Does Generator Maintenance Change Depending on Season?

Does Generator Maintenance Change Depending on Season?

Installing a standby generator on your property is one of the easiest ways to secure peace of mind and ensure that in the event of a blackout, you’ll have power. But just like all types of machines, generators function best when they are maintained and serviced on a regular basis. That being said, the specific type of maintenance that your generator requires will likely depend on a number of factors, including the type of generator you have, its age, how often you use it, and even the temperature outside. Here’s a look at how weather and the change of seasons may affect your generator maintenance routine—

Winterizing Your Generator and Wintertime Maintenance

There’s nothing worse than a power outage in the dead of winter. By making sure your standby generator is prepared for the coldest of temperatures, you’ll be able to keep the lights on when it goes dark. Things that you should do to help your generator run more smoothly in the wintertime include:

• Allow the generator to run for five or so minutes before applying a load to it. This will allow the fuel plenty of time to circulate, and is important for efficient function. This is the same principle applied to letting a car warm up in the wintertime before driving. 
• Use a fuel stabilizer. Using a fuel stabilizer during the wintertime will help to ensure that the quality of the gasoline is preserved and that nothing goes wrong due to a major drop in temperature.
• Check the generator function before using it. Again, it’s a smart idea to run your generator when the temperatures are cold just to make sure everything is working properly. We recommend regularly starting the generator, even if you’re not actually loading it to power your home/business. 

If you need help storing your generator for any reason, call us for winter storage tips.

Getting Your Generator Ready for Spring and Summer

When the weather starts to warm, there are some specific warm-weather-preparation steps to take, too. For example, you want to make sure that the generator is:

• Placed in an environment/location that is well-ventilated;
• Make sure you have a stable supply of fuel (and remember that some fuel types have expiration dates);
• Remove any debris that’s accumulated in the generator over the winter; and
• Have your generator professionally inspected and serviced – this is something that you should do once a year. 

Call Generator Technologies Inc. for Generator Services You Can Trust

As the seasons change, you’ll likely need to perform maintenance on your standby generator. For generator maintenance services you can trust, call Generator Technologies Inc. You can reach us by phone or online now.