If your home has an automatic standby generator, it’s essential that you schedule annual maintenance for it. After all, what good is an emergency generator that will see to your home’s electric needs during a power loss if you can’t count on it to actually work when the time comes? Regular generator maintenance is like and insurance policy for an insurance policy, essentially.
You shouldn’t maintain a whole-house generator on your own. Instead call professionals to handle it. Here’s some of what you can expect from the maintenance service:
- Oil change: No matter what type of fuel your generator uses to run (most rely on natural gas) it still has a motor that requires oil to operate—it’s just like an automobile in this respect. If your generator had to operate during the previous season, the technicians may need to change its oil. It’s also a good idea to change the oil every few years.
- Check electrical connections: The technicians will examine the generator’s connection to the house’s electrical system to make sure everything is tight and there’s no damage or corrosion.
- Change the air filter: Again, there’s a similarity to car maintenance. The air filter in a generator can get congested after only running for a short time.
- Replace spark plugs: The plug should be replaced every few years so the generator will run its best. The technicians will examine the spark plugs during each tune-up to see if they need to be swapped out for new ones.
- Refuel the unit: This only applies to generators that use a fuel source other that natural gas (which is piped in from a municipal source). For propane or diesel-powered generators, the fuel can become stale over time, and the maintenance technicians will see if you need to have new fuel put in.
Are you ready to schedule maintenance for your automatic standby generator? Malek Heating & Cooling is here to take care of everything in Wilmette, IL.