Is Your Generator Prepared for Severe Weather?

Severe weather is one of the most common reasons clients call us to request generator repair service. Outdoor debris, flooding, ice, and other weather-related damage can cause significant disruption to your operations. Fortunately, protecting your generator from damage isn’t that hard to do, and it’s something every generator owner should do before bad weather blows in over the horizon.

Winter Preparation

Check to ensure that the generator is properly ventilated and that all exhaust vents are clear of debris, including grass, leaves, snow, and ice. It’s also advisable to perform load bank testing and standard maintenance before the weather gets too cold. Additionally, if it has been a while, test the fuel as well.

You should also confirm enclosure integrity. Whether you have it under a tin roof or within a shed, confirm that the roof and walls around the generator are stable and secure and that the enclosure is properly ventilated.

We recommend confirming that oil and coolant reservoirs are topped off. If your generator is due for an oil change, perform this early before cold weather arrives. While it can be done in the cold, it’s easier when not freezing outside.

Finally, make sure that the generator runs for 10-15 minutes each week. This will facilitate proper lubrication, and it will alert you to potential problems and the need to contact your generator repair service for an appointment.

Rains and Floods

Water is the greatest threat to your generator and a leading cause of generator damage. In addition to the same steps for winter preparation, ensuring your generator is safely secured on a stable elevated platform provides considerable protection.

All Weather Conditions

Whether you deal with wind or rain, snow or sandstorms, there are crucial steps every generator operator should take to protect their system. Operators should always have flashlights ready, and if present within the storage location, should properly test emergency lighting systems.

Fuel storage facilities should be appropriately secured and monitored. This helps prevent unwanted fuel theft, but it also helps ensure fuel integrity by preventing human tampering and access to the fuel by rodents, insects, wildlife, etc.

And never underestimate the value of training. Personnel who are responsible for generator operation should be regularly drilled regarding procedures. This includes operating procedures, maintenance procedures, and repair procedures. You can never perform enough drills to prevent the need for generator repair service!

Finally, it is worth restating that you should always keep ventilation systems clear and free of obstructions. Blocked air intakes can diminish generator performance and increase wear and tear, while blocked exhausts can pose a considerable risk of carbon monoxide buildup.

Is your generator in need of repairs? Contact the certified repair specialists at Gen-Tech! It is our pleasure to schedule a generator repair service for your system and to show you how to prevent damage to your power generation systems in the future.

Posted Under: generator repair service