News & Updates

Many people do not realize this but the United States sees some of the most volatile and dangerous weather on the planet. We experience hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. When you add in earthquakes and wildfires, you can see that a lot of the country runs the risk of having the power go out a lot of the time. If you are concerned about keeping the power on during such a crisis, there are things you can do. Whether you are a commercial lighting company or run a restaurant, these tips can be helpful in and after a natural disaster or weather emergency.

1. Take a look at the risks you have. Before you are able to talk to electricians to do a generator installation, you need to do an assessment of what your facility’s needs are. You need to know what the critical loads are. Look at how much you will lose should the power go out. You need to consider general downtime and any production losses.
2. Get a standby generator for your facility. If your area sees a lot of power outages that only last a few seconds, you may not need to put in a generator. The problem arises when the power goes out for several minutes or more. Some generators can take a decent amount of time to get full power up and running. In some instances, generators will take up to 120 seconds to reach full engagement. If that is too long for your facility, you can work with electrical contractors to find a better solution. Your commercial lighting company can also work with you to get you the light you need during a power outage.
3. Work on getting the right amount of fuel storage. Not all power outages are fixed within a few hours. There are instances, all over the country, when a crisis strikes and the power is out for days or even weeks. Working with local generator installation services, you can plan for this.
4. Keep your equipment up to date. There are safety and electrical rules and regulations that govern the operation and maintenance of generators. These exist to make sure generators are able to operate the way they are intended to. Your generator installation services can give you more information but you basically need to run your generator from time to time to make sure it still works properly.
5. Think about renting your power. If your power needs are minimal, you may not want to go out and get a larger generator installed at your facility. You can consult your commercial lighting company or with rental firms to see about renting emergency power for times when there is a general power outage in your area.
6. Make sure you have your generator placed correctly. The placement of your generator is very important. Even the best generator will not be able to work if it is submerged in water, for instance. You can get guidance from the generator installation services company to help you put your generator in the right place. This is most important for parts of the country that experience a lot of flooding.
7. Make sure your generator has enough air around it. It is extremely dangerous to run any kind of generator in a space that is enclosed. Most electrical generators emit at least some carbon monoxide. This is not as big a deal if the unit is outside but can be deadly when the unit is in operation inside. That is why these pieces of equipment should never be run inside. The same rule holds true for kerosene heaters, grills that use coal, and other devices. None of these appliances should be used in a garage either.
8. Keep an eye on your load. As you add circuits and new demands to your facility, you need to update and upgrade your generator. You can work with the company that did your original generator installation to keep your equipment up to date. You may need more power than you did when your generator was installed.

You can work with your commercial lighting company and local electricians to keep your company open during a power outage.