Cascade Electric
Open around the clock, every day, the company installs generators and upgrades electrical panels in Ellensburg.
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Backup power in Yakima
Electricians for generators and transfer switches.
6 pros in Yakima
Yakima's case for backup power is easy to point to: after the May 30, 2020 windstorm, more than 15,000 customers in the Yakima area lost power at the peak, with outages reaching Wapato, Zillah, Toppenish, Yakima and Selah, and downed trees and limbs slowed repairs. That means an outage here can last while crews work around debris. When you hire for a standby generator or transfer switch, remember that Washington requires an electrical permit for most new and maintenance electrical work, and only a property owner or an electrical contractor can buy one. The City of Yakima sends people to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries for these permits. Ask who will pull the permit, and ask for it to be named in the quote. Pacific Power also warns against connecting a generator directly to your breaker box, because that can endanger line crews, so ask how the installation keeps your home isolated from the grid.
Evergreen Electrical LLC
Generator installs, transfer switches and panel upgrades make up its backup power work, based in Toppenish. It also takes emergency calls.
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Wray Electric
Generac is the brand it names for standby generator installs, a line it has added to its Ellensburg electrical work since 2004.
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Wattsmart Electric LLC
Transfer switches and panel upgrades make up its backup power work in Yakima and Ellensburg. Financing is available, and it keeps weekday hours only.
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Castle Electric LLC
Family-owned since 1991, the company installs generator systems and does panel upgrades, and it offers emergency service across Yakima, Ellensburg, Moxee and Selah.
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Yakima Generator
Kohler and Generac are among the brands for the whole-home standby generators it sells and installs in Yakima. Emergency service calls are part of its work.
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What to know in Yakima
Pacific Power's guidance on downed power lines is to stay at least 35 feet away, always assume a downed line is energized, and call 911 and then the utility.
Before you hire
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.
Get written quotes from at least three contractors for the same work, and check references from recent clients.
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.
Questions about hiring in Yakima
Who can buy the electrical permit for a generator installation in Washington?
The permit must be bought by the person, company or organization doing the work, and only property owners or electrical contractors can buy one. L&I says most new, remodel and maintenance electrical work needs a permit. Ask your installer to confirm who is buying it and when. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (source, opens in a new tab)
Where do I go for an electrical permit in Yakima?
The City of Yakima's permits page directs people to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries for electrical permits. The number it lists is (509) 454-3760. Contact them before work starts so you know what applies to your standby generator or transfer switch. City of Yakima (source, opens in a new tab)
Why does a generator need a transfer switch instead of a direct connection?
Pacific Power says not to connect a generator directly to your breaker box, because that can endanger crews working on power lines. Ask any installer how the system keeps your home separate from the utility grid during an outage, and to put that in writing. Pacific Power (source, opens in a new tab)
What should a generator quote include?
Ask for the equipment model, the transfer switch type, who handles the permit, where the unit will sit, and what work is excluded. Get the scope in writing, and compare quotes line by line rather than by the total alone, so you are comparing the same job.