Now that (knock on wood) the major snowstorms are behind us, and before we deal with that inevitable heat wave, we have rainy season. And as you know, heavy rains can lead to power outages, which is why it is so important to have a back-up generator. Back-up generators can last from 10,000 to 30,000 hours, although they eventually could just wear out. Given that, it is not unusual for these items to last 20 years or longer.

Essential to that, though, is maintaining your back-up generator, much like you maintain your furnace or air conditioning unit. Here are some thoughts.

Annual Maintenance

Every year, or every six months if you use it a lot, have a professional inspect your generator. This should include:

Ongoing Maintenance

Here are some things you can and should do either on a monthly basis or after you have just used the generator