Standby generator placement calculator: test a location before the installer arrives.
Drag a standby generator around a simple side-yard plan, add up to four windows, doors, vents or air intakes, and compare the location with manufacturer values plus the local property-line setback you provide.
Planning precheck only. It does not approve a location, replace an installation manual, determine your jurisdiction, or account for every fire, fuel, electrical, flood, HOA or permitting rule.
Move the unit. See the conflicts.
Use the preset only as a starting point, then verify the exact installation manual for your model. Local rules can be stricter.
The drawing is a planning model, not a survey or scaled permit drawing. The preset footprint assumes the modeled rear faces the house. Opening circles visualize the entered manufacturer distance only; overhead, exhaust-direction, fuel, electrical and easement constraints are not modeled.
“How far from the house?” is not one-number math.
Distance from the house
Why an 18-inch wall claim can be model-specific and still not make the whole location acceptable.
CO entry pointsWindows, doors & vents
Measure to the nearest opening and use the exact installation manual rather than a neighbor’s setup.
Local rulesProperty-line setbacks
Manufacturer clearance and zoning setback are separate checks. The stricter applicable rule controls the plan.
Permit workflowGenerator site plan
See which dimensions and site features are commonly requested before a permit review.
Brand guideGenerac placement
Use current Generac guidance as a starting point, then confirm your exact model manual and local rules.
Brand guideChampion placement
Champion publishes clear opening and wall guidance that can be tested in the planner.
What the planner checks — and what it deliberately does not
The tool combines three layers that homeowners often mix together: the generator manufacturer’s tested/required clearances, the nearest of the wall openings you add, and a local property-line setback entered by the user. It also calculates whether the side-yard width can fit the modeled generator depth plus the entered wall and property-line clearances at all. A location can satisfy one layer and fail another.
It does not determine gas sizing, trench depth, transfer-switch wiring, overhead clearance, exhaust direction, flood elevation, fire separation, utility easements, HOA restrictions, snow/irrigation exposure or local permit approval. Those require the exact installation documents and the authority having jurisdiction.
Manufacturer sources used by the starting presets
Generac — fuel system inspection / environment clearances ↗
Champion — optimal placement of a home standby generator ↗
Sources and planner presets reviewed September 22, 2026. Exact model manuals and local rules override this planning layer. Inputs stay in your browser unless you explicitly create/copy a share link; a shared URL contains the dimensions encoded in that URL.