While there are choices out there for getting your generator serviced, choosing the right partner will provide you with long-term peace of mind knowing that your generator will operate as expected whenever it is needed. Your generator needs more than just oil changes. Sure, you could go with lower cost service providers, however is it worth the risk?
Choosing a less qualified partner to maintain your generator could lead to:
- Poor reliability
Often in order to keep costs down, low cost service providers will cut corners or use technicians that have little or no training, or certification. - Unforeseen costs or fines
The price you pay is not always the price that you are quoted. In order to make up for low cost maintenance programs that you are quoted, many low cost generator service providers will increase repair recommendations and inflate their repair prices. - Higher overall maintenance costs
When not done correctly the first time, there becomes a need for many more service calls or even emergency calls. This causes your net overall maintenance costs to be much higher than if it was done correctly the first time. - Loss of product or data
Is the risk of losing a whole production run, or all your corporate data really worth the risk of saving a couple of dollars? The saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is very true when it comes to generator service providers. Saving a couple of dollars on service is not worth the risk of your products or data, and is certainly not worth losing your job over. - Health and Safety Risks
Many lower cost service providers do not have the resources or commitment necessary to invest field staff’s health and safety training requirements under the MOL. Additionally they do not require or provide the legislated personal protective equipment (PPE) needed when performing services. Substandard health and safety standards create unacceptable risks for both your and the providers staff when performing services at your site. - Code compliance
Generators and back-up power systems that provide power to your lighting systems, elevators, stairway pressurization fans, fire pumps, and fire alarm systems, within your building structure are classified as life safety. Provincial Fire Codes have adopted the national CSA C282-09 standard for emergency power for buildings, which covers: design, installation, operation and maintenance. By choosing a low cost provider, you open yourself to non-compliance. Buildings and facilities that do not meet the new Fire Code standards are subject to one or more of the following: order to comply, fines, and even eviction. - Building Evacuation or Rental Generator Expense
Office buildings, condominiums and apartment complexes have been forced to connect a rental generator or evacuate due to inadequate emergency power availability. In order to avoid this you need to have code compliant generator maintenance that reduces exposure to the owner, property manager or landlord from pending lawsuits or injuries to their tenants during these failures. - Damaged Equipment
Nothing is worse than watching your very expensive machinery stutter and stop because it does not have power. The costs of fixing or even replacing this equipment could be tens of thousands of dollars. - Increased Legal Liability
Heaven forbid something would ever happen to a tenant or an employee while there was an unexpected power outage, but these things do happen. By not having your systems up to code, you open your company up to increased legal liabilities.
When it comes to your generator service providers, the lowest cost is not always the best decision. It’s worth taking the time to discover if your provider has the technical and health and safety training, code compliance programs, and integrity necessary to provide you with long-term peace of mind.
To learn more check out our free guide – The Top 10 Reasons Your Generator May Fail When You Need It Most