Nationwide · Licensed electricians in 48 states + DC
Call now to check electrician availability in your area
Generator Installation · Massachusetts
A generator must connect through a transfer switch or an approved interlock so it can never feed power back into utility lines. Electricians install standby generators, portable generator inlets with interlocks, and the transfer equipment for both.
Triple-deckers and colonials from before 1950 often need rewiring, and heat-pump rebates push panel upgrades.
Across the Northeast, homes deal with cold winters, nor'easters and ice storms. Permit offices, utilities and housing stock differ by city, which affects how generator installation is planned and scheduled. These local guides cover the Massachusetts cities where we have written specific notes.
Nor'easters and ice storms bring outages across the Boston area, and for homes with a heat pump or electric heat, a power outage in winter means no heat. Portable-generator inlets with interlocks are common, and standby generators are installed where there is space and a gas supply.
Utility: Eversource
The October 2011 snowstorm dropped heavy snow on trees still in leaf and left most of Springfield without power for days in the cold, and ice storms have caused long outages too. Homeowners usually want the furnace or boiler, refrigerator and sump pump on backup.
Utility: Eversource
The December 2008 ice storm left much of central Massachusetts without power for days, some homes for over a week, and Worcester's hilltop neighborhoods are exposed to heavy snow and wind. For a triple-decker, backup power is complicated because each unit has its own service, so most owners back up their own unit or the house panel with a portable generator through an inlet and interlock.
Utility: National Grid
1. Size the load
Circuits that must stay powered are listed and the generator sized.
2. Choose the connection
Inlet and interlock, manual transfer switch or automatic transfer switch.
3. Install and inspect
Permitted installation, gas connection by a licensed fitter where needed, and inspection.
Electricians set their own prices; local permit fees and utility requirements add to these factors.
Permits come from the city or county where the home is. For example: Boston: In Boston, electrical permits are issued by the Inspectional Services Department, and work must be done by a Massachusetts-licensed electrician. Springfield: Electrical permits come from the City of Springfield's Code Enforcement building division. Worcester: Electrical permits come from the City of Worcester's Inspectional Services.
Boston: Eversource. Springfield: Eversource. Worcester: National Grid.
Listed interlock kits are accepted in many jurisdictions when installed with a permit. Your electrician will know the local rule.
Call now and we connect you with a licensed electrician who serves your ZIP code.
