Running a generator safely during an outage

Never indoors — not even the garage

Portable generators produce carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless, invisible gas that kills in minutes in enclosed spaces. The CPSC attributes dozens of US deaths every year to generators run indoors, in garages (even with the door open), in basements, or on porches.

20 feet from the house

CPSC guidance: run the generator at least 20 feet from your home, exhaust pointed away from windows, doors, and vents — yours and your neighbors'. Battery-powered CO alarms on every level of the home are the backstop.

Keep it dry

Electrocution is the other killer. Operate on a dry surface under an open canopy-like cover; never in rain or standing water; dry hands before touching it.

No backfeeding — ever

Plugging a generator into a wall outlet ("backfeeding") energizes lines that crews and neighbors believe are dead. It is illegal in most states and lethal to line workers. Use a transfer switch installed by an electrician, or plug appliances directly into the generator with outdoor-rated cords.

Cool before refueling

Gasoline on a hot engine ignites. Shut down and let it cool before refueling, and store fuel outside living areas in approved containers.

Know how long you actually need it

Fuel planning depends on outage length. Our live tracker shows the utility's posted restoration time alongside an independent estimate from the outage's real recovery trend — check it before a fuel run.