{"id":765,"date":"2022-03-14T11:00:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T15:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/?p=765"},"modified":"2022-03-10T19:51:49","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T00:51:49","slug":"do-generators-need-maintenance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/electrical\/do-generators-need-maintenance\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Generators Need Maintenance?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"291\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/wrenches-291x300.jpg\" alt=\"wrenches\" class=\"wp-image-766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/wrenches-291x300.jpg 291w, https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/wrenches.jpg 582w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 291px) 100vw, 291px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In a word: <em>yes<\/em>. Although you don\u2019t use your generator often (at least, we <em>hope<\/em> you don\u2019t need to rely on it often), you want to ensure that it will work when you need it to. After all, if you can\u2019t trust your backup generator, it doesn\u2019t serve much purpose!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The difficulty when it comes to generator maintenance is that people often let their generators slip from their minds. When you don\u2019t rely on an appliance on a regular basis, like your HVAC system, plumbing, and electrical system, it can get pushed to the back of your priority list. We wrote this blog to change that and get the maintenance moved to the front of that list. Allowing your generator to go without maintenance for several years can mean the generator won\u2019t rise to the occasion when the occasion arises.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Why Generators Require Maintenance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A generator is a powerful piece of electrical equipment with many mechanical parts. Even if those parts do not do any work, they can deteriorate. You know how if you don\u2019t run your vehicle for a couple of weeks, you may end up finding it has a dead battery the next time you try to turn it on? The same situation applies to the generator. Neglect can lead to failed components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>The Electrical Components<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A key part of regular generator maintenance is checking on all the electrical connections and moving parts of the motors. These parts will suffer the most from lack of use over the years. During maintenance, our technicians test the motors and check all electrical connections. We\u2019ll lubricate moving parts that require it and clean the system so it can work without interference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>The Question of Fuel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What type of fuel does your generator run on? Natural gas is the best source, since it comes to the house from the municipal system and doesn\u2019t require delivery or storage. But you may require a propane or diesel-powered generator. For these generators, stale fuel is a major problem. You can\u2019t keep the same fuel in the generator for years at a time and expect the fuel to work when the generator needs it. Maintenance checks on the fuel supply and replaces it when it has gone stale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>How Often Do I Need Generator Maintenance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We recommend an annual inspection and tune-up for your whole-house generator. Fall is the best season for the service, since it prepares the heater to manage cold and stormy conditions that often lead to power grid failures or downed power lines. However, summer also puts strain on the grid, and if you haven\u2019t had maintenance for several years, there\u2019s no time like the present. Additionally, we advise calling us for generator maintenance after you have had to rely on the generator for a significant period\u2014the generator will need checks after working to ensure it\u2019s ready to go the next time you need it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can call us for <a href=\"\/service-areas\/depew-ny\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">generator maintenance in Depew, NY<\/a>. Along with our regular service, we advise you turn on your generator every few months for about an hour to give it a test run and to help give it \u201cexercise.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><strong>Scherer Electric Is Western New York&#8217;s Favorite Electrician! <a href=\"\/contact-us\/schedule-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Call us to arrange for maintenance for your generator or any repairs it may need.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The difficulty when it comes to generator maintenance is that people often let their generators slip from their minds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[87],"tags":[98,120],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=765"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":769,"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765\/revisions\/769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schererelectric.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}