Old man winter has one foot out the door and spring is in the air. The long-awaited sunshine has inspired many homeowners to begin making their spring cleaning to-do list. Opened garage doors and more traffic at the home improvement stores signal that some do-it-yourself projects are on the list. However, some projects should be left to a professional – namely generator maintenance.

There are many reasons to own a generator. For some, it means having peace of mind that the heat will still come on if there is a power outage. And, for others it means that their O2 tank will still work during a storm. Regardless of the reason that you own a generator, you want to make sure that it works properly when you need it – after all, your generator is your back up plan and if you back up plan fails you could be in real trouble.

Here are some steps that you can follow to maintain your generator:

• Schedule a service appointment. Early spring is the perfect time to have your generator serviced because it is after the severe weather of the winter and before the heat waves of the summer. Even if you haven’t used your generator in a while, it still needs to be serviced. If it has been sitting for any length of time without being used it could have corrosion or leaks that you don’t know about.
• When not in use store your generator indoors, preferably in a garage or shed where it is protected from the elements. If your generator is stored outdoors it could easily become home to a small nesting animal or, get rusted from rain and snow. You need your generator to work at a given notice, so take the time to make sure it is protected from damage when you don’t need it.
• Check the oil and the gas levels periodically. Just like your car, your generator is a complex piece of mechanical equipment and need fuel and lubrication. It can be easy to forget about your generator when you are using it because you are so used to not needing it. However, keeping the fluid levels maintained during use will ensure the unit does not breakdown and leave you without any power.

Generators are a great thing to have as a back-up source of power. During heavy rain and wind it is not uncommon for several thousand customers to lose power for hours. If you do have a generator, make sure to follow these simple tips to make sure that it stays in top working condition year around.

It is a fact that one of the most common reasons for fires in residential and commercial establishments is faulty electrical wirings and bad electrical jobs. Thus, you should be careful in selecting which electrician you choose to service your home or establishment in order to protect yourself, your family, and your property from untoward incidents. But with all the many electricians out there, how do you find a good contractor?

Ask for Referrals

The easiest way to find a good electrician is by asking a friend, family, neighbor, or anyone you know whom you are close with, especially if they recently hired the services of one. Be sure to ask about the costs involved, but more importantly, ask how satisfied they were with the electrician’s work. If it has been months since they hired the electrician, be sure how well is the repaired electrical system holding up and if it still works as promised by the electrician. Remember to contact that electrician if they were satisfied with his job.

Browse the Yellow Pages

Yes, folks, despite the modern era, phone companies still distribute yellow pages to their subscribers. If you don’t have one, go and borrow one from your neighbor. Reputable and established electricians are more than proud to have their business and contact number posted on the yellow pages.

Look Online

If you don’t like thumbing through the pages of the directory, then you should go online and conduct your search there. Just be sure to include in the search box your location (e.g. best electrician in New York, etc.) You’ll find that you’ll be presented with more options, and this kind of makes the search a bit more challenging. However, you can always go and join a forum for people who are hiring or hired an electrician before. They can provide you with an electrician’s number, or they refer you to some electrical shops where you can also do you inquiry.

These are just some of the most popular ways of finding a good electrician. Utilizing the methods outlined above will make the search easier, and thus get the job completed faster.

To clarify, electricians are classified as tradesmen. Wikipedia defines tradesmen as “a skilled manual worker in a particular trade or craft not in the liberal arts, “learned professions” or agriculture. Economically and socially, a tradesman’s status is considered between a laborer and a professional with a high degree of both practical and theoretical knowledge of his or her trade.” Thus, electricians, carpenters, boilermakers, plumbers and others are all considered tradesmen.

So what distinguishes an electrician from all other tradesmen?

Knowledge of Electricity

This is probably the most distinguishing characteristics of electricians that separate them from other tradesmen. Electricians are trained and educated in the art and science of electrical systems, from installation to assembly, drafting and interpreting blueprints and more. An electrician spends years studying, training and keeping updated with the latest trends in electricity.

Licenses

Electricians are required to prepare for and to pass a licensing examination in order for them to obtain their license and be able to practice their trade. Other tradesmen, like carpenters for instance, may opt to acquire a contractor’s license or not, yet they would still be able to practice carpentry in some states. Some other tradesmen like landscapers, house painters, and laborers are not required to have licenses in most states.

Diversity

Electricians are also one of the most diverse groups of tradesmen available. Electricians can be classified into different categories, from outdoor linesmen, to residential electricians and even voice, video and data installers and others. Although all these require the basic electrical skills and knowledge to complete, electricians are still required to undergo special training or apprenticeship before they can be entrusted the job.

All tradesmen, often referred to as blue-collar workers, are all different when it comes to the type of work they perform. However, they are all highly-trained and skilled in what they do. Electricians differ from other tradesmen in terms of their knowledge in electrical systems, they may also undergo longer education and training period before they are able to practice their trade, but they are equally as important as other tradesmen out there.