Portable Generator Safety: Carbon Monoxide, Placement and Fuel

Generators are safe when used correctly. Most serious accidents come from a few avoidable mistakes, and carbon monoxide is the biggest one.

Carbon monoxide

Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless gas that can kill within minutes in an enclosed space.

• Never run a generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawl space or shed, even with the door open.
• Place it outdoors, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointing away from windows, doors and vents.
• Install battery-powered CO alarms on every level of your home.
• Many recent models include an automatic CO shutoff (often called CO Alert, CO Protect or CO Guard). They are marked on our product pages.

Electrical safety

• Keep the generator dry. Use a ventilated generator cover or tent made for running units in rain.
• Use outdoor-rated cords of the correct gauge, and never backfeed through a wall outlet. See how to connect a generator to your house.
• Ground the generator as the manual explains.

Fuel

• Turn the generator off and let it cool before refueling.
• Store gasoline in approved containers, away from living areas. Add stabilizer if it will sit more than a month.
• Store propane cylinders upright and outdoors.

Maintenance before an outage

Start the generator every month or two and run it under a light load for 15 minutes. Change the oil as the manual recommends, and keep spare oil, filters and spark plugs. A generator that has sat for a year with old fuel is the most common reason it will not start when you need it.

Frequently asked questions

How far from the house should a generator be?

Keep it outdoors, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointing away from doors, windows and vents.

Can I run a generator in my garage with the door open?

No. Carbon monoxide builds up quickly in garages and can enter the house even with the door open.