A commercial generator can play a significant role in the success of any business. If your power goes down, having a generator on the premises will ensure business operations don’t need to cease until the power is restored. Additionally, depending on the circumstances, a generator can also play a very important role in the health and safety of your employees, customers, and anyone else on the property.
These are just two of many reasons you should prioritize proper generator maintenance. While it’s best to enlist the help of experts to maintain and service your commercial generator on a regular basis, knowing the essentials of generator maintenance is nevertheless important.
To ensure your generator remains in good working order, you must:
Know How to Change Your Oil (And How Often You Should)
If you don’t already know how to change your generator’s oil, make a point of learning how to complete this essential task as soon as possible. Your generator is much less likely to function as intended if you don’t change its oil and filters regularly. Additionally, because the frequency with which you may need to change your generator’s oil could vary depending on the unit you have, consult the owner’s manual or speak with an expert to learn when you should be changing the oil.
Use Fresh Fuel
Although you should defer to your generator’s maintenance team if they disagree with this tip, as it doesn’t always apply to every generator model, for the most part, experts recommend emptying a generator’s fuel tank and carburetor when storm season is over and outages are less likely to occur.
Emptying the fuel tank and carburetor is necessary because fuel can break down in a generator over time. In fact, some consider failure to use fresh fuel as being among the chief reasons a generator might not work as expected.
It’s also important to use high-quality fuel instead of trying to save a few bucks by choosing a less expensive option. Again, if you’re not sure which type of fuel your generator requires, an expert can recommend one.
Learn How to Perform a Basic Inspection
Commercial generators can be somewhat complex pieces of machinery. To some extent, you’ll need to hire professionals to regularly inspect yours. Their expertise will allow them to notice warning signs that you might overlook without the proper training.
However, they can teach you how to perform a basic visual inspection, check coolant levels, and perform other simple inspection-related tasks that don’t require professional experience. Checking your generator for signs of developing problems on a regular basis is one of the easiest but most effective ways to guard against future headaches.
Don’t hesitate to call generator maintenance professionals if you notice something that may or may not be a sign of an issue. Sometimes, it’s not always clear whether a generator is failing. It’s best to err on the side of safety when you’re unsure if your generator needs any repairs.
Remember, your generator doesn’t just ensure your business continues to operate smoothly if an outage strikes. The presence of a generator could potentially save lives. These tips will help you keep yours working as it should.
