The Best Time to Buy a Standby Generator
The best time to buy a standby generator is right now, before you need it. Every year, the same pattern repeats across the country. A major storm hits. The power goes out. Thousands of homeowners simultaneously decide they need a generator. Inventory sells out. Prices spike. Installation wait times stretch from weeks to months. The homeowners who already have generators ride through the outage comfortably. Everyone else scrambles. Do not be in the scramble.
What Happens After a Major Storm
Following every significant power outage event (hurricanes, ice storms, derechos, heat waves that overload the grid), the generator industry experiences a predictable demand surge. Retail and online inventory of popular models (especially Generac 22kW units) sells out within days. Manufacturer lead times extend from 1 to 2 weeks to 8 to 16 weeks or longer. Electrical contractors who install generators are booked solid for months. Some sellers raise prices during the demand surge. Homeowners who wait until after the crisis pay more, wait longer, and endure the next outage unprotected while their generator sits in a production queue.
Off-Season Advantages
The generator “off-season” varies by region but generally falls in late fall through early spring for hurricane-zone states and late spring through early fall for northern states focused on winter storms. During the off-season, inventory is plentiful across all brands and sizes. Installation contractors have open schedules, meaning faster installation timelines. Equipment ships quickly with no backorder delays. You have time to compare brands, get multiple installation quotes, and make an informed decision without the pressure of an approaching storm.
The Real Cost of Waiting
Homeowners often delay the generator purchase because the power has been reliable lately, the cost feels high when nothing is broken, and the project feels non-urgent compared to other home priorities. Here is what changes that calculation. The average homeowner in the United States experiences 5 to 7 power outages per year, with the average total outage duration increasing every year as grid infrastructure ages. A single extended outage can cost $2,000 to $5,000 in spoiled food, temporary lodging, and lost productivity. A single burst pipe from a winter outage causes $5,000 to $15,000 in water damage. A single basement flood from sump pump failure during a storm costs $3,000 to $15,000 to remediate. Every year without a generator is another year of rolling the dice against these costs.
Is My Area at Risk?
If you live in the United States, yes. Power outages are not limited to hurricane zones. Ice storms affect the Midwest and Northeast. Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms disrupt power across the South and Great Plains. Extreme heat overloads the grid in the Southwest and Texas. Wildfires and wind events cause outages along the West Coast. Aging infrastructure causes outages everywhere. No region is immune. The question is not whether you will experience an outage but when and for how long.
How Long Does the Process Take?
When you order during normal demand conditions, the typical timeline from purchase to operational generator is 2 to 6 weeks. This includes equipment shipping (3 to 10 business days), scheduling an installer (1 to 3 weeks depending on availability), and the installation itself (typically 1 to 2 days of on-site work). If you start the process today, you could have a fully operational standby generator protecting your home within a month.
Start Today
IB Lighting has generators in stock and ready to ship from Generac, Kohler, Cummins, and Briggs & Stratton. Call (800) 674-9019 for sizing assistance and current inventory availability. We will help you select the right unit, confirm your transfer switch requirements, and get the equipment to your door fast. Or browse our generator selection and add to cart right now. Free shipping. Free freight insurance. No reason to wait.