Signs That Your Generator Needs a Repair

Signs That Your Generator Needs a Repair

Your home’s generator sits quietly outside and kicks on for its self-tests, but otherwise, you do not worry too much about it. In order to ensure that it is there for you when you need it, you should pay attention to these signs of possible trouble brewing.

New noises: As your unit does its self-check or when it turns on to provide power, are you hearing something different or unusual? Strange sounds, such as grinding, shrieking or clicking can be an indication of something that needs to be repaired.

Unusual smells: A generator that needs to be fixed can spur strange odors. Any unusual sounds or smells should be addressed immediately by turning off your generator. The smell of any type of burning can be cause for concern. An electrical burning odor can be a sign of a dying motor or damaged wiring.

Power intervals: Once your standby generator turns on, it should stay on consistently until your home’s power is restored and it shuts itself off. Flickering lights or appliances while your generator is running is an indicator of an issue that should be considered by an expert. If it is delivering power but has these intervals of off-and-on, any repairs can be taken care of before a full-blown breakdown.

Exterior damage: Your generator sits outside year-round and can eventually have issues from weather, wind, rain or snow. You should check it out occasionally to ensure that there are not any cracks, dents, corrosion or water damage in your unit.

Fluid leak: Older generators may begin to leak fluids and that is an indication that they need to be replaced and not just repaired. Our Generator Technologies team will talk you through what is the best decision for the long haul, as it is not worth it to waste money on repairs for an older generator.

No power at all: Obviously, a huge sign that your generator needs to be professionally repaired is that it will not turn on or that it is not delivering any power at all to your home when there is an outage. While you may want to mess with it yourself, it is always safer and a better idea to contact our team of licensed, bonded and insured employees who have been factory-trained and work with generators and electricity every day.

Maintenance Before Repairs

Our technicians recommend that you not only keep an eye on your generator yourself, but also have our professionals take a look as part of a customized maintenance plan. Our team works with both residential and commercial clients. We provide installation, maintenance and repair services, as well as electrical service for outdoor lighting, new hot tubs or panel upgrades. Our team can also assist with EV charger installation and meter box replacement. Talk to us about your project today through our online contact form.