Why a Generator Should Be 20 Feet From Your House
In This Guide
The correct generator distance from house is at least 20 feet, and this is the one generator rule that is genuinely a matter of life and death. Every storm season, people die running a generator too close to home, in a garage, or on a porch, because generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide and carbon monoxide gives no warning. Understanding why the 20 foot rule exists, and why nothing less will do, is the most important thing on this entire site.
The Rule, Plainly
Run a portable generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet away from the house, with the exhaust directed away from every door, window, and vent. This is the guidance of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, and it is echoed by the CDC and fire safety authorities.
Why: Carbon Monoxide Kills
Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide, or CO, a gas that is completely invisible and has no smell. You cannot see it, you cannot smell it, and by the time you feel its effects you may already be too impaired to act.
This is not a rare risk. According to the CPSC, an average of nearly 100 people die every year in the US from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by portable generators. It is the most dangerous fuel-burning consumer product there is for CO.
Why Opening a Window Is Not Enough
This is the misconception that kills people. It feels reasonable that running a generator in a garage with the door open, or by an open window, would let the fumes out. It does not.
The CPSC is explicit: opening doors or windows does not provide enough ventilation to prevent lethal levels of carbon monoxide building up. CO can accumulate to dangerous concentrations indoors within minutes. In one safety test, a generator just 10 feet from a home drove indoor CO to levels that can cause unconsciousness or death.
The 20/20/20 Guideline
A helpful way to remember the whole rule is 20/20/20: keep the generator at least 20 feet from any door or window, point the exhaust so it faces 20 feet away from the house, and install a carbon monoxide alarm to warn you if CO does reach the living space.
Extra Protections Worth Having
- CO alarms. Install battery-operated CO alarms, or alarms with battery backup, on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Interconnected alarms that all sound together are best.
- A generator with CO shutoff. Newer models detect high CO and shut themselves off automatically. This is a last line of defense, not a substitute for the 20 foot rule.
- A cover for weather. Use a proper generator tent or canopy so you can keep the required distance even in rain or snow, rather than being tempted to bring it closer.
The One Thing to Remember
If you take nothing else from this: a running generator is only ever safe outside, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust pointed away. Every storm season the same preventable deaths happen, and almost all of them start with a generator run somewhere it should never have been.
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