The recent storm that hit New York State and much of the Northeast is a big reminder of how important residential generators are for modern living. A backup generator in Buffalo, NY is looking more and more like a necessity with each year. If you already have a backup generator for your home, you’ll know the sort of peace of mind it can bring during calamities like storms or heat waves.
But a generator cannot bring this peace of mind and relaxation if you cannot trust that it will work. An unreliable generator isn’t worth much—it undermines the purpose of having one in the first place. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to keep a backup generator reliable. All it takes is to schedule regular maintenance for it with our expert electricians.
Why Generator Maintenance Is Essential
Generators are devices that people hope they don’t have to run, and that makes it easy to forget about them. Unlike indoor lights, the HVAC system, the plumbing, etc., you don’t use your generator regularly and you’d rather you never had to use it.
But a generator that isn’t in use will still wear down from age, putting it in danger of failing to run when the time comes. Regular maintenance is designed to slow down the deteriorating effects of age and climate conditions on a generator so it will have a long service life of always being ready to go if the power goes out.
Here is some of the tasks technicians perform when maintaining a generator:
- Check on the gas lines (for a natural gas generator) or see if the fuel supply has gone stale (for a propane generator).
- Check coolant levels; restore them if necessary.
- Change any air and fuel filters.
- Inspect the motors for wear and tear and replace worn motors if required.
- Lubricate all moving parts.
- Clean and tighten all electrical connections, as well as inspect for signs of corrosion.
- Perform load tests to ensure the generator can provide sufficient electrical power.
- Test the automatic transfer switch (for automatic standby generators).
Although you can find guides for doing generator maintenance on your own scattered around the internet, this is a service that should remain in the hands of professionals. Generators are complex electrical devices best left to licensed electricians. You’ll appreciate getting a clean bill of health for your generator from experts.
When to Schedule Generator Maintenance
We recommend you have your generator maintained once a year on average. The ideal time is in the fall, which prepares the generator in time to handle intense cold weather that can often lead to power grid failures. We also advise scheduling maintenance after you’ve had to use the generator for any reason.
Our electricians offer complete generator maintenance services for our customers, from new installations to replacing units that are no longer effective or reliable. Thanks to our regular maintenance, you’ll not only have a reliable generator, but one that will last your home for many years.
Scherer Electric is Western New York’s Favorite Electrician! Call us today to arrange for generator services.
