About ShelterVolt
Why this site exists
I spent a week without power after a storm hit our area in 2022. When the grid finally came back, I decided I was never doing that again. So I started researching whole-home backup power — and immediately got buried in contractor quotes that ranged from $8,000 to $38,000 for systems that looked roughly equivalent on paper.
That range is not an accident. The backup power industry is designed to confuse buyers. Equipment specs are buried in PDFs. "Sizing" recommendations are made by people who benefit from selling you a bigger system. Tax credit guidance comes from installers who have no incentive to tell you about programs that cut into their margin.
ShelterVolt exists to publish the information that lets you walk into those conversations knowing what you actually need, what it actually costs, and what questions to ask.
What we cover
Six content areas, each built around the questions homeowners actually have:
- Home battery systems — chemistry comparisons, inverter specs, real-world capacity vs. rated capacity, and installed cost ranges
- Standby generators — sizing methodology, fuel type tradeoffs, automatic transfer switch wiring, and what the major brands actually deliver
- Portable & solar generators — how they integrate with a home, realistic recharge rates, and when they're the right call vs. a permanent system
- Smart panels & transfer switches — from $500 interlock kits to $5,000+ smart panels, and when each is appropriate
- System sizing & load math — the formulas, worksheets, and methodology to calculate what size system your home actually needs
- Incentives & cost — federal ITC, state rebates, utility programs, and real installed cost tracking
Who writes here
The author is a homeowner who went through the process, made some expensive mistakes, and came out the other side with enough data to build a useful resource. No utility affiliation, no contractor relationships, no sponsored equipment rankings. The only interest here is in helping you figure out what your home actually needs.
What we don't do
We don't accept payment for product placement. We don't run "best of" lists where every product on the list is an affiliate link to the highest-commission option. We don't contact contractors on your behalf or collect your information for lead generation. Read our editorial policy for the full approach, and our affiliate disclosure for how we handle links.