Electricity has literally changed the world, both in terms of the way we live and the way we work. Unfortunately, it has also made our society immeasurably more fragile. Nothing underscores this simple fact more painfully than when the lights suddenly go out.
In the blink of an eye, those in the area of the outage are transported back to Colonial days, and to put it bluntly, most of us aren’t accustomed to living and working in those conditions.
If you think it can’t happen where you are, think again. It’s not a question of if, it’s a matter of when. Snowstorms are notorious for knocking power out for tens of thousands, or even millions, often for weeks at a time, as are hurricanes.
Tornados and roadside accidents where power lines are involved tend to have more localized impacts, but they can still both knock the grid out in your area for days or even weeks at a time. When the lights inevitably go out, what’s your contingency plan? If you don’t have a commercial standby generator in Mclean, VA, those plans are sorely lacking.
Obviously, some businesses have a more pressing and immediate need for one than others. Any company that works with food in any capacity, for example, runs the immediate risk of food spoilage if their freezers go offline for longer than just a few hours.
The simple truth, however, is that if you can’t get the lights on, and you can’t power the equipment your business relies on to function, you’re going to be bleeding red ink until the situation is resolved. A commercial standby generator in Mclean, VA is the answer to that.
If you’ve not considered acquiring one for your business, here’s what you need to know to make a good decision on that front.
Before you open up your checkbook or start surfing the web looking at various models, the first order of business is to take stock of how much electrical generating power you’ll need when the power fails. Will you need to run absolutely every piece of equipment in your office? For most people, the answer to that question is no, but then it raises another question: Which specific lights and machines do you need to get your business functional again for the duration of the outage?
Making a list of that equipment gets you closer to right-sizing your future commercial standby generator in Mclean, VA, but that’s just the beginning. The next step should be to conduct a comprehensive energy audit of your company.
That’s exactly what it sounds like it is. A detailed accounting of exactly how much energy your business uses, and how much each of your appliances and pieces of equipment is contributing to the total. It’s something you can do yourself, or, if you’d rather have a bit of expert help on hand, it’s something we can do for you.
The results of the energy audit may shock you. Even if you’re not outright shocked, you’ll undoubtedly find more than a few surprises in the report we deliver to you at the conclusion of the audit.
Even if you were to stop there and decide against the purchase of a commercial standby generator in Mclean, VA, the energy audit of your company can enhance your bottom line by showing you where your biggest energy drivers are.
If you’ve got several pieces of equipment that stand out as energy hogs in your operation, then as they begin to reach the end of their useful lives, you can replace them with dramatically more energy efficient models. One thing many of our clients are shocked by is how much electricity simply powering all the lights in their company uses. Swapping these out with LED bulbs as your incandescent or fluorescent bulbs burn out can save you 15% or more on your monthly energy costs, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
In any case, if you are interested in acquiring a commercial standby generator in Mclean, VA, the energy audit is a crucial first step, because once you have that hard data before you, you can compare it to your list of business critical equipment and come to a firm understanding of exactly how much generating capacity you’ll need to weather a power outage.
The next thing to consider is this: There are a dizzying array of generators on the market today, powered by a variety of fuels. You can find gas-powered generators, others that run on natural gas or kerosene, and still others that are solar powered. You’ll even find a few multi-fuel generators, which are incredibly valuable for their sheer versatility.
Ultimately, this part of the equation comes down mostly to personal preference, but it’s something to factor into your thinking.
Once you’ve gotten a handle on your energy usage, made a list of critical equipment and gained a better understanding of what your power needs would be in the aftermath of an outage, you have a good idea of the amount of generating capacity you’ll need. At that point, you’re well-positioned to go shopping for the commercial standby generator in Mclean, VA that’s right for you.
As we mentioned though, there are a dizzying array of makes and models on the market today. So many, in fact, that trying to choose from among them can lead to a bit of analysis paralysis. If you’d rather simplify that process, you should know that we carry a full line of world-class Generac commercial standby generator in Mclean, VA and would be happy to work with you to find the one that offers the best fit for your business, at a price you can afford.
If you opt to buy a generator from us, we’ll handle the installation for you, and instruct you on its use in the event of an outage. We can also put you on our preventive maintenance program, which is an incredibly cost-effective way of ensuring that your generator just works when you need it, giving you tremendous peace of mind.
While we’re on the topic of generators, it’s worth mentioning that if you have one to protect yourself and your family from an outage at home and you’ve owned it for a number of years, it’s well worth taking the time to have a home energy audit conducted too, and to review your power needs. It may well be the case that over time, you’ve outgrown your current generator and it’s time to consider a replacement that’s better able to handle your current energy needs.
In addition to helping our clients conduct energy audits and find the perfect generators for their homes and offices, we also specialize in home automation. For years, the reality of home automation hasn’t lived up to the hype. We’re happy to report that that has now changed. Today’s technology makes it possible to create a highly automated home or office, which gives you an unparalleled, and previously unheard of level of control that can save you time, frustration and money. Consider the following scenarios:
With a highly automated office, if you’ve gone on vacation and are leaving your company in the hands of trusted subordinates, you can still keep your finger on the pulse of your company, no matter where you are, by keeping an eye on total energy usage.
If you find that in your absence, people are leaving lights and other equipment on when nobody’s there, you can quietly power those devices off, so you’re not paying for electricity that nobody is using.
Having a real-time bird’s eye view into your company’s power usage will also allow you to spot energy-hogging appliances and equipment in much the same way that an energy audit can, which gives you a greater ability to plan for the future, retiring those pieces of equipment and replacing them with more energy efficient alternatives that don’t sacrifice anything in the way of functionality.
On top of all that, of course, we also offer a full range of electrical services for both commercial and residential clients, so whatever your needs are when your company’s or home’s electrical system is concerned, we’ve got you covered. Give our office a call today.