Why Every Business Needs a Standby Generator

At Valley Power Systems, we believe that a standby generator is a great investment for California business owners. Power outages can happen at any time, and you don’t want to be left in the dark when they do. A commercial generator can help you keep the power on should the unexpected happen. Consider these top benefits of purchasing a standby power system for your business.

Protects Your Bottom Line

A power outage can leave your business without electricity for hours, even days, at a time. Without a backup power system, you’ll have no choice but to halt your operations until the power is restored. A prolonged outage can cost your business thousands of dollars in lost productivity. This kind of loss can be devastating for a small business. However, if you purchase a standby generator, the unit can keep power flowing to your critical business systems without disruption, protecting your bottom line.

Handles High Power Loads

Today’s commercial generators are capable of handling high power loads to keep your business running during an extended power outage. Generators come in a wide variety of sizes and power capacities, and every business will have unique needs. When choosing a new generator, you should size it appropriately according to your facility’s power requirements. You should take into account all of the electrical systems that you will need it to run during an outage, such as equipment, computers, lighting, and security systems. For more information on properly sizing your generator, check out our blog here.

Provides Security for Your Building

If you have an automatic transfer switch for your generator, you can make sure that the unit powers up as soon as your facility loses electricity. If a power outage happens in the middle of the night, you won’t have to worry about coming to the facility to turn on the unit. The automatic transfer switch senses when the power failure occurs and then prompts the generator to kick on. This ensures that the lighting and security systems are always running to help keep your building safe from potential intruders.

Standby Generators Keep You Connected

With a standby generator, your business can remain connected and operational during a power failure. You’ll still be able to make phone calls, use the internet, and send emails and faxes as needed. While other businesses in the community may have to close down, you will be able to maintain contact with customers throughout the outage, which can be invaluable in an emergency situation.

Protects Your Equipment

Sudden power surges can damage computers, machines, and other important equipment in your building. When an electrical device receives too much power at once, it can overheat and break down. A severe power surge could even cause your equipment to catch fire. A generator prevents dangerous power surges by keeping power flowing without interruption.

Provides Peace of Mind

A generator can give you peace of mind that you will have the necessary power regardless of when an outage occurs. This assurance is well worth the investment for many business owners who worry about unplanned downtime and the associated financial losses.

Top Causes of Power Outages

The truth is, you never know when the power might go out. In 2019, millions of Californians lost power after PG&E cut power in a pre-emptive move to reduce the risk of wildfires. This left many residents and business owners without the power they needed for several days, and even longer in some counties. Planned shutoffs aren’t the only reason you might lose power. Other main causes of power outages include:

 

Severe storms

High winds, ice, snow, lightning, and other adverse weather conditions are the top reasons why power failures happen.

Car accidents

Sometimes, an accident will make a vehicle collide with a utility pole and cause a power outage.

Trees

Inclement weather, construction activities, and poor tree maintenance can cause trees and limbs to fall and hit a power line.

Digging

Construction crews, home renovators, and other professionals can hit underground cables when digging and inadvertently cause an outage.

Earthquakes

The tremors of an earthquake can cause widespread power failure as lines are disrupted.

 

You can protect your business from outages by purchasing a new generator unit from Valley Power Systems. We’re proud to serve business owners throughout California.

Avoid Costly Outages With Maintenance

Once you have a new generator, it’s important to keep it maintained to help avoid unexpected shutdowns. A generator usually requires maintenance after so many continuous service hours, which will depend on the make and model of your particular unit. If you’re unsure when maintenance should be performed, check with the manufacturer, or contact one of our generator specialists at Valley Power Systems. We offer all the generator services you need to stay up and running.

 

Generator maintenance will typically cover:

 

Oil and filter changes

Keeping your oil and filters changed regularly will help maximize your generator’s lifespan. Fresh oil lubricates the moving parts of the generator’s engine, which helps to reduce wear and tear. Clean filters help to keep debris out of the engine while promoting optimal airflow.

Coolant check

The maintenance technician will ensure your coolant is at the proper level. While coolant doesn’t need to be changed out as often as oil, it should be inspected regularly for quality to reduce the risk of overheating.

Fuel refill

If you have a diesel engine, you’ll want to make sure that the fuel is refilled as needed. Allowing the fuel to get too low can contaminate the engine with residue that accumulates at the bottom of the tank.

Comprehensive unit inspection

Check your generator for proper operation and cleanliness. If the technician notices any problem with the unit, you can address it right away before it has a chance to shut down your system.

Make sure you’re prepared for a power outage with a reliable commercial generator. Valley Power Systems has a wide range of makes and models available from top manufacturers. Our team can help you select the right size generator for your needs. Contact our knowledgeable staff to explore your generator options today.

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