Is Your Home Generator Ready for the Season? A Quick Check Today Can Prevent an Outage Tomorrow

‍

As seasonal weather approaches, homeowners often focus on preparing their property — cleaning gutters, securing outdoor spaces, winterizing equipment, or stocking up on essentials. But one of the most important systems in your home is also one of the easiest to overlook: your standby generator.

Whether you’re heading into storm season, winter freeze, high winds, or summer grid strain, your generator is the last line of defense against losing power. And like any mechanical system, it needs proactive care to ensure it will perform when you need it most.

A simple inspection today can prevent an inconvenient — and costly — outage tomorrow. Here’s what homeowners should know to stay prepared and protected.

‍

Why Seasonal Generator Readiness Matters

Outages rarely happen on calm, predictable days. Instead, they strike during extreme weather — when your home depends on backup power for safety, comfort, and continuity.

When the generator has been running quietly for weeks or months without major activity, minor issues can develop undetected. Then, when the system is suddenly called into action, those small issues turn into big failures.

Pre-season checks help avoid:

‍

• Failure to start during a power outage
• Overheating or shutdown from debris buildup
• Battery failure from age or cold temperatures
• Damage from rodents or insects nesting inside the unit
• Clogged air filters lowering performance
• Low oil shutdowns
• Costly emergency repair calls

Simply put, a generator that is “fine last year” might not be ready this year — and seasonal changes accelerate wear.

‍

The Homeowner's Seasonal Readiness Checklist

A few quick steps can dramatically improve your generator’s reliability. These basic checks can be performed by most homeowners in just a few minutes:

‍

‍

1. Inspect the Area Around the Unit

Clear away:

‍

• Leaves
• Grass clippings
• Snow or ice
• Overgrown bushes
• Dirt or debris

Your generator needs airflow to prevent overheating.

‍

2. Look for Visible Damage or Wear

Check for:

‍

• Loose wires
• Chewed insulation (signs of animals)
• Rust or corrosion
• Oil stains or moisture inside the housing

Anything “that doesn’t look right” warrants professional inspection.

‍

3. Confirm the Weekly Exercise Test Completed

Most generators run an automatic test each week.

‍

• If the test hasn’t run
• Or if the display shows warnings

— your generator may not be ready for an outage.

‍

4. Check the Battery Age

Generator batteries typically last 2–3 years.
Cold weather and high humidity shorten lifespan significantly.

If you can’t remember when it was last replaced, it’s probably time.

‍

5. Inspect the Display Panel

Red or yellow alerts indicate your generator needs service.
Ignoring alerts is one of the most common causes of outage failures.

‍

6. Ensure Proper Fuel Supply

For natural gas systems, verify that:

‍

• Gas meters or regulators haven’t been obstructed
• No recent landscaping or construction has damaged lines

For propane systems:

‍

• Check tank levels
• Confirm regulators and shut-off valves are accessible

‍

7. Schedule Your Annual Maintenance If You Haven’t Yet

Just like your car, your generator requires yearly professional service to stay reliable. This includes:

‍

• Oil and filter changes
• Spark plug replacement
• Battery testing
• Software updates
• Comprehensive inspection
• Load testing

Homeowner checks are essential, but they don’t replace expert care.

‍

What Happens If You Skip Seasonal Preparation?

Many homeowners assume that if a generator hasn’t been used often, it should still work. Unfortunately, backup power systems are the opposite — long periods of inactivity allow minor issues to build up.

Common failures during outages often trace back to:

‍

• Weak or dead batteries
• Dirty air filters
• Old oil that breaks down under load
• Internal corrosion
• Faulty sensors
• Rodent or insect damage

These issues are inexpensive to resolve when caught early — but when they cause a failure during a storm, emergency repairs and power loss can become costly.

Regular preparation saves time, money, and stress.

‍

Remote Monitoring: Extra Peace of Mind for Changing Seasons

For even greater reliability, many homeowners now add remote monitoring to their generator. This allows a service provider to receive real-time alerts when the generator detects an issue — even if the homeowner is away.

‍

Remote monitoring can detect:

‍

• Battery failures
• Fault codes
• Missed exercise cycles
• Low coolant or low oil
• Controller issues

It’s one of the simplest and most affordable ways to guarantee your generator will be ready when seasonal storms hit.

‍

When to Call a Professional

If you notice any of the following, schedule service right away:

‍

• The generator didn’t complete its weekly exercise
• A warning or error is displayed
• Strange noises during operation
• Difficulty starting
• Visible rodent or insect activity
• Corrosion or moisture inside the unit

Seasonal inspection and maintenance by a certified technician provide the highest confidence that your generator will perform under pressure.

‍

A Quick Check Today Protects Your Home Tomorrow

‍

Your generator protects what matters most — your comfort, safety, and security during severe weather or grid outages. With just a small amount of proactive care, you ensure it’s ready to do its job every time.

Seasonal weather is coming.

‍
Now is the perfect moment to make sure your generator is ready.

‍

If you’d like help with a seasonal tune-up, inspection, or remote monitoring setup, Managed Generator Services is always here to help keep you ALWAYS ON.

‍