Leaving old fuel in the tank and neglecting maintenance are just some of the mistakes that people make with maintaining their home generators. These machines are made to provide buildings with power if an emergency ever knocks out their main source of energy. If you want yours to work the way it should when you need it, you must keep it in good shape. With the help of a professional generator maintenance service, you’ll have your home’s power system covered. 

Argent Heating & Cooling is a top-notch home appliance and HVAC maintenance service provider in the Washington, DC Metro area. We have over 30 years of experience in the industry. Our skilled team of technicians has helped numerous homeowners maintain their home’s heating, cooling, and air systems through our indoor air evaluations, HVAC maintenance and repair, and much more. 

Here are 4 mistakes many people make with their generator’s maintenance: 

1. Leaving Old Fuel in the Tank

One error many homeowners make is keeping old fuel in their gas-powered generator’s tank. This tends to affect the generator’s internal mechanisms when left unused for long periods. 

Condensation forms and wears on the generator’s components. Gum and varnish buildup forms around them as well, causing starting issues for you when you need your generator. 

We recommend adding a fuel stabilizer to your gas to reduce the buildup over time, as well as emptying your fuel tank and turning your generator on so that your carburetor can run until the engine stalls, getting rid of any excess fuel or buildup. 

After that, simply make sure you have fresh, stabilized gas in the tank whenever you need to use your generator. 

2. Never Changing the Oil

While old fuel alone can harm your generator, so can a lack of new oil. Much like in your car, the oil in your generator needs to be changed every once in a while to make sure it functions effectively. If you do this infrequently enough, you’ll eventually see your generator performing poorly, especially when it is most needed.

Therefore, we advise you to check your generator’s oil after around 100 hours of use in powering your home. If you notice it has become darkened and murky, then it requires a change, which can be done by a professional. 

3. Installing Too Big of a Generator

It’s difficult to know which type of generator is right for you and your home. A common issue is that home and property owners choose the wrong sized generator for their home or building—often one that is too big. “Bigger is better” is not always the best principle, especially when it comes to home generators. 

If you install one that is large and puts out more electricity than your home needs, it will waste your fuel and money. It can also cause “wet stacking,” that is, the buildup of unburned fuel in the generator’s exhaust that can end up being a fire hazard. 

Overall, we say you should work with a professional in generator maintenance and installations to find and place the right generator for your home and to help you keep it from breaking down through the years. 

4. Neglecting Regular Servicing

Another big mistake people make with their generator is avoiding or forgetting to check and maintain its condition. Even the very best generators need frequent maintenance to work at the top of their game.

This slip-up involves many of the issues listed above and much more. Taking a look and checking to see if your generator works are just the basic things you should do, but we also advise you to call up a professional service provider to perform a more thorough inspection of your generator. 

Argent Heating & Cooling: Expert Generator Maintenance in Washington DC Metro Area

Those are just some of the common mistakes we see home and property owners make with their generator systems. However, with the help of a team of excellent generator maintenance professionals, you’ll always have your backup power ready to go when you need it. Argent Heating & Cooling also offers technicians skilled in HVAC repair and installation, indoor air quality assessments, hydronic heating installation, and much more. We have years of experience and quality of service to our name. To find out more about us, call (703) 281-6300 to schedule a generator service with us today!