How should I prepare my generator for winter?

When it comes to providing peace of mind, few home comfort appliances can compete with a whole house generator – but that’s true only if your generator works reliably when you need it most.

To make sure your generator answers the call if you need it this winter, be sure to do these three things:

• Fuel it – Keep enough propane on hand to enable your generator to run for at least a week during a power outage – severe weather can render roads impassible, leaving propane delivery crews out of the picture for periods of time.
• Run it – You wouldn’t try to run your car after letting it sit idly in your driveway all winter long, would you? The same logic applies with your propane backup generator, which sits outside through the long cold winter months. During the coldest months, run your generator at its full load for 30 minutes once per month to lubricate moving parts and maintain important seals. Follow the same routine during the rest of the year, decreasing the frequency to once every three months.
• Service it – Proper care is the key to keeping your propane whole house generator running at its reliable best. An annual tune-up – performed by a trained generator maintenance professional – is a must; twice per year (pre-summer and pre-winter) is ideal. Contact us today to learn more about propane backup heater maintenance in northern NJ.

Bolkema Fuel – there when you need us most, just like your propane backup generator should be. Contact us today to learn about whole house generator installations and propane generator service in Northern NJ.