How Does a Backup Generator Benefit a Business?

Many businesses don’t have commercial generators to protect themselves in case of power outages that may occur due to a heat wave, cold snap or severe weather. This guide reviews why emergency power generators may be worth the investment for your business and why standby generators are more effective than a traditional portable generator.

The Benefits of a Backup Generator for Your Company

There are many reasons you may encounter a power outage. Hot weather and the inability of utility companies to keep up with power demands may subject you to rolling blackouts. Inclement weather may down power lines and cut your business off from the electrical grid until repairs are performed. Here are the most important things to consider when deciding how to protect your business.

Power Outages Result in Lost Productivity 

Whenever you encounter a power failure, your staff must stop what they’re doing until power is restored to your business. This doesn’t just make it more difficult for them to continue their tasks while the power is out; it also forces them to catch up once the outage has passed. The time that staff stands idle costs you money, because you’re still paying their wages despite their inability to perform tasks.  

A Standby Generator Keeps Your Business Running Smoothly 

Having a generator for your business eliminates the downtime that occurs during a power outage. Your staff is able to continue helping customers and completing important tasks, even when your business isn’t connected to the main electrical grid.  

Losing Power Reduces the Value of Your Investments 

Some businesses can lose inventory during power outages, especially those that store food products that need to remain at a certain temperature to stay safe. You’re also not moving product if you have a physical storefront and customers can’t check out because your systems are down. Losing electricity can cost you thousands of dollars, even if your power is only out for a few hours.  

Protect Your Assets During a Power Outage With a Backup Power Source 

Having a standby generator allows you to continue to store your product without power interruption until you’re connected to your main power supply again. You won’t lose thousands of dollars during the power outage, and not needing to worry about unplanned downtime ensures you’re always available for customers during your stated hours.  

A Power Outage Can Pose Safety and Security Risks 

Many businesses are unaware of the health hazards a power outage may cause. During the summer months, heat exhaustion is a real threat to employees and customers when your air conditioning is out, and extremely cold winters pose even greater risks to your employees and property. If your pipes freeze, you could be on the hook for expensive repairs. 

Backup Generators Protect Your Business and Equipment 

A commercial backup generator has a monitoring system that immediately uses an alternative fuel source to generate electricity when it detects power loss. This keeps your pipes from freezing in the winter, keeps your security system online and provides air conditioning in the summer while your employees continue to do their work.  

Lost Power Threatens Your Data

Electronic data can be compromised when you lose power. Customer data and important system data stored on your computers may be lost during a power surge or when a computer suddenly shuts off. Anything your staff was working on at the time of the emergency could be lost, which contributes to lost productivity.  

A Reliable Backup Generator Keeps You From Losing Important Data 

An emergency generator can provide power during an emergency so you don’t lose important information such as customer contact information, sales and financial data, and other key information that’s stored on your computers. You can also maintain contact between your staff members so they can take appropriate measures to protect your data during the power outage. 

How Does a Commercial Generator Work? 

Generators such as the Generac standby generator use an alternative fuel source to produce electricity when you’re experiencing main power supply cuts due to inclement weather or local emergencies. The standby generator is permanently installed and comes with an automatic transfer switch that seamlessly switches the power from your building’s power grid to the backup generator.  

Most standby generators use natural gas or propane to produce electricity, so you can connect the generator to your natural gas lines or store a backup supply.  

What Is the Difference Between a Standby Generator and a Gasoline-powered Unit? 

You have the option of purchasing portable generators to generate emergency power. These generators require you to be present to turn them on. If your staff doesn’t know how to use them, your business can’t stay open while your staff waits for you to turn the generator on. Using a standby generator that runs on natural gas can also save money, as natural gas is typically a less expensive fuel source than gasoline.

The convenience of knowing that your business can continue to operate without any interference or need to react is the most important benefit of a standby generator. Ultimately, this is what makes it much better than a generator you need to start manually.

Generator One Has You Covered 

With leasing options available to rent a commercial generator, it’s now quite affordable to have one installed in your building. Generator One offers service contracts that include installation, regular maintenance and emergency service. Give us a call at (440) 942-8449 or fill out our contact form to learn more.