I've had two houses set up for generators and they are essential to me now that I've used them. I installed a transfer switch at my last house and it worked well to supply heat, a few light circuts, and power for the well.

I found a system that works better for me when I moved to a different home. The "interlock" is used instead of a transfer switch and it is so much better for me and my usage. It's easy to install, less expensive, and offers much more flexibility in what I can run during power outages. I lost power for about 20 hours in the March blizzard and I had power for all my essentials and for lights. I can use power in any room and I just have to manage the total amount of power I am using. It's a much better option for me and I wanted to share this with others. I am listing one company which sells the interlock but there are many out there if you search around. This is the company I used and I am happy with the product and the price.

https://www.geninterlock.com/

Good luck in which ever way you go.