what size generator do i need for home
â¢ Extra Peak Power (or startup watts) is the extra wattage required for appliances at startup or when they are. running at their highest levels of power consumption. An average size home requires from 5000 to 7000 watts to power essential items. Step 1: To determine your needs, total the watts for the items you would like to run simultaneously. provides you with the number of continuous or running watts your generator must supply.