Standby generators for Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and whether you need a new generator, a transfer switch, maintenance or a repair.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent generator company that serves Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish.

3. They call you back

   They visit, size the system and quote the work directly.

Who is this for?

Homeowners in Lake Charles, Sulphur, Moss Bluff, Westlake and the rest of Calcasieu Parish who want power that comes back on its own when the grid goes down. A home standby generator sits on a pad outside, runs on natural gas or propane, and starts automatically through a transfer switch when utility power fails. It's also for anyone who already owns one and needs it serviced, repaired or checked before the next storm.

Why do so many Lake Charles homes want a standby generator?

Because this corner of Louisiana has seen what long outages look like. Hurricane Laura came ashore at Cameron at about 1 a.m. on August 27, 2020, with sustained winds of 150 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, and its eye was still a Category 4 storm as it passed over the Lake Charles area. Entergy reported that all seven transmission corridors feeding the city were catastrophically damaged and told customers in Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish they faced weeks without power. Six weeks later, Hurricane Delta made landfall near Creole with 100 mph winds and dropped up to 17.57 inches of rain in Calcasieu Parish.

Long outages here aren't just uncomfortable. Lake Charles is among the most humid cities in the country, and summer highs average in the low 90s, so air conditioning, refrigeration and medical equipment matter. A standby system is designed to keep those running without anyone going outside in the storm to refuel and start a portable unit.

Why not just use a portable generator?

Many people do, but portable generators were behind a large share of the deaths after Laura. The Louisiana Department of Health reported 15 hurricane-related deaths in the days after the storm, and eight were from carbon monoxide poisoning linked to portable generators. CDC advises running a portable generator outdoors, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, never in a garage, and keeping a battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm in the house. A permanently installed standby generator, placed by an installer who follows the manufacturer's clearances and local code, takes the guesswork out of where the exhaust goes.

What does a standby installation involve?

• Sizing. The installer looks at what you want powered: central AC, the refrigerator, a well pump, medical devices or the whole house.
• A transfer switch. It separates your house from the utility lines while the generator runs, so power can't flow back onto the grid and endanger line crews.
• Fuel. A connection to your natural gas service, or a propane tank sized for how long you want to run.
• A pad and placement. Set where clearances, flood elevation, and service access all work.
• Permits and inspections. Electrical and gas or mechanical permits from the city or the parish, depending on where you live.

Signs your existing generator needs attention

• It didn't start on its own during the last outage, or started but didn't take the load
• A warning light or fault code on the controller
• It hasn't been serviced since it was installed, or since the last hurricane season
• The weekly self-test has stopped, or sounds rough when it runs
• Rust, debris, fire ants or flood water have gotten into the enclosure

Natural gas or propane?

If your street has natural gas service, a generator can usually be fed from it, and you don't have to think about refilling a tank after a storm. Homes without gas service, which includes many rural properties around the parish, run standby generators on propane from a tank on the property. Your installer will check whether your gas meter and lines can supply the generator alongside your other gas appliances, or how large a propane tank you'd need. More in gas and propane hookups.

Does flooding change where the generator goes?

It can. Low-lying areas along the Calcasieu River flooded during Laura's surge, and Delta's rain caused more flooding a few weeks later. The City of Lake Charles requires mechanical equipment on new construction to meet the same minimum elevation as the lowest floor. Even where that rule doesn't apply, ask your installer how high the pad should sit for your lot.

Are you a generator company?

No. Lake Charles Generators is a referral service. We connect you with an independent generator company that serves your address, and that company sizes, quotes, installs and stands behind the work. Read our tips for hiring a generator company and the Lake Charles standby generator guide before you sign anything.

Areas we cover

• Lake Charles
• Sulphur
• Moss Bluff
• Westlake

Planning ahead? Read our Lake Charles standby generator guide.