Power outage plan for El Dorado Hills homes without a generator, and how to add backup power

By Shannon Yoffie, DRE# 01803503 | Yoffie Real Estate Group | Last updated October 30, 2026

Most El Dorado Hills homes don't have a generator or a home battery, and you can still get through a two- or three-day outage comfortably with a plan made before the storm. The plan comes down to keeping food safe, staying warm without carbon monoxide risk, keeping phones charged and knowing when the power is coming back.

This is part two of our El Niño series. Thursday's post covered storm prep for trees and drainage, and both are on our printable El Niño prep checklist. If you decide to add backup power and want names, talk to our team and we'll share the electricians and installers our clients have used.

The outage plan for homes without backup power

Without a generator or battery, an outage plan is about slowing everything down: keep the cold in, keep the heat in and keep your phone alive.

Before the storm, sign up for PG&E outage alerts on pge.com and for El Dorado County Emergency Alerts through Smart911. If you were registered for the county's old CodeRED system, you don't need to sign up again. Charge every power bank, fill the car's gas tank, and freeze a few jugs of water to fill empty freezer space. Find the red manual-release cord on your garage door opener and practice using it once, so you aren't figuring it out in the dark.

Swap candles for flashlights and headlamps, and keep spare batteries in one bin everyone knows about. If anyone in your home relies on powered medical equipment, ask PG&E about its Medical Baseline program and talk with your doctor about a backup plan before winter.

When the power goes out, keep the fridge and freezer closed and start the clock.

Source: CDC, Discarding Food After a Power Outage. After 4 hours, throw out refrigerated meat, fish, eggs, milk and leftovers. When in doubt, throw it out.

Put phones in low-power mode and charge them from power banks or the car, with the car parked outside and never running in the garage. Unplug computers and TVs so a surge doesn't hit them when the power returns, and leave one lamp switched on so you know when it's back.

For heat, close off one room, hang blankets over the doorway and dress the family in layers. A fireplace or wood stove works well if the chimney has been inspected. Never use a gas oven, grill, camp stove or generator for heat inside the house or garage. California law requires carbon monoxide alarms in homes with a gas appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, and the CDC recommends battery-powered or battery-backup alarms near every sleeping area.

Which backup power option fits an El Dorado Hills home?

A portable power station covers phones and small devices for short outages, a portable generator adds more power but has to run outside, and a standby generator or home battery covers most of the house but needs a permit and a licensed installer.

Use any generator with outdoor-rated extension cords or through a properly installed transfer switch. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet: backfeeding can energize power lines and endanger utility crews.

To size a portable power station, multiply each device's watts by the hours you need it. A 50-watt load for 10 hours is 500 watt-hours, so a 1,000 watt-hour unit covers it with room for conversion losses. Refrigerators vary a lot, so check the label or measure yours with an inexpensive plug-in meter before you buy.

On larger lots in Promontory or Serrano, a standby generator also needs a good spot: level, away from windows and within the setbacks your HOA and the county allow. Talk to your HOA's architectural committee before you sign a contract. On smaller lots with tight side yards, common in newer parts of town like Blackstone, a portable power station or a battery may fit better.

PG&E also offers a free backup power transfer meter to eligible customers, which lets a compatible 30-amp generator connect to the home safely. Applications for 2026 are closed, and PG&E says to check back in January 2027.

PG&E programs and incentives to check before you buy

PG&E's Generator and Battery Rebate Program pays up to $300 toward a qualifying portable generator or battery, and PG&E reported about 125 rebates left on October 15, 2026.

To qualify, your address has to be in a Tier 2 or 3 High Fire-Threat District, a High Fire Risk Area or on a circuit with Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings. PG&E's site lets you check your address. CARE and FERA customers can get up to $200 more. Portable batteries must be between 290 and 1,000 watt-hours, and generators must be CARB-compliant and on PG&E's qualified list. You buy first, then apply with the receipt and proof of delivery within 12 months or by December 31, 2026, whichever comes first. Funding is first-come, first-served.

The federal residential clean energy credit under Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025, so a battery or solar system installed now doesn't get it. California's Self-Generation Incentive Program still has residential funds aimed mainly at income-qualified households.

If you install a permanent standby generator or home battery, keep the invoice and permit. Permanent improvements generally add to your home's cost basis, which can matter when you sell. On a home in the $1 million range, that paperwork is worth keeping. Our basis and gain calculator shows how improvements count. This is general information, not tax advice.

Shannon Yoffie and Yoffie Real Estate Group wrote this plan for El Dorado Hills neighbors from Serrano and Promontory to Blackstone and El Dorado Hills Town Center. For the storm prep side, see our El Niño storm prep guide, and for what your home is worth this winter, see the live El Dorado Hills market data page.

Frequently asked questions

How long will food last in my fridge during a power outage?

About 4 hours in a closed refrigerator, according to the CDC. A full freezer keeps food safe for about 48 hours and a half-full freezer for about 24, as long as the doors stay shut. After 4 hours without power, throw out refrigerated meat, fish, eggs, milk and leftovers, and never taste food to decide whether it's safe.

Can I run a generator in my garage during an outage?

No. The CDC says to run generators only outdoors and more than 20 feet from your home, doors and windows, and to keep them away from attached garages even with the door open. Carbon monoxide from a generator can build up quickly and has no smell. Install battery-powered or battery-backup CO alarms near every sleeping area.

Is it safe to heat my house with a gas oven or grill when the power is out?

No. A gas oven, grill, camp stove or any fuel-burning device used for indoor heat can fill a home with carbon monoxide. Stay warm with layers and blankets in one closed-off room, or use a fireplace or wood stove that has been inspected. California law requires CO alarms in homes with a gas appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage.

What size portable power station do I need for an outage?

Add up the watts of what you want to run and multiply by the hours you need it. A device drawing 50 watts for 10 hours uses 500 watt-hours, so a 1,000 watt-hour station covers it with room for conversion losses. Phones, lights, a Wi-Fi router and a CPAP are easy to cover; refrigerators vary widely, so check the label or measure with a plug-in meter.

Does PG&E offer a rebate for generators or backup batteries?

Yes, if your address qualifies. PG&E's Generator and Battery Rebate Program pays up to $300 for a qualifying portable generator or a portable battery between 290 and 1,000 watt-hours, plus up to $200 more for CARE or FERA customers. Your home must be in a Tier 2 or 3 High Fire-Threat District, a High Fire Risk Area or on an EPSS circuit, and PG&E reported about 125 rebates left on October 15, 2026.

Is there still a federal tax credit for home batteries or solar?

Not for new installations. The federal residential clean energy credit under Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. California's Self-Generation Incentive Program still has residential money aimed mainly at income-qualified households, so check current budgets before you plan around an incentive.

Sources

CDC, Discarding Food After a Power Outage, and carbon monoxide poisoning prevention guidance for generators. California Health and Safety Code section 17926. PG&E Generator and Battery Rebate Program and Backup Power Transfer Meter Program pages, as of October 2026. PG&E downed power line guidance. El Dorado County Emergency Alerts (Smart911). Solar Energy Industries Association on the termination of the Section 25D credit. California Public Utilities Commission, Self-Generation Incentive Program. Ready.gov emergency water guidance.