If you live in an area where winter snow can leave you without electricity for an extended period, owning a generator is a great first line of defense. But it’s not enough to own a generator. It is only useful to you if you keep it maintained, and ready to go- whenever you need it.
If you are new to using a generator, then the need to perform routine maintenance tasks might come as a bit of a surprise. However, overlooking the upkeep of your generator can be the difference between protecting your home and family and finding yourself in need of help.
Just as your car needs to have the oil changed at specific intervals, your generator needs basic checks and changes made. While many opt to call in a service provider to take care of routine generator maintenance tasks, it is not your only alternative. You can perform much of the checkup on your own.
Home Generator Maintenance
1. Keep the area clean –
If you have a home generator that is in a permanent location, be sure to keep grass, foliage, and other debris away from it so that the air intake and exhaust can work as they should.
2. Filter –
Before the season officially begins, replace the air filter. Unless your generator is brand-new, you can be sure that it has accumulated dirt in the filter. That dirt will affect the effectiveness of your generator, as well as cause unnecessary wear and tear on the generator’s moving parts.
3. Spark Plugs-
Like a lawn mower or your vehicle, the spark plugs play an important role in the effectiveness of your generator. If your spark plugs are dirty, and they usually are after a year, you will be surprised at how much better your generator will work with new spark plugs!
4. Change the oil –
After every 200 hours of running time, you will need to change the oil. If you don’t track how many hours your generator is in use, then a good option is to change it once a year. The oil can be easily checked by using the dipstick. If it is low or comes up dark and thick it is time for a change. You can improve the efficiency of your generator, protect the engine, and extend the time between changes by choosing synthetic oil from AMSOIL. When you change the oil, be sure that the engine is warm from running. After following the owner’s manual instructions for oil changes, be sure to replace the old oil filter, too.
5. Check the battery –
Take time to clean the terminals and use a battery tester to check the charge. Should there be any corrosion, clean it off.
6. Start it up –
Ideally, you won’t need to use your generator every month. But to be sure it works when you need it, start it up at least once a month and let it run for a few minutes. This will keep the parts lubricated by oil, ensure the carburetor is working properly, and charge the battery.
Whether you are changing the oil in your vehicle or adding oil to your lawnmower or generator, AMSOIL has the products you need to accomplish the tasks with ease. You can make it easy to get the jobs done by keeping a supply of AMSOIL on hand. Contact your AMSOIL dealer, Cardey 4Ever Oil to get the products you need.
Keeping your generator maintained is an important part of protecting you and your family. Take time now, before the winter winds and snow show up, so you are ready no matter what nature sends your way.
