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A Gas Generator Can Power Your Home When You Need It Most

The weather in the Sandy Springs area is becoming more and more erratic and unexpected. Ice storms, heavy snow and even spring storms can knock out the power to your home, leaving you and your family helpless until utility crews can get out on the roads and restore service. Choose a backup power source before the next storm hits, and make sure to schedule gas generator maintenance so that the system stays operational.

How It Works

A gas generator sustains continuous power by connecting to your home’s main gas supply. In that way, it will always receive power, and you won’t have to worry about losing its power source or forgetting to have enough fuel on hand. Whole-house generators, depending on the size of the system you choose, can supply power to just your home’s main systems, like the heating and cooling equipment, or to all of the electricity sources in your home. A mid-range system that employs “smart” technology can rotate power to different parts of your home as needed, and you generally get more bang for your buck when investing in this type of generator.

Maintenance

You never know when you’ll need your gas generator, but if it’s not operational when the power goes out, it’s useless. Maintaining the generator, just like other mechanical systems in your home, involves scheduling an appointment with an expert who has the training and expertise to deal with complicated, potentially hazardous gas connections. As such, this is generally not a task homeowners should attempt to do on their own.

When you hire a Reliable expert, you get solid service from a highly trained professional who will perform a comprehensive system inspection and cleaning to ensure the generator will operate without fail. Here are some of the tasks that our plumbers will perform:

  • Visually inspect the system, looking for evidence of corrosion, loose connections, leaks, etc.
  • Check the oil level in the engine.
  • Adjust the coolant, if necessary.
  • Test the delivery of the fuel, ensuring correct pressure levels and the absence of leaks.
  • Inspect the battery’s cables, connections, chargers and other components.
  • Check the system’s wiring, ensuring all wires are functional and void of corrosion or wear.
  • Test the engine’s belts and the fan coupling for tension and damage.
  • Run the system to ensure it’s in good working condition.
  • Check and replace the filters and oil, as necessary.
  • Inspect the spark plugs and clean them, if needed.
  • Test the transfer switch, ensuring that it’s operational and will prevent the backflow of power into the home when power is restored.

As long as you maintain a gas generator, it will be a reliable, safe backup power source for your Sandy Springs home. For the sake of durability and safety, make it a priority to service the system every year, alongside routine maintenance for your water heater, furnace and air conditioner.

To schedule gas generator maintenance, contact a plumbing professional at Reliable Heating & Air today. We’re happy to serve Atlanta-area homeowners, and we’re proud of our certification by Atlanta Gas Light as a Natural Gas Advantage Dealer.

Image source: Flickr