What Goes Into Installing A Commercial Standby Generator?

At Northside Power we install residential and commercial standby generators every day.

Our customers know they need a backup power source like a commercial standby generator, but they don’t know what it will take to get one up and running

Will I need to put my business on hold to install a commercial standby generator? How long will it take? What kinds of permits are needed?

Wait. Permits are needed?!?

Yes, permits are needed and inspections are required. We want to make sure your commercial standby generator is installed correctly and up to Little Rock’s city code.

When you get your generator installed with us, you’ll be working with a fully-licensed, certified technician. We’ll make sure you know what to expect and even take care of the odds and ends.

Here are a few things you should know about getting a commercial standby generator installed.

Your standby generator needs to be installed by an authorized technician from an authorized dealer.

Northside Power is the largest authorized Generac Dealer in Arkansas. We are also equipped to install generators from Cummins, Honda, Briggs, and Stratton. Our certified technicians will install your generator and supply maintenance as needed.

The installation process takes a few hours—and plenty of elbow grease.

It takes a crew including an authorized technician, a plumber, a representative from the utility company, and a few inspectors to get the job done.

Your generator will sit on a base made of cement or gravel. It needs to be located a certain distance from your home, but not too far away. The technicians will dig a significant hole in the ground between your home and the generator. This will allow them to connect the generator to your home.

An automatic transfer switch will be installed so the generator can communicate with your electricity box inside. This switch will be what activates the generator during a power outage.

A representative from the utility company that supplies your natural gas will need to stop by.

The utility company will stop by to make sure enough natural gas is being supplied to your home to operate the generator. They may also need to install a new meter reader to accommodate for the additional use of natural gas. This is at no cost to you. The utility company is happy to track your additional usage.

Inspections and permits.

A fire, plumbing, and electric inspector from the city of Little Rock may need to stop by to sign off on a job well done. Permits are submitted and signed before the installation begins to ensure the unit is within national and local codes.

As an authorized Generac dealer, we are familiar with the process of getting the correct permits from the city of Little Rock. We’ll make sure nothing gets missed.