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In the Tri-State area, winter is more than just a season; it is a stress test for your facility’s infrastructure. From the Hudson Valley to Northern New Jersey, ice storms, heavy snowfall, and freezing temperatures threaten the stability of the power grid every year.

For most businesses, a power outage is an inconvenience. For assisted living and long-term care facilities, it is a critical safety hazard.

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Residents rely on consistent power for heating, medical devices, and mobility. When the grid goes down, your standby generator isn’t just a backup plan—it is the lifeline that keeps your facility compliant, safe, and operational. Here is how National Standby Repair ensures your facility is ready to weather the storm.

The Stakes: Why Failure Isn’t an Option

Assisted living facilities face unique challenges during outages. It isn’t just about keeping the lights on; it’s about maintaining the “Continuity of Care.”

• HVAC & Heating: In freezing January temperatures, a building can lose heat rapidly. Maintaining a safe ambient temperature is non-negotiable for elderly residents.
• Medical Equipment: Oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines, and monitoring devices require uninterrupted electricity.
• Mobility & Safety: Elevators must remain operational for residents with limited mobility, and emergency lighting is essential to prevent falls during the transition to backup power.

Common Winter Generator Vulnerabilities

Even the most robust Generac, Kohler, or Cummins system can fail if not properly winterized. Cold weather exposes weaknesses in standby systems that might go unnoticed during the summer.

• Battery Failure: Cold weather drains battery cranking power. A weak battery is the #1 reason generators fail to start during a storm.
• Diesel Fuel Gelling: If you rely on a diesel generator, low temperatures can cause the paraffin wax in diesel fuel to crystallize (gel), clogging filters and starving the engine of fuel.
• Wet Stacking: If a generator runs with a light load for long periods (often during testing), unburned fuel accumulates in the exhaust system. This can become a major fire hazard when the generator is finally pushed to full capacity during a real emergency.

How NSR Prepares Your Facility

At National Standby Repair, we don’t just fix generators; we ensure they are combat-ready. Our approach for healthcare and assisted living facilities focuses on preventative rigor.

1. Load Bank Testing

Simply starting the generator isn’t enough. We perform Load Bank Testing to artificially apply a full load to the generator, simulating a facility-wide power outage. This confirms the engine’s ability to handle the actual demand of your elevators, HVAC, and medical equipment without overheating or stalling.

2. Fuel Polishing & Sampling

To prevent gelling and sediment buildup, our technicians test fuel quality and offer polishing services. This ensures that the fuel sitting in your tank is clean, stable, and ready to flow freely even when the temperature drops below freezing.

3. Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) Maintenance

The ATS is the bridge between the utility grid and your generator. If this switch fails, your generator may run perfectly, but the power will never reach your building. We inspect and test the ATS to ensure a seamless transition to the second utility power is lost.

Secure Your Facility Before the First Snowflake Falls

You cannot predict when an ice storm will hit Westchester or when a blizzard will strike Fairfield, but you can control your readiness.

National Standby Repair is a veteran-owned, family-operated business that understands the weight of responsibility you carry. We offer Annual Service Contracts and 24/7 Emergency Service so that you—and your residents’ families—can sleep soundly knowing the power will stay on.

Don’t wait for the forecast to turn. Contact National Standby Repair today to schedule your winter maintenance check.