Having a whole-house generator can relieve immense stress during the year: you know you’ll have electricity in your home in case of a power outage. But you have to first be sure that your whole-house generator will do the work when you need it to.
To avoid whole-house generator problems when you need your generator the most, it’s essential to properly maintain, prepare, and operate your generator. In this post, we’ll review proper maintenance and identify signs it may be time to replace your generator in Ukiah.
Generator Maintenance and Repair
Here are some key steps to help ensure that your generator functions reliably when you need it:
- Regular Maintenance: Perform regular maintenance on your generator according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. This includes checking oil levels, replacing filters, inspecting spark plugs, and testing the battery. Most importantly, schedule professional maintenance each year.
- Keep Fuel Fresh: Stale fuel can cause starting problems and damage your generator’s engine. Use fresh fuel and add a fuel stabilizer to prevent fuel deterioration. If your generator is not used frequently, consider draining the fuel tank and carburetor.
- Test Run: Periodically test your generator to ensure that it starts easily and operates smoothly. Run the generator under load for a short duration to verify its performance.
- Protection: Consider using a generator enclosure or shelter to protect it from rain, snow, and extreme temperatures.
- Regular Inspections: Conduct regular visual inspections of your generator for signs of wear, damage, or corrosion. Check for loose connections, frayed wires, leaking fluids, and any unusual noises or odors.
- Emergency Preparedness: Develop an emergency preparedness plan that includes provisions for power outages and generator use. Identify critical appliances and systems that require backup power and prioritize their operation during emergencies.
By following the recommended preventive and maintenance measures, you can help avoid generator problems and ensure that your generator is ready to provide reliable backup power when you need it.
Generator Replacement
The reason you invested in a whole-house generator is so that you would never be without the electricity that enables you and your family to go about daily life and be comfortable doing so. The lifespan of a whole house generator is 15 to 20 years or 1,500 to 3,000 hours of operation.
If you have an aging generator, and it struggled to cycle the last time you used it, or you have had to schedule multiple repairs for it, it may be time for a generator replacement. The best way to start is to call our professionals for an assessment of your current generator. We will give you the information you need to see if a repair is the answer, or if you should upgrade—and we will never pressure you into a purchase you are not ready to make.
When you need generator repair, the Jonas Energy Solutions team is the one you can trust for the job. Jonas Energy Solutions: Become Part of the Solution!