Most people want a backup power source in case of outages, but some options are better than others. One homeowner shared their disappointment with a new generator they'd recently installed and asked for advice in the r/Generator subreddit.

"Finally finished the install after three days," the original poster wrote. "And the added charge for the breaker all in all it cost $13,577.00. Does all this look ok? Natural gas hook up. Not what I envisioned it to be. Thought it would look a little neater/cleaner?"

The photo shows the generator setup, which seems a bit messy, with several wires and pipes visible. Commenters agreed, with one saying: "Seems like the whole unit should have been rotated 90 degrees [counterclockwise] so the connections are tucked between the deck and genny too."

"There's a lot wrong in this picture," another Redditor said, noting that the unit should've had a thicker base for the price and size. The comment also said the fuel solenoid — which acts as a safety shutoff mechanism — could crack because of how the gas piping is positioned. 

Aside from being difficult to set up, generators have high operating costs since they require fuel to run and need regular maintenance. They are also noisy and cannot be removed if you decide to relocate. Not to mention, they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if they're not installed far enough away from homes, though this is usually more of a problem with portable units. 

That's why a home solar system is a better choice. The clean energy marketplace EnergySage offers free tools to compare quotes from qualified installers and explore home battery storage options. The company has paired up with the electrification service Qmerit to help you find the best price and battery system for your needs.

You can also check out Pila, another company with a range of battery options, including plug-and-play batteries that cost thousands of dollars less than a whole-home battery setup.

Adding battery storage to your home is much safer and cheaper in the long run than generators, since it has no fuel costs and low maintenance. You can also save a lot on electricity bills and go off-grid with a properly sized battery bank and solar panels — a win-win for your wallet and the environment.

"On top of all this, it is not a good generator either," one commenter said. "All vertical units are pretty much a joke of a generator and this one looks like an off brand B&S or something."

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