The most reliable first step is not buying a generator—it's finding where the electricity is going.
1. Establish a baseline
Review utility bills and note monthly kilowatt-hour use, seasonal changes and rate structure.
2. Find large loads
Heating/cooling, water heating and major appliances can dominate consumption depending on the home and climate. Use safe plug-in monitoring for compatible devices and professional help for hardwired loads.
3. Reduce waste
Prioritize changes with clear comfort and payback benefits before sizing generation around an unnecessarily large load.
4. Then evaluate generation
Once you understand actual consumption, solar or other generation options can be compared against a meaningful target. Experimental DIY systems should be evaluated with measured input/output rather than advertised percentages.
Continue to DIY home power options.