Bedford Whole-Home Generators
Bedford and Bedford County see weather-related power outages: summer thunderstorms, winter ice storms, and the occasional severe wind event. Whole-home backup generators keep heat, well pumps, and refrigeration running. HOLISTIQ installs Generac, Kohler, and Cummins generators across the Smith Mountain Lake area and surrounding Bedford communities.
Bedford Whole-Home Generator Installation
14kW air-cooled generators handle small Bedford homes (1500-2500 sq ft, no central AC). 18-22kW handles most mid-size homes with central AC and well pumps. 24-26kW liquid-cooled handles large homes with multiple HVAC zones, well pumps, and full appliance loads. Sizing requires a load calculation; we don't guess.
Generac is the volume leader in Bedford: widest service network, parts availability, mid-tier pricing. Kohler is built tougher with better long-term reliability and slightly higher cost. Cummins commercial-grade is the choice for large estates and mission-critical applications. We install all three.
Run-time during an extended Bedford outage depends on fuel supply, not generator size. A 22-kilowatt unit on natural gas runs indefinitely as long as the gas main has pressure, which it almost always does — gas pressure rarely drops in a power outage. A 22-kilowatt unit on a 500-gallon propane tank, full at the start of the outage and running at typical load, runs about 5 to 8 days before the tank runs low. We size the propane tank to the homeowner’s worst-case outage tolerance, with 500 gallons being the standard for whole-home Bedford installs and 1,000 gallons for properties wanting a 10-day buffer.
Brand Comparison
Natural gas line connection (where available) or propane tank and regulator coordination required before generator install. We work with Bedford-area propane suppliers (Suburban, AmeriGas) on tank sizing and refill contracts. Permits include Bedford County mechanical and electrical reviews.
Maintenance Contracts
Annual maintenance keeps generators reliable. Oil change, filter, battery test, transfer switch test, exercise cycle. We offer maintenance contracts at $250 to $400 per year depending on generator size. Worth it; generators that don't get serviced fail when they're needed most.
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Sizing a Whole-Home Generator for Bedford
Generator sizing in Bedford starts with how much of the home you want to keep running during an outage. The two practical options are essential-circuits (covering the well pump, refrigerator, freezer, furnace blower, sump pump, lights, and outlets in 4 to 6 critical rooms) and whole-home (everything in the panel, including HVAC compressor and electric range). Essentials run $7,000 to
The sweet spot for most Bedford homes is a 22-kilowatt air-cooled standby generator. That covers a 200-amp panel running normal household load including central AC compressor and electric water heater. Smaller homes can do well with a 14 or 18-kilowatt unit. Large homes with two AC units, electric range, and substantial load need a 24 or 26-kilowatt unit. We do a load calculation as part of every quote so the generator is sized to actual usage, not a guess. Brand choice is mostly down to dealer support. Generac is the market leader in Bedford County and the unit most homeowners recognize. Kohler offers a comparable product with better cold-weather starting (a real benefit in Bedford winters). Briggs & Stratton’s residential standby line works well at the value end. Champion makes a solid generator at a notably lower price point. We install all four and walk through the trade-offs of warranty length, dealer service availability in Bedford County, and noise rating during the site visit. Fuel choice is binary in Bedford: natural gas if your street has it, propane otherwise. The town of Bedford and the immediate vicinity have natural gas service, but most of Bedford County does not. For propane installs, we coordinate with a local propane supplier (Suburban Propane, AmeriGas, and local independents all serve Bedford County) for the tank — usually a 500-gallon underground tank for whole-home generators. The tank is the propane company’s, not yours, and they refill it on a routine schedule. The transfer switch is the device that disconnects your home from utility power and connects it to the generator when the utility goes down. Modern Bedford generator installs use an automatic transfer switch (ATS) that detects the outage, starts the generator, and switches over within 10 to 15 seconds — you barely notice the gap. The ATS we install (Generac RXSW or RTSW series, Kohler RXT, etc.) sits next to the main panel and is sized to the home’s full service. For homeowners who want to cover only a portion of the home and save on cost, we install a managed transfer switch that gives the homeowner override control plus a smaller generator. With a managed system, you pick which circuits run during an outage, and the system can shed non-critical loads if total demand exceeds generator capacity. The hardware is more sophisticated; the install is similar in scope to a full ATS. 14kW air-cooled installed: $8,500 to $11,500. 22kW liquid-cooled: $14,500 to $18,000. 26kW commercial-grade: $20,000 to $26,000. Both. Natural gas where available. Propane tank coordination for Smith Mountain Lake and rural Bedford County properties. Weekly auto-exercise cycle. Visual check monthly recommended. Annual professional service essential. September 2024 storm exposed gaps in Bedford backup-power preparedness. Generator demand stayed elevated through 2025. Lead times currently 4 to 8 weeks for popular Generac models. Annually for residential standby units. We offer a yearly maintenance contract that covers the oil and filter change, air filter, spark plug, battery test, and a full transfer-switch test under load. Most generators that fail at the start of an outage failed because they were never serviced. Annual maintenance is what keeps a 10-year unit actually running for 10 years. View all Bedford, VA services · See our work · Get a free estimate We serve all of Bedford, VA and surrounding Bedford County neighborhoods.Bedford Whole-Home Generators FAQ
1,000 installed for a typical Bedford home; whole-home runs
Bedford Whole-Home Generators FAQ
1,000 to
Bedford Whole-Home Generators FAQ
8,000 depending on size and fuel.
Fuel and Transfer Switch Decisions
Bedford Whole-Home Generators FAQ
Bedford Generator FAQ: Cost?
Bedford Generator FAQ: Run on natural gas or propane?
Bedford Generator FAQ: How often does it self-test?
Bedford Generator FAQ: Hurricane Helene impact?
Bedford Generator FAQ: How often does a standby generator need maintenance?
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Service Area: Bedford, VA