How to Calculate Emergency Generator Needs for a House

• 1). Decide what appliances you would want to run during a power outage.
  
  
• 2). Take into account how season and weather might impact the appliances you need. For example, in the summer, you might want to run fans, but in the winter, power a furnace.
  
  
• 3). Calculate the number of kilowatts each appliance uses by checking the owner's manual or the model information on the appliance. Focus on the kilowatts used at start-up because this determines the maximum energy load a generator would have to handle.
  
  
• 4
  
  
  Add the number of kilowatts to determine how much energy you will need to start and run your appliances.