When a Chesapeake nor’easter knocks the power out on the Mountain Road peninsula or a summer line storm drops a tree across a feeder in Severna Park, the homes that stay lit are the ones with a standby generator already wired in. David Williams Electric installs Generac standby systems and automatic transfer switches across Anne Arundel County — from the older neighborhoods around downtown Annapolis to the newer builds in Crofton and Odenton. Up-front pricing, Maryland license #11734, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every job.
A whole-home backup that matches how Anne Arundel actually loses power
Outages here are not all the same. The waterfront and peninsula communities on the Magothy and Severn — Arnold, the Pasadena side of Mountain Road, the creeks off Severna Park — tend to lose power to wind and falling trees during coastal storms, and they can stay dark for a day or more while crews work the back roads. Inland, the planned communities in Crofton and Odenton see shorter but still inconvenient outages from summer thunderstorms rolling off the bay.
A standby generator is the fix that doesn’t ask anything of you. It lives on a pad outside the house, runs a self-test once a week on its own, and the moment utility power drops the automatic transfer switch cuts the house over to generator power — usually within thirty seconds, with nobody home to flip anything. When the grid comes back, it switches you back and shuts itself off. No extension cords across the kitchen, no portable unit to drag out of the garage in the rain.
Why the transfer switch matters more than the engine
People shop for generators by wattage. The part that actually keeps you safe is the automatic transfer switch. It physically separates your house from the utility lines, so the generator can never back-feed power onto the grid — that back-feed is what kills the lineman working to restore your street. We size and install the transfer switch as the core of the job, not an add-on, and we wire it to the circuits that matter to your household: well pump, furnace or heat-pump air handler, refrigerator and freezer, sump pump, and the rooms you actually live in.
On the peninsulas where homes run on a private well and septic, that well pump is not optional — lose power and you lose running water and the ability to flush. Those are the houses where a standby generator stops being a convenience and starts being the reason the family can stay home through the outage instead of packing up for a hotel in Annapolis.
Natural gas or propane — and getting it permitted in this county
Most of the built-up parts of the county — Glen Burnie, much of Annapolis, Severna Park, Crofton — have natural gas at the street, and a standby unit running on natural gas never needs refueling. Out toward the southern end of the county and the far ends of the peninsulas where the gas main doesn’t reach, we install propane-fueled units fed from a buried or above-ground tank. We’ll tell you on the first visit which one your address supports, and we size the gas line for the unit so it isn’t starved under load.
Every install is permitted and inspected through Anne Arundel County’s Department of Inspections and Permits in Annapolis, and natural-gas hookups get coordinated with BGE for the meter and supply. We pull the permit, we meet the inspector, and we don’t consider the job done until it has passed. If your community has an HOA — common in Crofton, Odenton, and the newer Pasadena developments — we’ll site the unit to meet setback and screening rules so you’re not getting a letter after the fact.
What working with a 30-year local electrician looks like
David Williams has been doing residential electrical work in this area for more than 30 years, so the generator isn’t a sideline — it’s wired by the same licensed electrician who’ll answer the phone if you ever have a question about it. You get a real walkthrough, a written price before any work starts, and no surprise line items at the end. Maryland license #11734 covers the work, and the 100% satisfaction guarantee covers your peace of mind.
A typical standby install runs one to two days on site once the permit is in hand: set the pad, place the unit, run the gas line, mount and wire the transfer switch, then start it up and walk you through the weekly self-test and what to expect during a real outage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a standby generator installation take in Anne Arundel County?
Once the county permit is approved, most whole-home standby installs take one to two days on site — setting the pad, placing the unit, running the gas line, and wiring the automatic transfer switch. The longest part is usually waiting on the permit from the Department of Inspections and Permits and, for natural gas units, coordinating the hookup with BGE.
Do I need a permit for a generator in Anne Arundel County?
Yes. Standby generator installs require an electrical permit (and a gas permit for the fuel line) through Anne Arundel County, and the work has to pass inspection. We pull the permits, schedule the inspector, and handle the BGE coordination for natural gas — you don't chase any of it.
Natural gas or propane — which one is right for my home?
If your street has natural gas — which covers most of Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severna Park, and Crofton — that's usually the easiest choice because the unit never needs refueling. In areas the gas main doesn't reach, like parts of south county and the far ends of the peninsulas, we install propane units fed from a tank. We confirm what your specific address supports on the first visit.
Will the generator power my well pump if I'm on a well and septic?
Yes, and on the peninsula communities that's often the whole point. We size the system and the transfer switch to carry your well pump along with the furnace, refrigerator, and sump pump, so an outage doesn't leave you without running water.
What does a generator installation cost?
It depends on the size of the unit, your fuel type, and how far the gas line and electrical runs have to reach. We give you a written, up-front price after seeing the house — no estimates that change at the end. Maryland license #11734, with a 100% satisfaction guarantee on the work.
Serving Anne Arundel County
David Williams Electric provides generator installations throughout Anne Arundel County, including Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Pasadena, Crofton, Arnold, Odenton. Explore all Anne Arundel County electrical services or learn more about generator installations across Maryland. Call (410) 781-4357 for a free, up-front quote.
