Portable generator hookup for emergency home backup
By My Yard Editorial Team · 7/28/2026
The Quick Answer
You need a transfer switch or interlock kit installed by a licensed electrician — typically $500–$1,500. Back-feeding through a dryer outlet with a suicide cord is illegal and can kill a lineman.
The Witty Breakdown
A 7,500-watt portable runs a fridge, furnace blower, well pump, and lights — not central AC.
Run it outdoors only, 20+ feet from windows. Carbon monoxide from generators kills people in garages every single storm.
Step-by-Step Fix
- 1
Size the generator to your must-run circuits, not your whole house.
- 2
Have an electrician install an interlock kit or transfer switch with an inlet box.
- 3
Operate outside, downwind, under a generator tent if raining.
- 4
Store fuel safely and run the unit monthly for 15 minutes.
Pro-Tip / Do Not Do This
NEVER use a double-male 'suicide cord.' It energizes the utility line outside your house and it is genuinely lethal.
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