Quick answer
Backup power is not one product category. It is a decision tree:
Swipe across the table to compare all columns.
| Need | Usually start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keep Wi-Fi, phones, lights, laptop running | UPS or small power station | Low draw, easy indoor use |
| Keep fridge/freezer cold for a short outage | Power station or generator | Depends on runtime and load |
| Keep people warm when the grid is down | Emergency heat guide | Person, room, and whole-home heat are very different energy problems |
| Keep a gas, propane, or oil furnace heating | Furnace outage guide + verified equipment data | Fuel-burning heat still depends on electricity |
| Keep a private well available | Well pump outage guide + verified pump/controller data | Voltage and motor-start requirements can make generic horsepower rules wrong |
| Run a sump pump | Battery backup, water-powered backup, or generator | Starting surge and duty cycle matter |
| Run cord-connected loads from a portable generator | Generator cord guide + generator size calculator | Load current, cord rating, length, voltage drop and connector type all matter |
| Understand generator ground rods / floating neutral | Generator grounding guide | Grounding electrode, equipment bonding and neutral configuration are different problems |
| Run a portable generator during rain or snow | Generator shelter guide + generator safety guide | Manufacturer weather rules, running-cover compatibility, CO placement and airflow all matter |
| Back up selected household circuits automatically | Installed home battery or standby generator with approved transfer/islanding equipment | kW, kWh, voltage, integration and permits all matter |
| Plan broader whole-home backup | Standby generator guide, home battery guide, or a deliberate hybrid | Whole-home connection does not mean unlimited simultaneous load |
Pick your problem
Power is already out and you need to triage the house: → What to do during a power outage in Canada
Plan an automatic permanently installed fuel-based system: → Standby generator Canada → Generator size calculator → Generator runtime & fuel consumption calculator → Generator transfer switch Canada
Plan installed or whole-home battery backup: → Home battery backup Canada → Home Battery Backup Calculator
Keep people or one room warm during a winter outage: → How to stay warm during a power outage in Canada → Emergency Heat Planner
Keep a fuel-burning furnace heating: → Will my furnace work during a power outage? → Generator size calculator → Generator transfer switch Canada
Keep private-well water available: → Well pump power outage: generator & backup power guide → Generator size calculator → Generator transfer switch Canada
Keep fridge and freezer food safer: → Fridge/freezer outage calculator → Food safety during a power outage
Size, connect and fuel a portable generator without guessing: → Portable generator Canada → Generator size calculator → Generator extension cord guide & checker → Generator grounding Canada: ground rods & floating neutral → Generator runtime & fuel consumption calculator → Generator transfer switch Canada
Figure out a generator ground rod, floating neutral, or bonded neutral question: → Generator grounding Canada → Generator transfer switch Canada → Generator safety Canada
Operate a portable generator during rain, snow or winter weather: → Generator shelter Canada: running covers for rain & snow → Generator safety Canada → Generator extension cord guide & checker
Keep the internet on during an outage: → Keep Wi-Fi on during a power outage → UPS vs power station
Plan CPAP or medical device backup carefully: → CPAP battery backup Canada → Portable power station runtime calculator
Decide between power station, UPS, home battery, or generator: → Portable power station Canada → UPS battery backup Canada → Home battery backup Canada → Standby generator Canada → Portable generator Canada → UPS vs power station
Calculators and tools
- Home Battery Backup Calculator - Separate required continuous/start capability from delivered outage energy and integration level
- Emergency Heat Planner - Route between existing heat, personal warming, battery-limited space heat, combustion constraints, and relocation planning
- Well pump backup power planner - Check voltage compatibility and whether your pump data are strong enough for a purchase decision
- Generator size calculator - Running watts, startup demand, and voltage compatibility
- Generator cord checker & voltage-drop calculator - Check load current, labelled cord/outlet ratings, conductor gauge, length and estimated voltage drop
- Generator runtime & fuel consumption calculator - Gasoline/propane runtime, outage fuel planning, and natural-gas consumption from manufacturer data
- Fridge/freezer outage calculator - Food safety timing with official baselines
- Portable power station runtime calculator - Runtime estimates from capacity and load
Build your backup-power plan
- List what actually needs power.
- Measure or confirm wattage and voltage from the actual equipment.
- Separate low-draw electronics from motor loads, and verify motor-start requirements instead of applying a generic surge multiplier.
- Decide whether you need standalone indoor battery backup, integrated home battery backup, portable generator backup, permanently installed standby generation, or a deliberate hybrid.
- If using temporary generator cords, match the actual load, cord assembly rating, generator outlet, connector configuration and length; use the cord checker only as a voltage-drop planning aid.
- If generator grounding or neutral configuration is unclear, identify the exact model and whether its neutral is bonded to frame or floating before adding a ground rod, bonding plug, or household transfer connection.
- If a portable generator may run during rain or snow, verify the exact generator manufacturer’s weather instructions before choosing a shelter or running cover.
- If using a generator, estimate realistic fuel needs from its own manufacturer data rather than a universal burn-rate guess.
- If using an integrated battery, size power and energy separately and ask how the design handles 240 V loads, load management, islanding, permits and recharge.
- For standby generation, verify transfer architecture, fuel-service capacity, winter accessories, siting, permits and the exact loads that will be managed or shed.
- Add safety gear: carbon monoxide alarms, certified cords where relevant, and professional electrical/fuel work where required.
Safety first
Sources & further reading
Check the original guidance for details that apply to your home. How we use sources
- Public Safety Canada / Canada.ca
Canadian household outage risks and 72-hour preparedness framing.
- Health Canada
Preventing carbon monoxide exposure
Generator placement, CO exposure, and fuel-burning appliance warnings.
- Health Canada
Recognized Canadian certification marks and electrical product warnings.