If you wait until after an emergency arises or days before a long-anticipated hurricane, chances are you are not going to secure a back-up generator. After the first hurricane warning hits the news, everyone races to claim a generator, and as a result, the cost goes up and supply goes way down.
Planning is crucial to secure a generator before it’s too late, that means buying or reserving a generator before everyone else is trying to do the same thing. You shouldn’t wait until after hurricane warnings are already flashing across your television screen. Your best bet is to buy or reserve a rented generator before the start of hurricane season.
How to Avoid Spikes in Generator Costs During an Emergency
You can prevent paying huge spikes in generator rental rates by reserving a generator ahead of time through Cooling Power. You must reserve a generator prior to June 1st, the first official day of hurricane season in Florida. The reserve fee starts at $1,000 and varies based on the size generator you require. Once you pay your reserve fee, you are guaranteed a generator in an emergency for that hurricane season (June 1 to November 30). We also make sure your generator and transfer switch are safely installed.
Setting Up the Generator Takes Time
If you wait until a couple days before a hurricane is expected to hit land, you’ll likely find there are no generators available. And if there is one out there, it’ll cost a lot of money to rent after emergency surcharges are added. Not to mention, even if you can get a generator, if your building isn’t set up to operate the generator it’ll do you no good.
When you reserve a generator ahead of time, you have enough time for an electrician to safely and legally set up your transfer switch and back-up generator.
If I Can’t Reserve a Stand-By Generator, Will a Portable Generator Work?
A compact portable generator can fuel hairdryers, coffee makers, and an assortment of other small appliances, but it cannot fuel your entire business. To stay a step ahead of the storm (and your competition) you need a full-size tow-behind generator.
Preparing Your Generator for Hurricane Season
If you already have a generator ready to go in storage, there are several things you should do to prepare your back-up generator for hurricane season.
-Purchase enough gasoline to fuel your generator for at least a few days. Post-hurricane, gasoline supplies go down making it difficult, or even impossible, to obtain.
-Buy fuel stabilizer for after the power resumes.
-Inspect your generator. When you take it out of storage, drain any remaining gasoline and properly dispose of it. Check the fuel line to make sure there are no cracks and replace anything that’s broken or doesn’t look right. Refill the tank with fresh gasoline and run the generator to make sure it works.
Keep it running for around 15 minutes before turning it off at the fuel valve and letting the fuel line run dry. When the engine stalls, it’s time to change the oil, add fuel stabilizer to the gas, and drain the carburetor float bowl along with the sediment bowl if applicable. Now it’s safe to put the generator back in storage and assume it’ll work in an emergency.
Safety tip: Never add fuel to a hot generator or one that is currently running, gasoline can ignite when exposed to hot engine parts or exhaust.
While you inspect your generator, take the time to check over extension cords, looking for any damages and replacing cords as needed. If you run into any issues, rest assured, you still have time to get it fixed.
Rent or Buy Back-Up Generators from Cooling Power
We’ve got the power to keep your business up and running no matter how fierce the storm or wide-spread the power outage. Unsure what type or size generator you need? We are always happy to help! Give us a call today to learn more about the wide variety of generators we have available for rent, purchase, or reservation.