Having a whole-house generator is such a good call, especially considering all the things that can take out power for hours or even days at a time. Did you know that 40% of the tornadoes that occur in Tennessee touch down in the greater Nashville area? It’s very sensible of you to make plans to be prepared, should anything cause a power outage to your home.
But are you really prepared? Are you certain that your generator will work, with no problems, if it is needed? There’s only way to be sure that your whole house generator is ready for action: regular maintenance. Here’s why.
Why is regular generator maintenance essential for reliability?
- Prevents wear-related issues: Running your generator causes parts to vibrate and shift—regular maintenance realigns components and tightens screws to avoid breakdowns.
- Ensures proper lubrication: Frequent movement wears away essential lubricants; maintenance replenishes them to prevent overheating and inefficiency.
- Removes dust and debris: Disuse lets dust, grit—or even nesting materials—accumulate; cleaning clears heat-blocking buildup and protects internal parts.
Prevents fuel degradation: Stagnant onboard fuel oxidizes, thickens, and risks overheating— maintenance flushes this old fuel to preserve performance.
The causes of problems that whole house generator maintenance can eliminate fall under two umbrellas. First, there are problems caused by use, which happen when you have needed to run your generator either frequently or for a long stretch at once. Second, there are problems caused by disuse, the periods of time when the generator is not used at all.
Common Generator Problems from Frequent Use
Much of what goes on inside your generator is movement. Parts slide against one another. Vibration occurs. All this movement can cause screws to loosen or parts to end up out of alignment. This is easily remedied, but if you don’t get maintenance, it can get to the point where the generator is damaged by a loose part flying free, or the misalignment causes a breakdown.
Movement also means friction. Because of this, the parts of the generator that rub against one another are thoroughly lubricated. But all that movement wears the lubricant away, and it needs to be replenished regularly. Without enough lubricant, the friction will cause overheating, system strain, and inefficiency.
Generator Risks from Long-Term Disuse
First, keep in mind that at all times, dust and grime will be slowly accumulating. Imagine a room in your home that you hadn’t been in or cleaned in a year. The dust would really be a sight to see! Your generator is the same, and it needs to be professionally cleaned. Your technician will take apart all the components to get all the mess out of all the nooks and crannies.
Dust can layer onto components like a thick blanket, insulating them and keeping too much heat in. This can easily overheat a motor. Grit can work its way into the moving parts, adding to the friction or scraping away at components. It’s even possible that there are mouse nesting materials or droppings in there that need to be cleaned out!
Finally, there’s the issue of the fuel. Your whole house generator is connected to your local natural gas line, so you don’t have to worry about fuel sitting for years before it is used. Except for the fuel that’s already in your generator! When the generator sits unused, the fuel oxidizes, which creates impurities, and it thickens.
Old fuel can cause overheating and damage your generator! It’s important that whole house generators in Brentwood, TN have annual maintenance to clean away that old fuel and protect the system. If your generator hasn’t been maintained all year, it’s time to schedule an appointment.
Covenant Heating and Cooling is your trusted resource for reliable generator service in Nashville, TN. We are “Dedicated to the Promise of Serving You!” Contact us today.