What will a 5000 watt generator run in a house?

A 5000 watt generator runs the survival load of a typical house: refrigerator, freezer, sump pump, furnace blower, lights, and electronics, all at once with room to spare.

The exclusions are the resistance and compressor giants. Central air, electric ranges, electric water heaters, and dryers each want 4,000 to 6,000 watts alone, so they stay off.

Budget by starting surge, not running watts: a fridge that runs at 200 watts may demand 1,200 for the second it starts, and motors that start simultaneously stack.

Two practices worth keeping: run it at 80 percent or less continuously, and never backfeed a panel without a transfer switch or interlock; that mistake energizes the utility line and can kill a lineworker.

List your must-run loads in the generator size calculator and see whether 5,000 watts covers your actual house.