Hurricane Season is on its way, with August, September, and October being the months with the most hurricanes in the US. Many of us have seen and probably felt first- hand the devastating effects hurricanes can have on our homes and businesses. According to Time Magazine, the cost of lost business activity from Hurricane Sandy in 2012 was a shocking $25 billion and the resulting power outages affected people in 17 states! In thinking about power outages caused by these storms, did you know power outages are becoming more and more frequent? Research from Climate Central reported that since 2003, the average number of weather related power outages have doubled.
We are not trying to make you panic but rather trying to help you prepare. So obviously you can’t avoid natural disasters, but what can you do to better plan for them and the power outages they cause? Start with this fact: 80% of generator failures are a direct result of issues relating to the fuel!
The large number of generator fuel related problems can be caused by the following:
- Insufficient supply- is there enough fuel in the generator?
- Poor quality fuel- does the fuel meet all specification requirements?
- Stagnant fuel- has it been sitting for too long? Fuel is a very sensitive product which is not meant to stay in the tank over long periods of time.
- Microbial Growth- is the fuel contaminated with water and infected with this hazardous type of bacterial growth?
How do you know if your generator fuel is ready? Below are 3 tips to help make sure your generator fuel is fresh, health, and ready to perform:
- Try to estimate the age of the fuel.
- Find out when was the last time the fuel was tested.
- Determine if the tanks been checked for water and been drained.
Diesel Direct provides premium fuel for emergency generators of all sizes. We also offer Business Continuity Protection Programs in Gold, Silver, and Platinum levels to assure priority service during those difficult times when fuel is most necessary. Our Platinum Program offers yearly testing of fuel for water and microbial contamination. Diesel Direct also can provide tank monitoring technology to monitor fuel levels remotely and schedule automatic deliveries based on actual need or pre-determined minimum levels Contact us today to find out more about our Business Continuity Programs and generator fueling services!
