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Backup power in Philadelphia

Electricians for generators and transfer switches.

100 pros in Philadelphia

In Philadelphia, backup power is shaped by a city permit process and by winter. Fact 7 and 8 show January and February normals at the airport with lows of 26°F and 27.5°F and several inches of snow each month, the season when a long outage is hardest to ride out. The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections issues Electrical Permits for installation, alteration, replacement or repair work on electrical systems, so a standby generator and its transfer switch fall under that process. The city's emergency office also warns against connecting a generator to your home's wiring, which is exactly the job a transfer switch is meant to handle properly. Before you hire, ask who will pull the electrical permit and whether the work qualifies for the EZ permit for one- or two-family homes. Ask where the unit will sit so exhaust stays out of enclosed spaces, and ask for the permit details in writing in your quote.

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA) (source, opens in a new tab)

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What to know in Philadelphia

Before you hire

  1. A generator wired into your home needs an approved transfer switch, fitted under a permit, so it can’t feed power back into the lines. Plan it before you buy.

    Source: bchydro.com (source, opens in a new tab)

  2. Get written quotes from at least three contractors for the same work, and check references from recent clients.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

  3. Put it in a written contract: the work, price, deposit, start and finish dates, warranty, permits and clean-up. Paying cash to skip it leaves you no recourse.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

Questions about hiring in Philadelphia

Do I need a permit to install a standby generator in Philadelphia?

Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections issues Electrical Permits for installation, alteration, renewal, replacement or repair work on electrical systems and components. A generator wired to your home falls into that kind of work, so ask any installer who will apply for the permit and when. City of Philadelphia (source, opens in a new tab)

Why can't I just plug a generator into my house wiring?

Philadelphia's emergency office tells residents not to connect a generator to their home's wiring, not to overload it and not to run it in an enclosed space. A properly installed transfer switch is the way a licensed electrician ties backup power to the house safely. City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management (source, opens in a new tab)

What should a generator quote include?

Ask for the generator size and the circuits it will power, the transfer switch type, the permit and inspection arrangements, the installation location, the work schedule, the warranty terms and the payment schedule. Written itemised quotes make it much easier to compare two or three bidders side by side.

Who do I call if the power goes out or a line is down?

Philadelphia advises reporting outages to PECO Customer Service at (800) 494-4000. For downed lines, call the PECO Energy Emergency Hotline at (800) 841-4141 and treat every downed line as live and dangerous. Keep well away from it until the utility arrives. City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management (source, opens in a new tab)

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