Generator Maintenance and Service
A standby generator sits idle until the one day it has to start. We keep home and business generators ready across Lake City, Columbia County, and North Florida, including the ones we did not install.
- Factory-Certified KOHLER Technicians
- KOHLER Titanium Tier Dealer 2026
- Licensed in Florida and Georgia
- 24/7 Calls
What An Annual Generator Service Covers
A standby generator is an engine, and it needs what an engine needs. The difference is that it never gets driven often enough to remind you. Our annual visit covers the wear items and the electrical connections that carry your house.
- Oil and oil filter change
- Air filter replacement
- Spark plug replacement
- Battery load test, terminals, charging system
- Transfer switch and connection inspection
- Fuel supply check, propane or natural gas
- A run under load to confirm it carries your circuits
On KOHLER equipment we follow Kohler's recommended maintenance schedule, and we file and maintain your warranty claims with Kohler so you are not chasing paperwork.
How Often A Standby Generator Needs Attention
Most of the year the machine looks after itself. These are the four moments that matter, and who handles each one.
| Interval | What Happens | Who Handles It |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | The unit runs its own automatic exercise cycle for several minutes | Automatic. You confirm it ran |
| Quarterly | Walk-around: oil level, leaks, debris and nests around the enclosure, error codes | You |
| After an outage | Check oil, clear debris, note total runtime | You, then call us if anything looks off |
| Annually | Full professional service: oil, filters, plugs, battery load test, transfer switch | Holly Electric |
Your owner's manual sets the exact intervals for your model and it beats any general schedule. We work to the manufacturer's numbers for the unit in your yard.
Our Generator Maintenance Plan
Most customers would rather not track any of this. A plan puts your generator on our schedule, and it changes where you stand when the weather turns.
Priority In An Outage
When a storm puts the whole county on the phone at once, maintenance-plan customers are served first.
We Call You
We reach out to schedule the annual visit instead of waiting for you to notice it is overdue.
Factory-Certified Techs
KOHLER-certified technicians on staff, working to Kohler's recommended maintenance schedule.
Warranty Handled
We file and maintain your warranty claims with the manufacturer on your behalf.
Plan pricing depends on the size, fuel type, and brand of your generator. Call (386) 755-5944 and we will put a number to your unit.
"Great work and very professional. The owner is a good and honest man and will stand behind their work."Bryan W. · Verified Google Review
Brands We Service
We install and service Generac, Kohler, Cummins, Briggs & Stratton, and Honeywell standby generators. We also service residential and commercial units no matter who installed them, so a generator another contractor put in is not a problem.
The fundamentals are the same across every major brand: clean oil, fresh fuel, a healthy battery, clear airflow, and a working exercise cycle. What changes brand to brand is the detail, things like service intervals, oil capacity, filter part numbers, and how the self-test is programmed. That is why our recommendation follows the unit in your yard rather than a script.
Signs It Needs Service Now
- You cannot remember hearing the weekly exercise cycle run
- The display shows an error code, or a code returns after a reset
- The unit cranks slowly or does not start on its self-test
- Oil staining on the pad, or the oil level is low
- The battery is more than three or four years old
- It ran through a long outage and has not been checked since
- It has been through a lightning strike or standing water
A weak battery is one of the most common reasons a standby generator fails to start, and it is the first thing our technicians check. Batteries usually last three to four years and they fail quietly.
What You Can Handle Yourself
Plenty of generator maintenance belongs to the homeowner, and we would rather you know which parts those are. Quarterly walk-arounds, clearing leaves away from the enclosure, checking the oil level, and confirming the weekly exercise ran are all yours.
The annual service, anything touching the transfer switch or house wiring, propane and natural gas line work, and error codes that persist after a reset are ours. The transfer switch connects your generator to the panel that feeds the whole house, and mistakes there can injure someone or back feed the grid.
For the full task-by-task breakdown, read our generator maintenance checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does a home standby generator need to be serviced?
Once a year for professional service, plus a weekly automatic exercise cycle that the unit runs on its own and a quarterly walk-around you can do yourself. Your owner's manual sets the exact intervals for your model. If your generator has not been professionally serviced in more than twelve months, it is due.
Do you service generators you didn't install?
Yes. We service residential and commercial generators no matter who installed them. Call us with the brand and model and we can take it from there. If you don't know when it was last serviced, we can often pull the runtime and history from the unit itself.
What does generator service cost?
It depends on the size of the unit, its fuel type, the brand, and how long it has been since the last service, so a flat number would not mean much. Contact us for an estimate on your specific generator. A well-maintained unit costs considerably less to own than one that needs a major repair after years of neglect.
What is the most common reason a generator fails to start?
A weak or dead battery. It is the first thing our technicians check. Generator batteries typically last three to four years and they tend to fail without warning, which is why the weekly exercise cycle and an annual battery load test matter so much.
When should I schedule service before hurricane season?
Spring. Hurricane season starts June 1, and service calendars across North Florida fill up as soon as the first storm forms in the Gulf. A unit that goes into June without service tends to stay that way until the season is over. Booking in spring also leaves time to run the generator under load and confirm it carries the circuits you care about.
Does maintenance affect my generator warranty?
It can. Manufacturer warranties generally expect documented professional service, so keeping the paperwork matters. On KOHLER equipment we follow Kohler's recommended maintenance schedule and we file and maintain warranty claims with Kohler for you.
Get Your Generator On The Schedule
Due for its annual service, throwing an error code, or you simply don't know when it was last looked at? We can take it from here.
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