Generators · commercial

Commercial Generator Installation in Houston

Commercial generator installation since 2005. Retail, medical & warehouse solutions. Serving Houston and surrounding areas. BBB A+ rated. Free estimate!

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Planning Backup Power Around How Your Business Runs

A good commercial generator plan starts with a simple question. If the power goes out at noon on a Tuesday, what has to keep working?

Refrigeration and inventory

For restaurants, grocers, florists, pharmacies and medical offices, refrigeration is often the first reason to buy a generator. Walk-in coolers, freezers and medication refrigerators can lose their contents quickly in Houston heat. Refrigeration compressors also start hard, so they shape the size of the generator more than almost anything else. We measure them during the load study rather than guessing.

Registers, network and phones

Many businesses can run with half the lights on, but not without a way to take payment. Registers, card readers, the internet connection, phones and the server closet are small loads that matter a lot. Putting them on the generator keeps you open and keeps customers from walking out. A battery backup at the network gear can cover the few seconds it takes the generator to start.

Security, access and life safety

Alarm systems, cameras, gate operators, door access and exit lighting all need power to do their jobs. When a building goes dark, those are the systems you least want to lose. Some of them, like exit lighting and fire alarms, also come with code requirements for backup power. We sort out which loads fall under those rules and design the system to match.

Cooling, comfort and keeping staff on site

Rooftop air conditioning is a large load, and backing it all up makes for a bigger generator. Many businesses choose to keep part of the cooling running so staff can stay and customers stay comfortable. Others only cool the server room or the medication storage. We show you how each choice changes the generator size so you can pick what fits the business.

Placing a Commercial Generator on Your Site

Where the generator sits matters as much as how big it is. A few site details decide most of it.

Clearances from doors, windows and air intakes

A generator produces exhaust, so it has to sit away from doors, operable windows and the fresh air intakes on rooftop units. Codes and the manufacturer set clearances from walls and other equipment, and there needs to be room for a technician to service it. We lay out the placement on the site visit and include it in the written proposal.

Flooding and pad height

Parts of the Houston area flood, and a generator sitting in water will not run. On sites with a flood history or in a floodplain, we look at raising the pad or choosing a higher spot on the property. Local floodplain rules can also set how high equipment must sit. We check those rules during permitting so the generator is up and dry when it is needed.

Noise and neighbors

Generators make noise when they run, including during the short weekly exercise. Next to apartments, homes or a busy patio, that matters. Placement, sound-reducing enclosures and scheduling the weekly exercise outside business hours all help. We consider local sound rules and the neighbors when we pick a spot, so the generator does not become a problem of its own. Our crews explain all of this on the visit.

Gas service and fuel supply

Natural gas is the usual fuel for commercial generators in the Houston area, but the gas meter and line have to be able to supply the generator on top of everything else in the building. Sometimes the gas utility needs to upgrade the meter. We check the gas service early so it does not hold up the project, and we lay out propane or diesel where natural gas does not fit.

Replacing, Upgrading or Taking Over a Commercial Generator

Many commercial calls are about a generator that is already there. It may be old, too small or installed by a company that is no longer around.

Replacing an aging commercial generator

Older commercial generators can be hard to get parts for, and some no longer match the building after years of added equipment. When we replace one, we start with a fresh load study, check whether the existing pad, fuel line and transfer switch can be reused, and plan the swap to keep downtime short. You get a written plan before anything is removed.

Generators installed by another company

If your generator was installed by someone else, or the original installer has closed, we can take over service. We inspect the generator and transfer switch, read the fault history, check the batteries and fuel system, and test a transfer. Then we put it on a maintenance schedule. We service Generac and Kohler generators, and Wired is a Generac Prestige Dealer.

Adding capacity as the business grows

A new walk-in cooler, another rooftop unit or an expanded kitchen can push a generator past what it was sized for. Signs include the generator struggling when equipment starts or loads being left off during outages. We measure the new loads and tell you whether load management, a larger generator or a second unit makes the most sense for the building.

Keeping records for insurance and inspections

Insurance companies, landlords and inspectors may ask for proof that a generator is maintained and tested. Every startup, service and load test we do comes with documentation for your files. If you take over a building with an existing generator and no records, we can inspect it, test it and start a clean service history from that point forward. Keep copies with your lease and insurance papers.

Leased Buildings, Approvals and Financing

Business owners often ask about the paperwork before the generator. These are the questions that come up most.

Landlord and property manager approval

If you lease your space, the landlord or property manager usually has to approve a generator, its placement and any changes to the electrical service or gas line. We can provide the layout, equipment details and permit plan they need to make a decision. Bringing them in early avoids redesigning the project after it has already been quoted. Some leases also spell out who owns the generator if you move out, so it is worth checking yours.

Multi-tenant and shared buildings

In strip centers and shared buildings, one tenant may want backup power while the others do not. A generator can be set up to cover only your space when the electrical service allows it. We check how your suite is fed, where the meter and panels are, and what the property allows, then lay out the options in writing. Nothing is installed until the property owner signs off.

Financing a commercial generator

A commercial generator is a real investment, and financing is available. We can walk you through the options when we deliver the proposal so you can compare paying up front with spreading the cost out. Every building is different, so a free site visit gets you a written estimate that covers the generator, switch, fuel, permits and installation. Ask about financing when you call so we can bring the details to the visit.

One team from the study to the service

Wired's own licensed electricians handle the load study, the permits, the installation, the startup and the maintenance that follows. That means one phone number for the whole life of the generator. When something needs attention, the people who answer already know your building. Call (713) 467-1125 or stop by the Tomball showroom to talk through your project. Our phones are open 24/7.

Commercial Standby Generators

Power Up Your Business — Get a Free Quote Today When the grid goes down, your business shouldn’t. Wired specializes in commercial generator installations that keep your operations running — no matter what. Whether you’re protecting a retail store, medical office, warehouse, or restaurant, we provide reliable backup power solutions tailored to your business needs.

Why Choose Us for Your Commercial Generator Install?

Free, No-Obligation Estimates
Certified in Generac & Commercial-Grade Systems
Fast Scheduling & Minimal Downtime
Tailored Power Solutions for Businesses of All Sizes

Commercial installs

Commercial generator installation in Houston.

For the businesses that cannot close when CenterPoint goes down.

Restaurants and grocers with walk-ins full of product. Medical, dental and veterinary offices with refrigerated inventory and patients on the schedule. Convenience stores and fuel stations that have to keep pumps and registers running. Offices with server closets, churches, private schools, self-storage, warehouses and light manufacturing, and HOAs with lift stations, gates and clubhouses. Wired designs, permits and installs standby power for all of them, from 20 kW air-cooled units up to 150 kW liquid-cooled Generac industrial sets in stock, and larger by order.

Load study of the building and the circuits that matter
Matched to your building's electrical service, single-phase or three-phase (we check, you don't have to know)
Automatic transfer switch, the box that moves the building onto generator power by itself
Natural gas or propane, matched to the gas service at your site
City, county and fire marshal permits and inspections
Startup, load test and documentation for your records
Maintenance contracts, a yearly full-load test, and remote monitoring
Storm-priority response for contract customers

Sizing

Sizing a commercial standby generator.

Motors and refrigeration start hard. The study has to see them.

Commercial sizing starts with a load study: what has to run during an outage, what can wait, and what starts with a surge. Refrigeration compressors, rooftop HVAC, well and lift-station pumps, elevators and kitchen equipment all draw far more at startup than at rest, and a generator sized only for what runs steadily will stall on the first compressor. We measure, then size for those startup surges with room to spare, and we decide with you whether the generator carries the whole building or just the circuits that matter.

The other question is the building's electrical service. Most commercial buildings in the Houston area are three-phase, which is a different kind of power than a house gets, and the generator and switch have to match it. Our commercial line-up runs from 20 to 150 kW in both single-phase and three-phase versions; see the inventory for model numbers.

Code

Codes, permits and inspections for business generators.

Built to the electrical and fire codes for backup power, inspected, and documented.

Backup power for a business is covered by the national electrical code and, when the generator keeps exit lighting, fire alarms or medical equipment running, by the fire-safety standard for emergency power (NFPA 110). In plain terms: how fast the generator has to take over, how the fuel is supplied, where the shut-off goes, and how the unit is tested after it is installed are all spelled out, and the inspector checks them. The City of Houston and the surrounding cities and counties inspect the electrical and the fuel system, and for life-safety installs the fire marshal signs off too. We design to those rules, pull every permit, and hand you the startup and test paperwork for your files and your insurance company.

Readiness

Keeping a commercial generator ready.

The generator is only as good as its last test.

A business generator that sits unused for months has to prove it will carry the building when the day comes. Our commercial maintenance contracts cover scheduled service on the manufacturer's interval, transfer switch inspection, battery replacement, a yearly test that runs the generator at full load for as long as your standard requires, and remote monitoring so a fault shows up on our screen before it shows up as a dark building. Contract customers move to the front of the line when a storm is in the Gulf.

Site visit and load study. We look at the service, the panels and the loads, and measure what starts hard.
Proposal and drawings. Generator, switch, fuel, placement and the code path, in writing.
Permits and installation. Electrical, fuel and fire marshal where required. Our own crews do the work.
Startup, load test, documentation. You watch it carry the building. You get the paperwork.
Maintenance contract. Scheduled service, load bank testing, monitoring, storm priority.

Electrical

Commercial electrical work, too.

Same crews, same license, same phone number.

Generators are half of what our commercial customers call about. The other half is electrical: service and panel upgrades ahead of a generator, lighting retrofits, parking-lot and site lighting, EV charging for fleets and customers, dedicated circuits for equipment, and the troubleshooting calls that come at closing time. See commercial services, or call and describe the building.

Questions from business owners

Ask us anything. These come up most.

What size generator does my business need?

It depends on what has to run and what starts hard. A load study measures the running and starting loads of refrigeration, HVAC, pumps and equipment, then we size with headroom and decide whether the generator carries the whole service or an emergency panel. Most small commercial buildings land between 30 and 80 kW; larger footprints and three-phase equipment go up from there.

Do you install generators for restaurants, medical offices and retail?

Yes. Restaurants, grocers and convenience stores protecting refrigerated product, medical, dental and veterinary practices, fuel stations, offices, churches, schools, warehouses, self-storage and HOA facilities are the bulk of our commercial work in the Houston area.

Natural gas or diesel for a commercial generator?

Natural gas is the usual choice in the Houston area: no fuel storage, no fuel to go stale, unlimited runtime. Diesel is used where the code path or the utility situation calls for on-site fuel, and it brings a tank, spill containment and fuel maintenance with it. We lay out both when a building is on the line.

How often should a commercial generator be tested?

It tests itself for a few minutes every week, gets scheduled service on the manufacturer's interval, and once a year should be run at full load for real. Where the emergency-power standard (NFPA 110) applies, the tests and the record-keeping are spelled out, and our maintenance contracts follow it.

Do you offer maintenance contracts and monitoring?

Yes. Scheduled service, transfer switch inspection, battery replacement, the yearly full-load test and 24/7 remote monitoring, with storm-priority response for contract customers.

How fast can you respond during a storm?

Contract customers are first. Everyone else gets a call answered 24/7 and a technician as soon as one is free, which during a Gulf storm can mean a wait. The way to avoid that wait is a maintenance contract before the season.

How much does a commercial generator installation cost?

It depends on the generator size, single-phase or three-phase service, the transfer switch, the fuel supply, the distance from the generator to the electrical gear, the pad and any permits or engineering the site needs. Life-safety requirements can add work too. Every building is different, so a free site visit gets you a written estimate.

Can you replace our old commercial generator?

Yes. We start with a new load study, check whether the pad, fuel line and transfer switch can be reused, and plan the swap to keep downtime as short as we can. You get a written plan and estimate before any work begins.

Do you service commercial generators another company installed?

Yes. We inspect the generator and transfer switch, check the batteries and fuel system, review the fault history and test a transfer. Then we set up a maintenance schedule. We service Generac and Kohler generators.

Is financing available for commercial generators?

Yes, financing is available. We go over the options with you when we deliver the written proposal so you can compare them with paying up front.

Where can a commercial generator be placed on our property?

It needs to sit away from doors, windows and air intakes, with room for service and the clearances that codes and the manufacturer require. Flood risk, noise near neighbors and the location of the gas meter and electrical gear also matter. We pick the spot with you on the site visit.

We lease our building. Can we still install a generator?

Usually, with the landlord's approval. We provide the layout, equipment details and permit plan the landlord or property manager needs. In shared buildings, a generator can often be set up to cover only your space, depending on how the electrical service is arranged.

Will a generator keep our registers, network and security running?

Yes, if those circuits are included in the design. Registers, card readers, internet, phones, alarms and cameras are small loads and easy to include. A small battery backup at sensitive equipment covers the few seconds before the generator takes over.

Commercial inventory