Fire & Drought · In brief
Running a Generator Without Poisoning the House
Generator safety in a power outage comes down to one rule: run it outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, away from windows, doors and vents.
By the Ranch House Water desk · Updated · 3 min read
On a north county property, a portable generator can keep the lights on and, once properly wired in, the well pump running during a long outage. They also make carbon monoxide, a gas with no smell or color. The CPSC puts the toll at an average of about 100 deaths a year in the United States from portable generator CO.
Where should a generator run?
Outside, a minimum of 20 feet from the house, with plenty of room between it and any window, door or vent. That combines the CPSC's 20-foot rule with the CDC advice to keep more than 20 feet from any window, door or vent. Point the exhaust away from the house and from any building people go into.
Never run one inside the house, a garage, basement, crawlspace, shed or barn, and not on a porch or in a carport. CPSC says opening doors or windows will not let out enough CO to make an enclosed space safe. When buying, CPSC suggests looking for a model with a CO shut-off feature.
Who connects it to the house or the well?
A licensed electrician. Running a well pump or house circuits from a generator calls for a proper connection, usually a transfer switch, and CAL FIRE warns that a poor installation can expose you or utility line workers to electrocution. Your part ends at the breaker. Our story on power shutoffs and wells explains what a shutoff means for the water supply.
What should a carbon monoxide device do for you?
Warn you in time to get out. CPSC advises battery-operated units, or units with battery backup, on each level and outside separate sleeping areas, so they keep working in an outage, and California law requires a CO device in most homes with fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage. If the alarm sounds, or anyone turns dizzy, sick or confused, get everyone outside into fresh air immediately and then call 911 from outside.
Sources
- CPSC — carbon monoxide and generator safety tips, 2026 — 20 feet, enclosed spaces, porches and carports, CO shut-off, alarms, about 100 deaths a year
- CDC — Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics — distance from windows, doors and vents; detectors when using a generator
- CAL FIRE Ready for Wildfire — evacuation checklist — improper generator installation and electrocution risk
- California Health and Safety Code §17926 — carbon monoxide device requirement