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How much backup power does your home actually need?
Before you spend a dollar in the generator aisle, get your real number. Add the devices that would matter to you in an outage — the calculator does the math the sales pages skip.
1 · Add your outage-critical devices
| Device | Watts | Hours/day | Daily |
|---|
Wattages shown are typical values. Your device's label (or a $15–25 plug-in watt meter) gives the real one — the book shows where to look.
If a medical device (CPAP, oxygen, refrigerated medication) is on your list, talk to your provider about backup power — don't rely on a web calculator alone. And whatever you buy, nothing on this page ever involves wiring into your home's electrical panel — that is a licensed-electrician job, always.
This is Part 3 of a bigger plan
The number above is the start of the book's Load Audit method — Part 3 of Ready by Tuesday: The Practical Household Resilience Plan. The full version covers running vs. surge watts, what a spec sheet is really telling you, the blackout-night plan (including the official fridge-and-freezer hours), and the parts that come before power: the money cushion, and food and water done calmly.