How to Protect Your Business in a Power Outage

5/11/2022 (Permalink)

Suddenly, the room goes dark. When you are at home during a power outage, you light some candles. When the electricity goes out and impacts your business, your concern level rises far above looking for light. Depending on your type of industry, you could lose a significant amount of inventory or machinery may malfunction. Investing in a generator is a smart way to protect your commercial property.

How To Choose the Best Generator

There are a variety of choices to keep your business running in the event of a power outage. The most common commercial options have the following features:

• There are portable and standby generators. Commonly, stationary businesses use the standby variety as it is always on site when needed. If you run a mobile business, the portable type is more relevant for you.
• For standby, use a single-phase for small operations, such as a retail location or office. For larger spaces that are multi-level or occupy a large building, a three-phase is a good fit.
• Generators can be turned on manually or have an automatic transfer switch. If your property is unsupervised for a period of time, such as overnight, a switch that recognizes when the power supply is interrupted is a helpful feature.

How To Prevent Generator Problems

With proper maintenance, you can reduce generator problems. Generators can last up to 30 years, depending on the amount of usage. Help it run smoothly with the following tips:

• Run the device weekly, and visually inspect for any leaks or other problems.
• Monthly, check all relevant fluid levels.
• Twice a year, have a qualified technician conduct an inspection.
• Annually, have a qualified technician change the necessary parts and test the device.

When inclement weather hits having a generator at your commercial property is one way to plan ahead and protect your business. Unfortunately, regardless of planning, sometimes storm damage occurs. In that case, contact a storm restoration specialist as soon as possible.