A generator is by no means a small investment, and in the thick of Florida’s infamous hurricane seasons, it’s certainly a worthwhile one. As is the case with any high-powered machine, even the least-used home generators require diligent and consistent maintenance throughout the year. What does that mean for you? The answer to that question is entirely up to you, and your degree of involvement in your generator’s maintenance is yours to decide. Whether you’ve resolved to roll up your sleeves and service your generator yourself, or you’ve decided to go with the services of a professional (more on that later), this all-purpose guide to generator maintenance for your home will keep you on top of all of the major steps required for effective generator maintenance.
The Owner’s Manual is Your Best Friend
It’s tedious, it’s (probably) long, and it may seem unnecessary, but one of the most important things you can do right after your generator’s installation is to familiarize yourself with the owner’s manual. Of course, this doesn’t mean a careful page-by-page read-through (unless that’s something you want to do). It just means reading enough to understand the generator’s major components, the frequency at which service is required, signs that something may be wrong, and super basic fixes.
Taking the time to skim your owner’s manual may take up a little bit of time, but it will also allow you to pinpoint service needs earlier than you might have been able to otherwise (ultimately saving you both time and money).
Don’t Skimp on Oil Service
Just like it is with your car, keeping your generator consistently well-oiled is a foundational part of generator maintenance for your home. Your owner’s manual (see?) will let you know what kind of oil works for your appliance, how often it needs to be changed for your particular generator, and general guidelines about changing it- should you choose to do it yourself. As is the case with your car, not changing your generator’s oil frequently enough could result in no immediate negative side effects – but it makes it likely that your generator won’t be able to withstand the performance demands placed on it during a power outage.
Clean Filters are Key
Similarly to your air conditioning unit, your generator requires that its air (and oil) filters be checked frequently in order to be kept clean (again, your owner’s manual or a professional will be able to let you know how often that is). Though it’s possible to clean your generator filters yourself, this significantly increases the risk of tearing or wearing them down, so we recommended that you opt for changing to new filters instead.
Make It Easy
Ultimately, generator maintenance for your home is not something to be forgotten or left on the backburner; it’s probably what’ll make all the difference during a power outage. Luckily, though, that doesn’t mean it has to cause you any stress or inconvenience.
Professional generator maintenance for your home can be as easy as signing up for our monthly generator maintenance plan. For a small monthly fee, this plan gives you access to all of your generator maintenance needs throughout the year to make sure everything is well taken care of before the storm hits. To learn more about the convenience and benefits of our monthly generator maintenance plan, don’t hesitate to contact us.
