Collingwood · EPCOR service area
Generac standby generators for chalets and homes around Collingwood
When a squall off Georgian Bay takes the power out and nobody's at the chalet, the house has to look after itself. A standby generator keeps the heat, the pumps and the heat tracing running until you're back. We supply and service Generac standby units as an authorized dealer.
Lake-effect winters
Squalls, outages and nobody home
The south shore of Georgian Bay sits squarely in snow squall country. Cold air crossing open water drops heavy bands of snow on Collingwood, The Blue Mountains and Wasaga Beach. Wet snow on trees and lines leads to outages.
An outage at a full-time home is an inconvenience. At a chalet that's empty from Sunday night to Friday, it can be much worse. Electric heat stops, pipes start to cool, and a sump pump that's off during a thaw lets water rise. By the time anyone checks, the damage may be done.
What a standby unit protects
A standby generator with an automatic transfer switch notices the outage, starts on its own and powers the circuits it was sized for. When the grid comes back, it hands the house back and shuts itself down. You don't have to be there for any of it.
Fuel
Natural gas or propane
In town, many homes have a gas line. Out on the hills and rural roads, many don't.
| Natural gas | Propane | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it's common | In-town streets in Collingwood, Stayner and Wasaga Beach | Rural lots and chalets beyond the gas mains |
| Supply during an outage | Continuous from the utility's line | From a tank on the property, so its size sets the run time |
| Who connects it | A licensed gas fitter | A licensed gas fitter, with the tank placed by the supplier |
| What to plan | Distance from the gas meter to the pad | Tank location, access for refills in winter |
Sizing
What has to stay on
For a seasonal or rental property, we size the unit around protecting the building first, then add comfort. A chalet full of baseboard heaters needs more capacity than a gas-heated home of the same size. The heating plan often sets the generator size.
- HeatFurnace, boiler or the baseboard circuits that keep pipes from freezing
- WaterSump pump, and the well pump on rural properties
- Heat tracingCables on pipes, drains and eaves that stop ice building up
- MonitoringInternet and any cameras or sensors you rely on from the city
- ComfortThe kitchen, lights, a hot tub or the whole house
Installation
From the site walk to the first test run
Site walk
Panel, fuel source, snow patterns on the roof and lot, and the clearances that apply.
Price in writing
Generator, transfer switch, wiring and travel time on one quote.
Permits and fuel
We file with ESA and line up the gas fitter, and the propane supplier where needed.
Install
Raised pad, unit, transfer switch and wiring, usually over one or two days.
Test and handover
ESA inspects, we run the house on the generator and set up any alerts.
Before the generator
Check the service first
The transfer switch connects through your panel. In a converted cottage with a small service, the panel may need to grow first. A Collingwood panel upgrade can be done in the same project. For more on equipment and options, see our main standby generators page.
Line crew safety
Never back-feed the grid
The transfer switch isolates the house from the utility's lines before the generator starts, so crews restoring power are safe.
Ask a questionQuestions
Backup generators in Collingwood: questions
Our chalet has no natural gas. Can it still have a standby generator?
Yes. Many standby generators can run on propane from a tank on the property. The tank size decides how long it can run between fills, and the connection is made by a licensed gas fitter. We plan the generator and the tank location together.
How will we know the generator ran while we were in Toronto?
Many standby generators connect to an app. It tells you when the power failed, when the unit started and when the grid took over again. We set that up at the handover if your model supports it.
Where should the generator sit with this much snow?
Away from roof edges where snow slides, out of drifting corners and clear of where the plough leaves its pile. It also has to meet clearances from windows, doors and vents. We pick a spot that you or a caretaker can reach in February.
Is your work guaranteed?
Every job comes with our 1-year workmanship warranty. Products carry their own manufacturer warranties on top of that, and standby generators can be covered by extended manufacturer warranties.
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