Whole House Generator in Heber-Overgaard, AZ: Wells and Heat

In many Heber-Overgaard homes, a power outage stops more than the lights. If your home has a private well, the water stops too. If your furnace needs electricity, the house starts to cool down. If you want a whole house generator in Heber-Overgaard, AZ, Phil Stratton Electric can size and install one that keeps your well pump, heat, and the rest of your home running. We install Kohler, Cummins, and Generac units. Call (928) 521-8833 to talk about your home.

What stops working in a Heber-Overgaard home when the power goes out

Heber and Overgaard sit side by side on the Mogollon Rim at about 6,600 feet. Winter storms bring heavy snow, and summer monsoons bring lightning and wind. Both can knock out power.

When the power goes out, several systems in a Rim home can stop at the same time:

• Well pump: no power means no running water for drinking, cooking, or flushing.
• Furnace: most furnaces need electricity to run the blower and controls, even if they burn propane or natural gas.
• Septic or sewage pump: some homes have a pump that moves wastewater. If it stops, drains can back up.
• Refrigerator and freezer: food can spoil during a long outage.
• Water pipes: without heat, pipes can freeze and break.

What "whole house" means

A whole house generator is a standby generator big enough to power all or nearly all of your home at once. A standby generator is permanently installed outside, runs on propane or natural gas, and starts on its own when the power goes out.

Some people choose a smaller generator that only powers a few key circuits. That works for some homes. In a home that depends on a well pump, a furnace blower, and a septic pump, picking only a few circuits can be hard. A whole house system lets you go on with daily life during an outage without deciding what to turn off.

Why well pumps affect generator size

A well pump pulls a large burst of power for a moment when it starts. That burst is much bigger than the power it uses while it runs. A furnace blower, a refrigerator, and a septic pump also turn on and off by themselves. If several of them start at the same moment, the generator has to handle all of that at once.

That is why we check your equipment before we recommend a size. We look at each major appliance in your home, how much power it needs to start and run, and what might run at the same time. Then we recommend a generator that can handle it.

Why a portable generator is hard to use with a well and furnace

Some people try to get through outages with a portable generator. In a home with a well and a furnace, this can be a struggle:

• Someone has to be home to start it, often at night or in the snow.
• It needs gasoline, sometimes several refills a day.
• A small portable may not be able to start a well pump.
• Cords run through doors or windows and let cold air in.
• Hooking a portable to your home wiring the wrong way is dangerous for you and for utility workers.

A whole house standby generator starts by itself, runs on your propane or natural gas, and connects through an automatic transfer switch. That switch moves your home to generator power when the utility fails and moves it back when power returns.

Picking a spot on a wooded lot

Many homes in Heber-Overgaard sit on wooded lots. When we choose where your generator will go, we look for:

• Level ground for a solid pad
• Open space around the unit for air flow and service
• Distance from brush, trees, windows, and doors
• A place where roof snow will not slide onto it or bury it
• A short, clear path for the fuel line and the wiring to your panel

We are based in Snowflake and reach Heber-Overgaard on AZ 277 and AZ 260. Winter weather can slow travel on the Rim, so we plan installs with the season in mind. For your safety, gas line, generator, and transfer switch work should only be done by licensed professionals.

What to tell us before we visit

It helps if you know:

• Whether your home has a private well
• What kind of heat you have, such as a propane furnace, a natural gas furnace, or electric heat
• Whether you have a septic or sewage pump
• Whether you use propane or natural gas
• Any other large equipment, like a shop, hot tub, or medical equipment
• Whether the home is lived in full time or part of the year

If you are away part of the year, ask about remote monitoring. It is available on some Kohler and Generac models and lets you check on the generator while you are gone. For a step-by-step look at how standby systems work, see our Show Low generator installation page.

FAQ

Will a whole house generator run my well pump?

Yes, if it is sized correctly. Well pumps need a large burst of power to start. We check your pump and other equipment before we recommend a size.

Do you serve Overgaard as well as Heber?

Yes. Heber and Overgaard sit side by side, and we serve homes in both.

Does my propane furnace need electricity?

Most furnaces need electricity for the blower and controls, even when they burn propane. When the power goes out, the heat usually stops too. A generator can keep it running.

Why not just use a portable generator?

A portable has to be started by hand, refueled often, and may be too small to start a well pump. A whole house standby generator starts on its own and runs on your propane or natural gas.

What should I know before you come out?

Tell us if you have a well or a septic pump, what kind of heat you use, and whether you have propane or natural gas. Let us know if the home is lived in all year.

Get a whole house generator quote in Heber-Overgaard

Call (928) 521-8833 to set up a visit. Tell us about your well, heat, and fuel, and we will help you choose the right generator. We have served Northeastern Arizona for over 30 years from our office at 106 South Main St, Snowflake, AZ 85937. Heber is on our service areas list, and we serve Overgaard too. Learn more about the brands we install on our generators page, or send a message through contact us.