How Long Does a Commercial Generator Last?

3/30/2020 (Permalink)

Is your business ready for when disaster strikes.

Unless you're the owner of an old-fashioned candle-making company, electricity is probably central to your business operations. When disaster strikes Salt Lake City, UT, you can rely on your commercial generator to kick in and keep your business thriving. It'll be there to light the way for the commercial property restoration company that's working to get your company back on its feet, too. It's the workhorse of your company's emergency preparedness plan, and when it's working properly, you may not even know that it's there.

What Commercial Generators Do

Commercial generators provide power when your regular service is interrupted. Hiccups in your electricity can be caused by an assortment of causes:

• Floods
  
• Earthquakes
• Lightning
• Snowstorms
• Trees and other impacts on power lines
• Auto accidents involving utility poles
• Animals
• A citywide overload of the power grid
  

Generators themselves can be operated by a variety of sources, including natural gas, diesel, liquid propane and solar power. Each type of fuel carries its own pros and cons. Natural gas, for example, is provided by your utility company, which means you'll have a limitless supply during a lengthy outage. Diesel-powered generators, meanwhile, are commonly viewed as the most reliable.

How Long Commercial Generators Last

Generally speaking, a commercial generator should last for an average of 3,000 hours. More sophisticated models may stretch that out to 5,000 hours. In a lifetime of average use — running it during the day during power outages and shutting it off at night — most generators can last for between 20 to 30 years.

How You Can Make It Last Longer

Like most commercial equipment, machinery and appliances, the keys to longevity are regular maintenance and prompt service. Addressing generator problems as soon as they arise, or better still, preventing all together them via regular inspections, can maximize your generator's lifespan and help you get the most out of your investment.

A commercial generator is a crucial component of many businesses' disaster contingency plans. Take care of yours and it can provide safe, reliable back-up for decades.