The Benefits of Updating Your Commercial Generator

Power outages, whether from storms or other natural disasters or as preventative shutoffs during wildfires and extreme temperatures, are a normal occurrence for many areas of the United States. For businesses, extended outages can spell lost revenue and a tarnished reputation. Business owners who operate in areas where power outages are more common know backup generators are an absolute must.

It’s also important to keep your commercial generator well-maintained and update it every so often to ensure it’s working at its best capacity. You don’t want to find yourself with a malfunctioning, outdated generator when you need it most. Therefore, consider this your guide to buying generators when replacing or updating your current system.

Why Is an Updated Generator So Important?

For businesses of any type or size, reliability for clients and guests is of the utmost importance, and frequent power outages can impede this. We live in a time when electricity is an absolute necessity for everyday tasks, especially for keeping businesses running. A power outage can be a frustrating nuisance when you’re at home, but the consequences are much greater when a company loses power.

In many parts of the country, power outages are an expected part of life within communities. Thunderstorms, tropical storms and hurricanes, snow and ice, wildfires and more can all cause the power to go out for an entire area — sometimes just for a few hours, and other times for much longer. If your business is located in one of these regions that experiences power outages more frequently, you know what a problem this can be for your business.

Electricity does more than just keep the lights on in industrial and commercial settings — it is an essential component of productivity and profits. In office, manufacturing and industrial settings, productivity comes to a standstill without power for computers, internet connections, tools and machinery. Gas pumps won’t work without electricity, point-of-sale terminals can’t process sales and safety can even become an issue with the lights gone and security systems turned off.

For the food service industry, extended power outages can hurt a business’s bottom line even more significantly if food spoils with fridges and freezers not working. All these examples can dig into the profits of any type of business and cost an owner a lot of money every time the power goes out.

For these reasons, backup generators can be a lifeline for many companies, especially if these enterprises are in a location where the power is likely to go out more often. Generators can keep a company running through whatever adverse conditions caused a power outage and protect your investment. This ensures you won’t lose business or productivity because of a storm.

Because generators are so important to corporations, it’s imperative to ensure these machines are updated and working properly. If you’ve had your commercial generator for years, it may have become less reliable as it aged, meaning it’s time to consider updating or replacing it to ensure efficiency and productivity remains at the desired levels.

Benefits of Updating Your Commercial Generator

When so much of your business’s bottom line relies on your generator, you want to make sure you have a good one. An aging, poorly maintained generator can be just as bad as having no generator at all. However, updating or replacing your commercial generator offers many benefits for various businesses. Here are the top advantages of updating your commercial generator:

1. EPA Compliance

Ensuring your generator is EPA-compliant is extremely important, as this means you are up to date with the latest environmental standards. The regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are constantly being updated and changed, so an older generator can quickly fall out of the current compliance recommendations. Updating your generator means you can be sure your new equipment is current with the latest EPA compliance regulations.

2. Provides Comfort

Your HVAC systems keep your business at a comfortable temperature year-round for employees and customers alike. But without power, many furnaces and air conditioning systems cannot keep working. A generator can ensure all HVAC systems keep functioning and maintaining the right indoor temperature for the season.

Extreme temperatures — both heat waves in the summer and snowstorms and cold snaps in the winter — go beyond being a comfort issue and can even become dangerous. For example, heat waves can cause dehydration and heat stroke, while extremely cold temperatures may result in hypothermia or frostbite. These weather conditions can also destroy inventory if your facility loses climate control during an outage. Keep people and products safe with the comfort a high-quality generator can provide.

3. Offers Security

A backup generator can keep the lights on no matter what, providing an added layer of security for your property. A generator can also ensure any security cameras, alarm systems and other security features keep working the way they’re supposed to. This offers a greater sense of security for your employees, customers and products.

4. Saves Lives

Keeping the power running at all times in hospitals, assisted living facilities and other health care centers can determine life or death. Many essential medical devices need electricity to run, such as oxygen compressors, ventilators and monitors. A lack of a commercial generator — or one that is old and not well-maintained — can have devastating consequences for these types of facilities. An updated and maintained generator is an absolute must-have for medical facilities to protect the lives of patients and clients who rely on medical services.

5. Protects Your Investment

You’ve likely invested a lot of money in your business — whether it’s the building itself or your furniture and fixtures, electronics, machinery and products. A commercial backup generator will protect your investment, preventing computers and machinery from shutting down improperly during a power outage. It also keeps your security systems functioning for added protection against theft.

Your generator will keep the HVAC system running, maintaining the right temperatures for valuable electronics or sensitive equipment and merchandise. Refrigerators and freezers will retain food safety and protect perishable food items from spoiling even during a power loss. Your generator can also prevent additional disasters such as a frozen or burst pipe due to freezing temperatures or water issues from a non-functioning sump pump.

6. Prevents Loss of Productivity and Income

You can keep your equipment running and keep employees working with the seamless transfer from your main power source to your generator in a power outage. You won’t have to deal with worries concerning lost productivity in the office or on the production line. Businesses such as restaurants and retail establishments can continue serving customers and maintaining sales. With a reliable commercial generator, you won’t lose any income because of a power outage.

7. Maintains Reliability

For any type of customer-facing business, keeping things running normally is key to building reliability and trust among your regulars. Customers are more likely to continue frequenting a business they know they can depend on. With a high-quality generator for backup power, you’ll maintain this reputation for reliability in the community and may even attract new customers as well.

8. Offers Peace of Mind

As a business owner, peace of mind is invaluable. You likely have various things to worry about with your company’s daily operations, but with an updated generator, power failures do not need to be one of them. Knowing your business can keep functioning no matter what situation arises can free your mind to concentrate on more important matters.

Replacing or Updating Your Generator: Things to Consider

If you already have a generator, you know how vital it is. However, if your generator is more than a few years old, you should consider some essential things, as it may be time for a replacement generator. While many generators can last for years, it is crucial for businesses to have a reliable model that won’t quit working when it’s needed.

Many business owners prefer the peace of mind that regularly replacing and updating their generator provides. Weigh these considerations if you’re thinking about updating your machinery:

• Generator age: Account for how long you’ve owned your commercial generator to help you determine if it’s time for a new one. If you’ve had the same one for years, you may be ready to replace it. However, a more accurate measurement of age lies in the number of hours it’s been used, not how long it’s been around. There’s a big difference between a slightly older generator that’s hardly been used and a newer one that’s employed constantly. One that sees significant use may be ready for an update.
• Business size: Consider how much power your business needs and if these demands have changed since you last purchased a generator. As many companies grow, their electrical power needs increase as well. Perhaps you’ve expanded your facilities, added more equipment or have newer machinery with greater power demands. If any of these are true for your business, you might’ve surpassed your old generator’s capacity. Make sure you have a commercial generator that’s the right size to handle your current needs so you won’t be left in the dark.
• New technology: If you purchased your last generator quite a while ago, you’ll realize many of today’s generators have better technology and features that can make for a better overall experience. A newer generator could be more efficient and economical and have features that make it more dependable, quieter or attractive. It’s worth it to look at your options to see if a newer generator may provide more benefits than your older model.
• Easier installation: When you already have a commercial generator installed at your business, implementing a generator replacement is that much easier and less expensive to do. Your original generator should already have a foundation, plus the utility hookups and wiring already in place, so installing a new model is much easier.
• Trade-in value and incentives: The cost of a generator replacement may be much lower than what you originally paid for your old model, because you may have some trade-in value for your older generator. This can greatly reduce the overall expenses of installing a new generator. Also, consider any additional discounts or rebates available for trade-ins or other incentives.
• New warranties: If you have an older generator, your warranty has likely expired or is nearing the end of its time limits. However, switching to a newer updated model means you get a fresh warranty and may be protected for parts and labor for any maintenance issues that crop up later. The peace of mind of having warranty coverage is a huge plus for many business owners.

How Can I Update My Commercial Generator Installation?

If you’re ready to replace or upgrade your commercial generator, you have several options to choose from. Picking the best one will help you get the most usage and dependability from your machinery, which also extends its life cycle and provides more productivity for your enterprise. Here’s a look at the choices available for commercial generator updates:

New Generators

Choosing from brand-new generators means you’ll have access to the latest technologies and cutting-edge advancements. This option may give you the highest quality and longest-lasting generator. However, it’s also likely the most costly option, which is essential to keep in mind during the research process. Think about the advantages and considerations to make between new and used commercial models and decide which type seems most fitting for your company.

Used Generators

If a new generator costs more than what your budget allows, try used commercial generators. A used generator may still be newer or in better condition than your existing one, making it a cost-effective way to upgrade. Consider factors like size, manufacturing year, EPA recommendations, what the generator was used for and how many hours it was used. Find out if it has passed load bank testing.

Numerous models are available, and EPA regulations are different in various locations, meaning you should get one that will fit your needs. A reputable dealer of used commercial generators like Woodstock Power can help you find the right model.

Surplus Generators

Another great solution that many business owners are not aware of is surplus generators. These may be a few years old but are in brand-new condition and have never been used. They come from manufacturers and dealers who may have too many in stock. Buying a surplus generator means you’ll get a brand new model at a much lower cost. It may cost a little more than a used option, but the quality makes it a great deal for any business owner.

Emissions Upgrade

If emissions standards are the main concern when searching for a new unit, and your generator is otherwise in excellent condition, you may just need an emissions upgrade. These aftermarket attachments for commercial generators help control emissions and ensure compliance with the latest EPA standards. These EPA emissions guidelines may be different from state to state, and they constantly evolve.

However, this simple upgrade is an easy way to make sure your generator is up to speed with the latest regulations. It is important to note that not every generator is eligible for an emissions upgrade due to various limitations.

Update Your Commercial Generator With Woodstock Power

At Woodstock Power, updating commercial generators is our specialty. We buy and sell used commercial generators, surplus generators and generator emissions upgrade attachments. You can browse our selection of used generators online or contact our knowledgeable staff for help in finding the right solution for your enterprise. We are happy to take your questions and discuss the best options for your business. Get in touch with Woodstock Power today!