Battery backup / Blog & insights
What do you want to keep running during an outage?
Turn a general interest in backup power into a clear conversation about your home.
List needs before choosing equipment
Walk through an ordinary day at home. Think about refrigeration, lighting, phones, internet equipment and any pumps or heating and cooling you rely on. Put those needs in the worksheet rather than trying to choose a battery size first.
Mark each item essential, helpful or optional. Those labels belong to your household: what one person can comfortably wait for may be important to someone else.
Bring questions when you do not know the numbers
The worksheet asks for running watts, any extra power needed at startup, and the hours you want each item available. Copy what you can from the equipment documentation and leave unknown values for your installer. Keep electrical panels and equipment closed.
For example, a 20-watt light running for five hours would use 100 watt-hours (0.1 kWh). That helps estimate energy use. Your installer also needs to check how much power everything draws at the same time, including startup demand from equipment such as pumps and refrigerators. See our home battery guide for the difference between power and energy. [1]
Ask for the assumptions behind a proposal
Ask which circuits are included, which loads would be managed and what conditions are assumed in the backup-duration estimate. Ask how the proposed system would recharge during an outage and what the plan is if poor weather continues.
Ask for costs, warranty terms and service arrangements in writing. If you already have solar or a battery, bring the model information and any existing system documentation so the conversation starts with what you own.
Keep the household plan alongside the equipment plan
Backup power is one part of being ready. Keep your contacts, supplies and relocation arrangements current as well. Essential medical needs require their own contingency plan with the relevant care team.
When you are ready for a consultation, bring the worksheet. It helps turn “I want backup” into a more useful conversation about your priorities.
Sources & further reading
Information reviewed November 10, 2026.
- Solar energy and storage basicsU.S. Department of Energy
Practical household planning guidance. Follow local emergency instructions and get advice for your individual needs.