Backup power for Tucson, Arizona homes
Backup power for Tucson homes, sized for the AC
Our backup power estimate shows two numbers: what it takes to run your essentials, and what it takes to run the whole house.
Why backup power matters in Tucson
In 2023, Tucson hit 110 degrees or hotter on 18 days, the most in National Weather Service records.
On July 28, 2023, a monsoon storm left more than 50,000 TEP customers without power.
Monsoon storms have knocked out power to thousands of TEP customers more than once.
When TEP loses power on a 110-degree day, your AC goes with it.
TEP posts current outages on its online outage map.
Essentials or whole house
An essentials system powers the circuits you choose. A whole-home system is sized to run everything at once, including central AC.
Your essentials list can include the HVAC system.
Example essentials
- Refrigerator
- Lights
- Internet
- A few outlets
- Garage door
Central AC is usually the largest load a home backup system has to start.
Generator or battery?
How long a battery lasts depends on its size and what you run on it.
Most grid-tied solar systems without a battery shut off during a grid outage. That is by design, to protect utility line workers.
What happens at the backup power estimate
Our techs explain every test, show you the photos, and leave the decision to you.
Portable generator safety
Run a portable generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from the home.
Never run a generator in a garage, even with the door open.
Opening doors or windows does not provide enough ventilation to run a generator indoors safely.
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Have a scheduling expert call me
Call (520) 333-2665 and we will set up a time.
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Questions
Start with what you need running during an outage, then add up those loads.
Our backup power estimate shows two numbers: what it takes to run your essentials, and what it takes to run the whole house.
You choose between them.
Only if it is sized for it.
When the power goes out, central AC stops too, unless a backup system is sized to run it.
Central AC is usually the largest load a home backup system has to start.
An essentials system powers the circuits you choose. A whole-home system is sized to run everything at once, including central AC.
Usually not by themselves.
Most grid-tied solar systems without a battery shut off during a grid outage. That is by design, to protect utility line workers.
It depends.
How long a battery lasts depends on its size and what you run on it.
We show the numbers for your house at the estimate rather than quoting a runtime in advance.
Monsoon storms have knocked out power to thousands of TEP customers more than once.
On July 28, 2023, a monsoon storm left more than 50,000 TEP customers without power.
TEP posts current outages on its online outage map.
In 2023, Tucson hit 110 degrees or hotter on 18 days, the most in National Weather Service records.
In 2024, Tucson had 112 days of 100 degrees or hotter, the most in National Weather Service records.
Run a portable generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from the home.
Never run a generator in a garage, even with the door open.
Intelligent Design Home Services installs standby generators and home battery backup systems.
Serving Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Catalina Foothills, Sahuarita, Vail and SaddleBrooke.