When you get a generator for your home for those, just in case, moments, you want it to last for a very long time. However, in order to make that happen, you need to carefully maintain your generator. There are some very important things to do to help maintain your generator. If you are not sure how to do it on your own, it is best to get professional generator maintenance done on it regularly. However, here are some of the most important parts of maintaining your generator if you feel like you could do it on your own.
Fire Up Your Generator Regularly
One thing that you need to make sure you do to keep that generator working is to use it now and again. If you use it regularly, then when you need it, it should be good to go. The recommendation is to turn the entire unit on every three months, and leave it running for a few minutes. It does not have to do anything big, but if you were to make use of it for an hour or two, that wouldn’t hurt it either. You can use it to light up some party lights and have a dinner outside if nothing else. Just make sure you use it now and again so everything inside your generator stays lubricated and running smoothly.
Replace the Filters On a Schedule
Your generator is going to need oil and filter changes. Each generator has a slightly different schedule as to when you should do this, so make sure you read through your owner’s manual and follow it exactly. The best thing to do is to write the date of the oil and filter change inside your owner’s manual. That way, if you ever forget how long it has been, you can quickly and easily find out. Keep in mind, you are not going to easily find more oil and filters if something happens where you need your generator for an extended period of time, such as a natural disaster. It is best to keep a supply of your oil and your filters at home so that if you end up needing to do it, you have everything on hand.
Keep the Gas Tank Full
If you forget to fill your gas tank and try to turn on the generator during a power outage, it is not going to start. Or, if you start it when it is low, it will run for a short time, then stop. That means the generator you purchased for that emergency situation is not going to be able to help. If you use the generator, fill it back up with gas when you are done but be sure to use a gas additive if you use gas that contains Ethanol to keep it from gumming up the carburator. That way, should anything come up, you are still ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Maintaining your generator is very important. If you are not sure how to do it on your own, give us a call. We will gladly come out to help you maintain your generator. Plus, if you have any questions on how to do any part of the maintenance, we can help with that as well. We want to make sure that your generator is there, at the ready, when you need it. You having a trusty, reliable generator is what matters most to us. Call us for more help or information today!