Four Ways To Prepare Your Automatic Standby Generator For Storm Season
As storm season approaches, it’s a crucial time to ensure that your automatic standby generator is all set to provide your home with emergency power when a grid outage inevitably occurs. From scheduling preventive maintenance to checking your fuel supply, there are a few different steps to take to make sure that your generator is ready to run. Below, we’ll provide you with a checklist of four things you can do to prepare your generator for storm season! For additional information about preparing your automatic standby generator for storms, or to schedule preventative maintenance for Generac generators in Massachusetts, please contact RCA Electric & Generators today!
Schedule Professional MaintenanceÂ
The most essential step you can take to ensure that your generator is in good condition and is ready to run when a storm comes is to schedule maintenance with a generator company in your area. Professional maintenance plans include a wide range of services that you would otherwise need to perform yourself, including oil changes, spark plug replacements, fuel filter replacements, battery replacements, and more. Here at RCA Electric & Generators, we provide our customers with annual (one visit per year) and semi-annual (two visits per year) maintenance plans that will help ensure that your generator runs properly when you need it most.
Clear Debris
Another crucial step for ensuring your generator is ready to run when a storm arrives is to clear any ice, snow, or debris that has built up away from your generator. As a general rule-of-thumb, you should keep a minimum of 3 feet of clearance around the entire generator unit, which will help ensure that the generator can get proper air exchange. You should also clear out the vents on the left, right, and backside of your generator.
Check Fuel Supply
Your fuel supply is essential for your generator to run, so it’s a good idea to perform a basic check on it before storm season. For those who have generators that run on liquid propane (LP), you should check the gauge on your propane tank to ensure it is 30%-40% full at a minimum. You should also inspect the tank and connections to ensure that the valve is open and there are no leaks, which can be identified by smells or hissing sounds. For those with generators that run on natural gas (NG), you should make sure that your gas valve is open and that the supply line to the generator is undamaged.
Check Indicator Light
One final step to make sure that your generator is ready to start up and run as soon as a grid outage occurs is to check the indicator light on the right side of your Generac automatic standby generator. A solid green indicator light means that the generator is all set and ready to run. A flashing green indicator light means that the generator is currently running. A yellow indicator light means that the generator is due for maintenance, but it WILL run when you lose power. A red light indicates that the generator has a problem and WILL NOT run when you lose power. If you notice a red indicator light on your generator, you should contact a Generac service provider in your area!
Contact RCA Electric & Generators!
If you have any questions about preparing your automatic standby generator for storm season, or if you’d like to schedule professional maintenance for your Generac automatic standby generator, please contact RCA Electric & Generators today! We offer sales, installation, and maintenance services for Generac residential & commercial standby generators throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod! Contact us today by giving us a call at (508) 428-0449 or by filling out the contact form on our website!