Ensure Your Generator is Ready for What is Predicted to be a Harsh Winter
The MET office is predicting one of the coldest winters in years. In the event of a power failure, are you confident that your generator will provide reliable backup?
As we prepare for winter, our thoughts turn to making sure the things that work hardest for us during cold weather are ready for the months ahead. Car tyres and batteries fly off the shelves faster in November and December than at any other time of year, and household boiler repair companies are at their busiest, ensuring your central heating system will not let you down over Christmas.
If you have a generator at your home, chances are it is there as an emergency backup power in case of mains power failure, and winter is the time you are most likely to need it.
Just like any mechanical device, a generator needs to be regularly checked and serviced if you want it to provide reliable service – and while your car has regular use throughout the year, it is even more important for a generator that is likely to have stood idle for a number of months.
At Templant, we do the worrying for you by fully managing every generator we hire out and performing regular service checks, so you can be confident that emergency power will be on hand when you need it most. And in the unlikely event of a problem, our rapid response team is on hand 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.
Regular Servicing
A generator uses a diesel engine that has many similarities to those found in cars and vans, and needs regular servicing and maintenance for exactly the same reasons.
As a general rule, servicing should take place twice a year. To make sure your generator is in tip top condition for winter, it makes sense to have it serviced around autumn and spring time.
It is a good idea to keep a service record of when your generator was serviced, what was done and any parts that were replaced – just like you would with your car or boiler.
What to Check
A generator is a relatively simple device, but there are nevertheless a number of areas where things can go wrong if it is not properly looked after. Again, most of the following points will look familiar if you have ever done your own vehicle servicing:
1) Perform visual checks. Remove any dirt, debris or stray leaves that might impede the generator’s operation and check for anything that is obviously amiss, such as damaged or corroded components and frayed wires.
2) Check the battery. The most strain is put on all components during start-up, and in cold weather, the battery has to work even harder. Batteries generally have a working life of around three years, assuming in the case of non-sealed types that they are properly maintained.
3) Check the fuel. Modern fuels can degrade when left over a period of months, so make sure your generator has a supply of fresh fuel.
4) Check oil and lubricants, being careful to use the correct grade of oil. The oil and filters should generally be changed annually.
5) Other checks – depending on the type of generator, there are other routine areas that you might need to check, including spark plugs, fuel pump, voltage regulator and cooling systems.
Be Safe and Relax
Today, most of us turn to the experts when it comes to servicing our cars and boilers, and with Templant you can take the same stress-free approach to your generator. We will ensure the right maintenance checks are performed for your specific generator, leaving you with one less thing to worry about, whatever the weather.