A standby generator is only as good as its transfer switch and its fuel supply. Precision Service Electric installs and services automatic standby systems in Erie — sized to the loads that matter, connected through an automatic transfer switch, permitted through the Town of Erie, and maintained after the warranty conversation ends. We are an authorized Generac dealer, licensed and insured under Colorado license #3918. Call 970-593-3190.
Why Erie Homes Lose Power
Erie’s electricity comes from United Power, the electric cooperative that serves the town — not from Xcel Energy, which supplies natural gas here. That distinction matters because of how the co-op manages fire risk, and United Power says it plainly on its own outage pages: during extreme fire danger and Red Flag Warnings it operates its system at the most sensitive wildfire-safety settings, and warns that this may result in more frequent or longer unplanned outages.
Beyond the co-op’s own settings, the regional transmission providers behind it — Tri-State Generation and Transmission and Xcel Energy — can preemptively shut off power during high fire risk. When that happens it is outside United Power’s control, and restoration can take from several hours to several days. None of that is speculation; it is the utility’s own published position, and it is the honest case for backup power on this side of the county.
Standby vs. Portable: What Each Actually Covers
A portable generator is a cord-and-fuel appliance. It runs what you plug into it, it needs to be set up outside away from windows, it needs fuel on hand, and someone has to be home to start it. For a few circuits and a few hours, that is a reasonable answer, and it is a fraction of the cost.
A standby generator is installed equipment: it sits on a pad outside, runs on the home’s gas supply or a propane tank, starts automatically within seconds of an outage, and powers a defined set of circuits through a transfer switch — often the whole house, sometimes a managed subset. Nobody has to be home. Nothing has to be dragged out of a garage in the dark.
The decision usually comes down to how long outages last and what has to keep running. A sump pump, a furnace, a refrigerator, medical equipment, a well pump or a garage door are the loads that make the difference between an inconvenience and a problem.
Generac Systems, Transfer Switches, and Sizing
We install Generac standby systems and we service all brands. The generator itself is the visible part; the automatic transfer switch is the part that decides whether the house is actually protected. It is what isolates the utility service, starts the generator, and moves the load — and it has to be sized and installed with the service, not bolted on afterward.
Sizing follows the load calculation, not the square footage of the house. Two houses of the same size can need different generators depending on heating type, well and sump pumps, air conditioning, and whether the plan is whole-home coverage or a managed set of circuits. We size for what you need to keep running, and we say so when the honest answer is a smaller unit than you expected.
Natural Gas vs. Propane in Erie
If your home has Xcel Energy natural gas service, a gas-connected standby generator runs from that supply with no tank to fill and no delivery to schedule. Xcel supplies natural gas in Erie; United Power supplies the electricity, and the two are separate accounts.
If the lot has no gas service, propane is the alternative, which means a tank, a set-back distance from the house and property lines, and a refill plan. Fuel choice changes the installation scope and the long-term cost more than most equipment decisions do, so it is settled before the unit is ordered.
Permits in Erie
Permitting for a standby installation runs through the Town of Erie Building Division — 645 Holbrook Street, 303-926-2700, with applications and inspections handled through the Town’s eTRAKiT self-service portal. Inspection results are typically posted by the end of the business day.
Electrical work falls under the Town’s electrical contractor licensing scope: state license, master electrician license, and certificate of insurance, with the Town electrical license itself issued at no cost. Erie also applies a contemporaneous electrical review under C.R.S. 12-23-116, which means license and apprentice-ratio verification happens during inspection rather than only at application.
A standby generator installation touches both electrical and gas permitting, and we confirm the exact submission set with the Building Division for each address. Where a home has a fire suppression system, the Town’s permit page names Mountain View Fire for that component — we do not generalize that into a fire review of the generator itself.
Our Process
- Site walk and load review. Service capacity, gas or propane path, pad location, and the circuits that have to stay live.
- Sizing and proposal. Generator and transfer-switch specification, with the loads each covers stated explicitly.
- Permits. Electrical and gas submissions through the Town, with inspections scheduled around the install.
- Installation. Pad, fuel connection, transfer switch, generator wiring, and start-up.
- Commissioning and walkthrough. Load test, exercise schedule explained, and the homeowner shown exactly what happens when the power drops.
Maintenance and All-Brands Repair
A standby generator is equipment that sits idle for months and then has to start under load. Annual maintenance — oil and filter, battery, exercise-cycle verification, and a load test — is what keeps that from becoming a failed start during the one outage that matters. We service all brands, including units we did not install, and we handle repair when something does not start.
Generator Cost in Erie
Published local pricing frames the market: one Erie-focused electrical contractor lists standby installation at roughly $3,000 to $10,000 depending on generator size and transfer switch, while another Front Range company publishes $7,500 to $18,000+ for a total installed residential standby system. Those are their numbers, not ours.
What moves the price: generator capacity, whole-home versus managed circuits, transfer-switch type, gas versus propane, distance and trenching for the fuel line, and whether the electrical service needs work to accept the transfer switch. The proposal follows the load calculation.
Service Area: Erie and the Northern Front Range
We install and service generators from our Loveland shop and cover the communities on our service area page, including Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Berthoud, Longmont, Johnstown and Greeley. Erie is served from the same shop — call and we will confirm scheduling for your address before you book.
For generator work in Fort Collins, the equivalent page is our Fort Collins generator installation page, and the brand and service side of our business is described at Generac sales and service.
Request a Generator Quote in Erie
Call 970-593-3190 or send us a message. Tell us what has to stay running during an outage and whether the house has natural gas; we will size the system, walk the pad location, and quote the installation including permits.
Precision Service Electric — 1320 8th St SE, Loveland, CO 80537. Authorized Generac dealer, licensed and insured under Colorado license #3918. Family-owned, in business 30 years, rated 4.8 stars across 47 Google reviews. Office hours Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
“Best electricians in Colorado! Knowledgeable, precise, and kind!”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a standby generator in Erie?
Yes. A standby installation involves electrical and gas work, and both are permitted through the Town of Erie Building Division at 645 Holbrook Street (303-926-2700). Applications and inspections run through the Town’s eTRAKiT portal, and electrical work is subject to the Town’s electrical contractor licensing and contemporaneous review requirements.
How long does a standby generator installation take?
The install itself is typically one to two days on site, but the schedule is set by permitting and inspection. Gas-line work, the pad, and the transfer switch all have to be sequenced, and the Town inspects the work. We give a realistic timeline during the site walk rather than a number before the panel and fuel path are seen.
Will a standby generator power my whole house?
It can, if it is sized for the whole connected load — which for many Erie homes means a larger unit and a service-rated transfer switch. The alternative is a managed set of circuits: furnace, refrigerator, well or sump pump, selected lighting and outlets. Both are legitimate; the choice is about what you need during an outage and what you want to spend.
What is the difference between a transfer switch and a generator?
The generator makes power; the transfer switch decides where it goes. It disconnects the utility service, starts the generator, and feeds the selected circuits — and it prevents backfeeding the grid, which is a safety requirement. A generator installed without a proper transfer switch is not a standby system.
Natural gas or propane for an Erie generator?
If the home has Xcel Energy natural gas service, a gas-connected unit runs without a tank or refills, which is the simpler long-term arrangement. Without gas service, propane requires a tank, clearances, and a delivery plan. Fuel choice is settled before the unit is ordered because it changes the installation scope.
Do you service generators you did not install?
Yes. We service all brands, including annual maintenance, testing, tune-ups and repair. We are an authorized Generac dealer, which means factory parts and support for Generac units, and general service capability for other makes.