You rely on your air conditioning unit to keep you cool and comfortable in your home all year round. If the power goes out, that may mean that your air does as well. According to Onedesk, experts in the cleaning and housekeeping industry, your HVAC system uses the most energy of any single appliance or system in your home. An average central HVAC unit uses about 3500 watts and runs two to three times an hour for 10 to 15-minute intervals. Due to the amount of energy these units use, you may find yourself wondering if you can run a whole-house AC unit on a generator. Read along as home AC services work to answer your question.

Is It Possible to Run a Whole-House AC Unit on Only a Generator?

Technically, you can run a whole-house air conditioning unit using a generator. This allows you to power your home's cooling system, keeping your home cool even if the power goes out. There's a misconception out there that you cannot run your AC unit using any generator, especially when you have a large system. This is based on the fact that your AC unit uses a lot of power, and as such, you need a large unit to power your cooling system. With this in mind, many people opt not to power their AC, and instead, save the electricity the generator produces for other things, such as lighting or keeping your fridge and freezer powered.

Why Would You Want to Run a Whole-House AC Unit on a Generator?

There are several scenarios in which you may need to turn to a generator to keep your home comfortable. The Southeastern United States gets extremely hot during the summer months. People who live in these parts of the country don't just rely on their air conditioning units to keep them cool. They rely on the units to ensure they stay safe and healthy in their home. High outside temperatures can quickly heat a home without a cooling unit, making the temperatures inside the home potentially dangerous. This can affect infants, small children, the elderly, and pets most, but at a certain temperature, even healthy teenagers and adults can suffer heat-related conditions. Home AC services can help install a generator to ensure your home stays cool and safe, even if the power goes out.

What Size Generator Do You Need to Power Your Home Air Conditioning?

Unfortunately, this can be a difficult question to answer. There are numerous factors that you need to consider when deciding what size generator you need to power the air conditioning unit in your home. The size of the air conditioning unit, the size of your home, your desired temperature setting, the average summer temperature where you live, and how long you need to be able to power the unit all play a role in what size generator you need. Home AC services can be invaluable when it comes to determining what size generator you need. They can work with you to determine what model will best meet your needs should the power go out. With so many different generator options available, it pays to have the professionals provide you with educated recommendations.

How Can Home AC Services Help You With Your AC and a Generator?

Home AC services can work with you to ensure your AC unit is functional and efficient through all seasons. Once it's been determined what size generator you need, a contractor can install the generator quickly and correctly, as well as the generator transfer switch. The switch automatically goes off if there is an interruption to your power source. The switch tells the generator that it's needed, helping the generator to flip on and start powering your AC unit, even if you're not home at the time the power goes out!

Generally speaking, yes, you can run a whole-house AC unit on a generator. However, you need to have a large-sized generator to ensure your AC unit gets the power it needs. Home AC services are the right team to call to ensure you are never without cool air. Our team understands how important AC can be, especially during the hot summer months. As such, we want to help you find the right generator and install it for you. Reach out to SBS-NC, LLC today to get started.