Repair Recommendations: Why Ignoring Them Puts Your Emergency Power System at Risk
When you purchase and maintain a commercial generator, you’re investing in peace of mind. It’s the assurance that when the power grid fails, your business operations continue without interruption. But what happens when your generator service technician points out a repair that needs to be addressed, and that recommendation is put off?
At GenServe, we see this scenario more often than you might think. A customer’s Emergency Power System (EPS) can end up in limbo, unable to receive its scheduled preventive maintenance until key repairs are performed. This not only leaves the unit vulnerable in an outage but can also undermine the value of the service contract itself.
In this article, we’ll explore:
- How this situation occurs
- What can be done to prevent long delays
- What happens if both routine maintenance and repair recommendations are ignored
And most importantly, we’ll explain why timely repairs protect both your investment and your peace of mind.
Can I Ignore Preventative Maintenance On My EPS For A While?
Preventive Maintenance (PM) visits are designed to keep your generator reliable by addressing issues before they become failures. However, PM can’t be performed properly if underlying problems exist. For example:
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- Damaged belts or hoses: If a cracked belt is ignored, routine testing could cause it to fail completely.
- Battery replacements: Weak or corroded batteries make start-up tests unreliable, rendering other checks meaningless.
- Oil or coolant leaks: Without repair, these can skew test results and damage engine components.
- Worn-out safety devices: Breakers, transfer switches, or alarms that aren’t functioning properly can’t be “maintained” until they’re operational.
In each of these cases, technicians document the required repairs, but until they’re completed, even PM may not keep your unit from failing. Think of a car with an oil leak. You can always put more oil in the engine, but the leak is still there…and probably getting worse.
Why Do I Need Repair Recommendations If I Have A Maintenance Plan?
Repair recommendations are supposed to go hand-in-hand with your maintenance plan. Here’s how you should treat the two:
1. Act Quickly on Repair Reports
When your technician provides a written recommendation, treat it with urgency. These notes aren’t suggestions, they’re requirements for keeping your EPS in ready condition.
This is especially true with older EPS units. For these, the units may have become obsolete, and ordering new parts can either take a long time or may not be available at all. PM can be the one thing that keeps an older unit running properly.
2. Budget for Repairs Alongside PM
Think of preventive maintenance and repair work as two sides of the same coin. Set aside funds for the unexpected, so small issues don’t become budget roadblocks that leave your generator idle.
3. Schedule Repairs Immediately
Repairs should be scheduled as soon as possible, ideally before the next PM cycle. Delaying pushes your EPS into downtime, while the clock on your service contract keeps ticking.
4. Work With Your Customer Experience Representative (CER)
At GenServe, our CERs are here to guide you through repair scheduling and options. They can help prioritize urgent repairs, arrange for quick turnaround, and keep your service contract on track.
5. Understand the Cost of Inaction
It’s easy to think, “We’ll get to it later.” But ignoring repair recommendations often costs more in the long run, whether through emergency call-outs, failed inspections, or actual system downtime during an outage.
What Happens if Repairs and Routine Maintenance Are Ignored?
When repairs and maintenance fall through the cracks, several consequences follow:
1. Your Generator May Fail When You Need It Most
The most serious risk is simple: the unit won’t start or operate during an outage. Without current PM and necessary repairs, reliability is no longer guaranteed.
2. Regulatory and Safety Risks Multiply
If your facility is subject to inspections by the Fire Marshal or other authorities, missing documentation due to paused PM can lead to fines or penalties. In healthcare, data centers, and other mission-critical sectors, compliance isn’t optional.
3. Service Contract Value Diminishes
As time passes without PM, you’re losing part of the value of your contract. Months can slip away while repairs sit unaddressed, reducing the number of preventive cycles you receive within your contract term.
4. Minor Issues Become Major Repairs
A small coolant leak today may become a seized engine tomorrow. Ignored repair recommendations often escalate into costlier, more disruptive emergencies.
5. Your Business Faces Downtime Costs
For many businesses, even a brief power outage means lost revenue, unhappy customers, and reputational damage. Without a reliable generator, you’re gambling with business continuity.
The Smart Move: Stay Ahead of Repairs
An EPS is only as strong as its weakest component. Routine maintenance works best when repairs are handled promptly, allowing technicians to test and service a generator that’s fully functional. By acting quickly on repair recommendations, you:
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- Keep your system ready for emergencies
- Protect your investment in both the generator and your service contract
- Avoid emergency repair costs
- Maintain compliance and avoid fines
- Safeguard your operations against downtime
Final Thoughts
Ignoring repair recommendations is like driving a car with the check engine light on. Sure, might get away with it for a while, but eventually, it will cost you. For your EPS, the stakes are even higher: lives, safety, and business operations depend on a reliable backup power system.
At GenServe, we’re committed to helping you keep your generator in peak condition—not just maintained, but ready. That’s why we stress the importance of completing repairs as soon as they’re recommended.
Don’t leave your Emergency Power System in limbo. If you’ve received repair recommendations, or if your PM schedule has been paused because of outstanding repairs, take action today.
Call your Customer Experience Representative at GenServe now at (650) 321-6169 to book a free estimate for repair recommendations.
Or read more about preventive maintenance on our blog: