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No matter the season, it’s crucial to ensure your standby generator will perform in the event of an emergency. Power cuts can occur unexpectedly from inclement weather or unforeseen disruptions.

Preparation is key to most everything—especially when it comes to power outages.

Power outages not only cost residential properties money—in some cases, they can also cost lives. That’s why it’s critical to stay prepared and have a reliable emergency backup power plan in place.

Make sure your home and your family are ready for unanticipated power interruptions with NSR’s emergency preparedness checklist and generator status checklist.

 

Emergency Preparation: Things to Discuss

First and foremost, be sure to have a conversation with all of your household members to ensure they understand what constitutes a disaster, how to react to different emergencies, and where to locate what they need.

Having a well-thought-out plan will ensure that you are fully prepared in the event of a power outage.

Discuss the following safety items when developing your emergency power plan:

 The dangers of each season’s inclement weather

• Who will be responsible for which roles in an emergency
• Where to locate designated on-site “safe spots” (e.g. the rooms/areas you plan on powering with your standby generator)
• How to respond to personal injuries
• How to turn off the water, gas, and electricity
• Where to locate emergency phone numbers
• Where to locate printed floor plans
• How—and when—to call 911, the police, and the fire department
• Where to locate emergency meeting places—one near the building, one outside of the neighborhood
• Where to find local CPR and first-aid classes
• Where evacuation routes are located in your area

 

Check Your Generator’s Status Before a Storm

When you catch wind of incoming inclement weather, the first thing you need to do is check the status of your standby generator; especially if it has been idle for an extended period of time. It’s essential to ensure that your generator is able to perform optimally.

Keep your family safe with this easy-to-follow generator status checklist:

1. Turn OFF your electrical/circuit breaker (usually, this is directly on the generator, but it may be next to the transfer switch).
2. Turn the generator run switch to the OFF position.
3. Wait at least 5 minutes for your generator to cool down.
4. Check the oil with the dipstick, and fill slowly, with small amounts at a time, as needed (usually, National Standby leaves extra oil near the unit). Check the dipstick frequently as you fill to avoid overfilling.
5. Restart generator in the AUTO position.
6. After the engine has run for about 1 minute, turn the same electrical/circuit breaker back to the ON position.

 

Stay Prepared

The best way to stay prepared is with regular generator maintenance. Professional maintenance will allow you to avoid future crises and keep your generator operating at its rated capacity.

Our annual service contracts keep your generator up and running year-round—saving you time, money, and frustration by ensuring a consistently reliable power supply.

 

 

Kristopher Schwind is the proud owner of National Standby Repair.