’s capacity must exceed the power the connected equipment draws, including the higher startup surge some motors require. An overload can blow a fuse, shut down the unit, or damage connected equipment. If you don’t know your household equipment’s electrical demand, ask an electrician. Once you know the safe capacity, manage the load deliberately:
- Start one major appliance at a time instead of turning on several together.
- Keep a written list of the appliances your generator is intended to power.
- Disconnect nonessential loads before adding another appliance.
Refuel & Store Fuel Without Fire Risk
Turn the generator off and let it cool completely before refueling. Gasoline spilled on hot engine parts can ignite, and rushing through a refill in the dark or rain increases the chance of a spill.
Store fuel in an approved safety can outside living areas, such as in a locked shed or another protected location that meets local requirements. Keep containers sealed and away from heat sources. Gasoline vapors can travel along the ground and ignite from a pilot light or electrical arc, even when the container isn’t next to the flame source.
Plan refueling for daylight when possible, use a flashlight rather than an open flame for visibility, and clean up spills before restarting the generator. Don’t refuel it while it’s running.
Choose a Transfer Switch or Standby Generator for Household Circuits
A portable generator works best when a household can manage a limited set of appliances with outdoor-rated cords and a manual setup. When selected home circuits need power during an outage, a professionally installed transfer switch provides a controlled connection without backfeeding utility lines.
A standby generator is permanently installed and connects to the electrical panel through an automatic transfer switch. Instead of requiring cords to individual appliances whenever the power goes out, the system is designed around the home’s electrical load and the circuits the household needs to support.
Our licensed and insured, family-owned team at Fuller Electric installs standby generators with panel connections and gas piping through our generator installation process, which includes a consultation, load assessment, installation, testing, and training on operation and maintenance. If a transfer switch or standby generator fits your outage plan, contact Fuller Electric at (206) 483-1704.