It’s easy enough to tell you that you should have your generator serviced once a year. In this article we’re going to tell you why it’s so important to have regular maintenance done on your generator! There are many reasons generator maintenance is important, but we’ve condensed it down to the 3 big ones.
1. Maintenance ensures reliability.
A well-maintained generator is a more reliable generator. Even minor problems like loosened connections, animal nests, and damaged interface buttons can cause the system not to function properly during an outage. You invested in a generator for peace of mind, so make sure it will be ready to go when your home loses power! Because storm season in Florida ranges from June to November, December to May is the opportune time to schedule your maintenance. That will give technicians plenty of time to address any possible complications with your generator that would prevent it from starting up when you need it most.
2. Your generator will have a longer overall lifespan.
Generators are big investments intended to serve you for a long, long time. Just how long do home generators last? A properly maintained Kohler home generator should be happily chugging along for 10 to 15 years. Unfortunately, they don’t do as well when neglected. By skipping generator maintenances, you may be unintentionally shortening the lifespan of your generator. The generator’s engine will struggle to run properly with clogged or damaged parts. To make sure your whole-home generator will keep your home reliably powered for many, many storm seasons to come, make sure to schedule your maintenance with a generator professional!
3. Generator maintenance can save you money in the long run.
Maintenances aren’t free, but they’re considerably less expensive than repairs. It’s common for our generator technicians to find tiny problems during maintenances that can become much bigger problems over time when left unchecked. Sometimes it’s a small crack on a hose that will someday be a leak. Other times it’s a build-up of corrosion that has the potential to completely destroy electrical connections. Think of this like a check-up at your doctor. Small problems caught early are better than big problems caught late. Regular maintenance can also improve the fuel efficiency of your generator. A number of minor complications can cause your generator to drop in efficiency, but the good news is many of these common issues are detected and prevented during regular maintenance. This includes low oil levels, leaks, clogged or dirty filters, worn or degraded hoses, belts, and connectors, poor electrical connections, corrosion, rust, and underperforming exhaust systems which can all lead to an inefficient engine, much like a car. A more efficient generator means lower utility bills!
If you’re scheduling regular maintenances for your generator, you’re already doing the best thing you can to maintain the health and reliability of your system. If you’re an “extra mile” kind of person and you want to know what you can do on your own between maintenances, we recommend checking the fuel and oil gauges at home and visually inspecting for signs of corrosion or rust. There are so many reasons generator maintenance is important. In case you see anything out of the ordinary, give us a call! We’re happy to help get your system back into working order. Air & Energy, a family-owned and operated business, is a Kohler Platinum Dealer in Manatee County, FL that has been providing Simply Better service to the community since 1983. Whether you need help with A/C, plumbing, electrical, or generators, Air & Energy has you covered.