The Generator Knowledge Hub

Standby Generators, Explained by an Actual Trade Family.

Most generator content online is written by marketing teams who've never landed a wire. These guides come from a third-generation Illinois trade family — real load calculations, real cost line-items, and the safety facts that sales pages skip.

Get a Free Sizing & Quote
Real NEC-based sizing math Line-item cost honesty Illinois permits, town by town No rebate myths — we checked
The Guides

Start Here

Published as they're finished — each one reviewed against code and real install experience before it goes live.

Sizing

What Size Generator Do You Actually Need?

The real load-calculation guide — actual NEC 220.82 math, not a vague wattage chart.

Read the guide →
Equipment

Interlock Kit vs. Automatic Transfer Switch

Cost, code acceptance, insurance implications — what your installer won't always tell you.

Coming soon →
Safety

How a Transfer Switch Works (and Why Backfeeding Kills)

The safety piece every generator owner should read before the first outage.

Read the guide →
Cost

Generator Installation Cost in Illinois

A real line-item breakdown — unit, transfer switch, gas line, electrical, permits, labor.

Coming soon →
Brands

Generac vs. Kohler vs. Cummins

An installer's honest comparison from hands-on experience — not spec-sheet regurgitation.

Coming soon →
Permits

Generator Permits in Illinois, County by County

What actually happens: which inspections, typical timelines, what inspectors flag.

Coming soon →
Straight Answer

One Thing to Know Before Any Sales Call

There is currently no ComEd rebate for standby generators. ComEd's distributed-generation rebate applies to solar and battery storage — not fossil-fuel generators. If a salesperson implies otherwise, that tells you something about the rest of their pitch.

Want a straight answer about your home — what size, what fuel, what it'll actually cost? That's what the quote request is for. No pressure, no spam: one conversation with a tradesman.

Request a Free Quote