Yes, generators need maintenance! It’s very important to have the proper maintenance done on your generator by a professional at AAA Service Network at least once a year. Keeping up on your generator’s maintenance will ensure that everything is in working order and may even extend the lifespan of your system.

On average, generators should last about 20 years. It’s important to note that properly maintaining your generator will make all the difference in how well it performs and how long it lasts. Always have a professional from AAA Service Network perform your yearly generator maintenance.

The simple answer is no. The more detailed answer is no, because it is not only extremely dangerous but also illegal. Plugging your portable generator directly into a standard wall outlet can cause back-feeding into the utility lines that connect to your house, causing serious injury or even death to an unsuspecting utility worker who is working to restore power or downed utility lines. There’s also a risk that by connecting your portable generator to an electrical outlet that you can overload your circuits and cause a fire. Having a licensed professional install a transfer switch is the best way to prevent a disaster. A transfer switch will disconnect your home from the electrical grid while allowing your generator to power your home. Transfer switches come in manual and automatic options are recommended for both portable and standby generators.

If your generator has been properly installed and maintained, it should not overload. But, in the event that it does, the generator’s circuit breaker will trip. To correct this, reset the breaker on your generator. This is only a temporary solution. If your generator is frequently overloading, something is wrong and you will need to have an expert from AAA Service Network investigate the problem.

Automatic standby generators are essentially backup generators. In the event that your main generator fails, the automatic standby will kick in and restore power. Automatic standby generators will operate whether you are home or away, and run on natural or liquid propane gas. Within seconds of an outage, the standby generator will automatically supply power directly to your home’s electrical circuit breaker box. After utility power returns, the standby generator will then automatically shut itself back off until the next outage. If you are thinking about installing an automatic standby generator, call AAA Service Network to assess your home and provide you with more information and even a free price estimate.

There isn’t necessarily one single type of fuel that is best, as they all have pretty major advantages and disadvantages. Gasoline is easily accessible, but also highly flammable, making it dangerous to keep large amounts on hand (it will also spoil if unused after a relatively short amount of time). Propane has a much longer shelf life, but propane tanks are also very large and obtrusive. Lastly, Diesel is the least flammable of the three, but will spoil after about two years if unused.