If you have a generator, chances are you understand the consequences of downtime. Your commercial generator ensures that the power is always running. Backup generators ensure that your business can still perform its core functions in the event of a power outage, saving you significantly in lost revenue. For portable generators, they serve as the only source of power. However, these machines aren't infallible. That's why proper generator maintenance is vital.
If not properly maintained, the generator that serves as your business's lifeline could become a major liability. Generator failure leaves you unable to continue operations and can lead to costly repairs on top of lost revenue.
The Domino Effect of Deferred Generator Maintenance
Most business owners don't make a conscious decision not to maintain their expensive equipment. However, poor practices compound quickly. A simple missed oil change here and a delayed filter replacement there can put strain on a generator that leads to premature failure. Commercial generators are complex machines. Neglecting any of their interdependent systems can trigger failures in the rest.
Unplanned Downtime Costs
The most immediate consequence of a generator failure is unplanned downtime. By its very nature, scheduled maintenance can be planned around and accommodated. Emergency failures can occur at any time, even in critical moments where having power is important to finishing a job correctly.
To understand how these costs impact your business, look at your hourly revenue during peak operations. Should your generator go down, you'll be losing up to that much for every hour it takes to get it running again. This is money you won't be able to get back.
Regulatory Compliance Failures
In some industries, commercial generators face strict regulatory requirements. This is particularly true in healthcare, food processing, and manufacturing facilities. When maintenance isn't performed correctly in these industries, you could open yourself up to inspections and penalties from regulatory bodies such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and its NFPA 110 standard.
Beyond the lost revenue, the enforcement action for poor generator maintenance can be steep. Depending on who is enforcing the standards in your area, you may face loss of permits and fines. In extreme cases, there may even be a referral for criminal charges.
Emergency Repair Cost Escalation
Many businesses delay maintenance due to financial concerns. During heavy periods where the generators are providing valuable work or when finances are tight, it's easy to think that skipping a maintenance step or two is a good way to save money.
The problem with this calculation is that the emergency repairs that can result from reactive-only maintenance are significantly higher than those associated with proactive care. Businesses think they're saving money, but in reality, they're gambling with it.
Poor maintenance leads to catastrophic failures that proactive maintenance could have avoided. On top of that, lost revenue, expedited parts shipping, repair costs, and emergency service calls all inflate costs far beyond that of scheduled maintenance.
Customer Relationship Impact
Regardless of what industry you're in, you have customers. When generators fail and work grinds to a halt, those customers experience delays. Whether this comes in the form of delays to their product being completed, shortages in the shipments you're able to send them, or downtime of their own, customers aren't happy when they're inconvenienced. In a competitive market, they may find a permanent replacement if you let them down.
Building a Proactive Generator Maintenance Culture
Smart business owners understand that generator maintenance isn't a needless expense. Properly caring for your generators is an investment in operational reliability. Not only do your generators deserve timely maintenance, but they also deserve it from high-quality professionals who will extend the lifetime of the machine.
The technicians at Bay City Electric Works are experts in commercial generator repair. For over 90 years, we've been the best electric generator service center in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. If you operate commercial generators, contact us today to schedule your routine maintenance.
