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One of the most common questions I get from new Generac generator owners is “How often should I service my Generac generator?”. There’s this fear among new generator owners—the fear of seeing their generator damaged after spending hundreds of dollars on it. Apart from the fear of their generator getting damaged, they are also worried about spending money on the generator. So, in that case, they want to make sure the generator is well maintained and serviced.
One of my customers asked me for tips on how he could fix a certain issue on his generator, avoiding spending some dollars on professionals since it’s something he felt he could do. And I’m sure he’s not the only one with this idea of trying to do things himself and avoiding spending funds on something he can do himself.
However, when it comes to servicing your Generac generator, it’s important you know the time interval so you can be prepared. Therefore, in this article, we’ll answer the questions of how often you should service your Generac generator, how long your generator can run without maintenance, the importance of servicing your generator, and the estimated cost of servicing your Generac generator.
Why is servicing your Generac generator important?
According to Generac Power System, periodic maintenance on your generator is important, especially when it comes to extending the life of your generator. Apart from this reason, there are still other important reasons why you should often service or maintain your generator. Among these include:
- It helps to ensure that your generator is ready to operate when you need it most, such as during a power outage or an emergency.
- It helps to extend the life of your generator and prevent costly repairs or breakdowns.
- Lastly, it helps to maintain the efficiency and performance of your generator, which can save you money on fuel and electricity bills.
Maintenance of the generator is a time-consuming task, including changing the oil, oil filter, air filter, and spark plugs, which, on a normal basis, you can do yourself without a professional. However, there are other more advanced tasks such as valve adjustments, inspecting fuel lines and connections for leaks, inspecting enclosures for dirt and debris, looking for water intrusion, and assessing and cleaning the sediment trap as necessary, depending on the model of the Generac generator you are using.
While these are simple DIY repairs, troubleshooting, and maintenance checklist tasks for your Generac generator, I will advise that for the more advanced tasks, you should ensure you invite or seek help from a certified Generac service provider and not do it yourself.
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How Often Should You Service a Generac Generator?
Generally, Generac recommends that you perform a general inspection of your generator every week or after every use. But when it comes to servicing your Generac generator, you should check the oil level before each use and change the oil and filter every 100 hours or once per year, whichever comes first. The air filter should also be replaced every 200 hours or once per year, whichever comes first. The spark plugs should be replaced every 500 hours or once every three years, whichever comes first.
How Long Can a Generac Generator Run Without Maintenance?
Different factors may affect how long your Generac generator can run without maintenance, such as the fuel type and the generator model. In general, Generac generators can operate for up to 3,000 hours before they need to be replaced. However, they also need regular care to maintain their quality and efficiency. Generac advises that you change the oil and filter every 25 hours of operation and the air filter every 100 hours of operation.
Moreover, you should check the lines and connections for any fuel or oil leaks, the enclosure louvers for any dirt and debris, the battery voltage and corrosion, and the sediment trap as needed. Therefore, you should not let your Generac generator run endlessly without doing these maintenance tasks. Otherwise, you may reduce the life expectancy of your generator and cause performance problems.
What Is the Estimated Generac Generator Service Cost?
The cost of servicing a Generac generator may vary depending on what kind of service you need, what parts you have to fix or change, and who you hire to do the job. In general, some of the possible costs are:
- Rewiring the motor of the generator, which can range from $300 to $750,
- Changing the stator and rotor, which are important for producing power, can range from $250 to $1500.
- Cleaning or changing the carburetor, which controls the fuel and air mix, can range from $50 to $200.
You can also choose to sign a yearly service contract with Generac for $200 per year, which will cover all the service costs for your generator for the whole year. However, this option may cancel your warranty if you service your generator with other professionals.
Another option is to service your generator by yourself using a maintenance kit, which can cost around $20 to $50. However, this option is not advised unless you are a professional, as you may damage your generator or cancel your warranty.
ALSO READ:- Generator Repair Cost Estimation: How Much Does it Cost to Repair Generator?
Final Thought
Don’t wait for signs until you get your Generac generator serviced. If you wait too long, sorry to say, your generator might have already started developing faults before you noticed. Overall, you should always check out your generator before running it to make sure everything is in place. Regarding the question of how often you should service your Generac generator, it depends on how you use it. But in general terms, you should follow the service A and B schedule described by Generac. If you have any question, don’t hesitate to ask!
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