Updated October 2026
Straight answer
Yes. We work across Woburn on repairs, panels and storm preparation. The requests that rise after every big winter storm are generator hookups, from interlock kits for portable generators to standby units with automatic transfer switches, plus surge protection at the panel. If a storm damages your service mast or meter socket, we repair your side so the utility can reconnect. Phones are answered 24/7.
Portable generator, interlock or standby?
A portable generator with extension cords keeps a fridge cold, but it cannot run a furnace or a well pump, and cords through a window let cold air in all night. An interlock kit with an exterior power inlet lets the same generator feed selected circuits through your panel. The interlock makes it physically impossible to have the main and the generator breaker on together, which protects line workers.
A standby generator starts on its own and switches over through an automatic transfer switch. It costs more and needs a gas supply, a pad and a permit, but nobody has to drag a generator out in sleet. We size either option to the loads you actually need: heat, the fridge, a sump pump, some lights and outlets. A whole-house unit is not always the right answer.
Winter storms and long outages around Woburn
Winter storms that cut power to Eversource customers for days at a time are the main reason Woburn homeowners ask about backup power. A long outage in January means a cold house, pipes at risk and a sump pump that stops right when the basement needs it. Storms also damage the house connection: limbs pull down service drops, bend masts and rip meter sockets off siding. We install generator inlets, interlocks and standby units, file for the work that needs a permit, and leave the gas piping to a gas fitter.
Surge protection that covers the whole house
Surges come from lightning, utility switching and the moment power returns after an outage. Plug-in strips protect one device. A surge protective device at the panel protects the wiring and everything hardwired, such as furnace controls, a heat pump board and appliance electronics. Current code calls for surge protection when a dwelling service is replaced, and many owners add it on its own.
Panel-mounted devices work best alongside point-of-use protection for sensitive electronics. Generators and EV chargers can have their own protection as well. We install the device on a breaker close to the main, keep the leads short, and check that the grounding and bonding are sound, because a surge device needs a good ground path to do its job.
Battery backup as a quieter option
Home batteries can cover the same essential loads as a small generator without fuel or noise. Paired with solar panels, a battery recharges during the day and can carry a house through a long outage. Without solar, it acts as a buffer that runs critical circuits for a stretch of hours, depending on its size and what you power.
The electrical work is similar to a standby generator: a critical loads panel or a whole-home transfer setup, a permit and an inspection. Batteries suit households that want backup for the fridge, heat controls, internet and lights, rather than everything at once. We compare runtime and loads for each option so you can choose based on how the last outage went.
Storm and backup power work in Woburn
Generator Interlock & Inlet
The safe way to run a portable generator through the panel.
Standby Generator Installation
Automatic backup with a transfer switch sized to the loads you need.
Whole-House Surge Protection
Panel protection for the surge that comes when power returns.
Meter Socket & Service Mast Repair
Storm-bent masts and torn sockets repaired so the utility can reconnect.
Home Battery Backup Installation
Quiet, fuel-free backup for a critical loads panel.
Emergency Electrician
Help any hour when a storm leaves wiring damaged or unsafe.
Tell us what is happening and where. We answer day and night.
Call (617) 843-6591Backup power questions from Woburn
No. Backfeeding through an outlet with a double-ended cord is dangerous for you and for line workers on the street. An interlock kit and a power inlet is the safe way to feed the panel.
It depends on what you want to run. Heat, a fridge, a sump pump and a few circuits need far less than central air and an electric range. We list your loads and size the generator to them.
No. It protects the wiring and hardwired equipment from large surges. Plug-in protectors still help for computers and televisions, and the two work best together.
The utility reconnects the service drop, but the mast, weatherhead and meter socket on the house are the owner's side. We repair those so the utility can restore power.
Yes. Phones are answered 24/7, storms included. We make damaged equipment safe first and schedule the rest as conditions allow.