Choosing a Generator Rental Provider? Ask These Questions First

You may need a generator to protect your business against a power outage or even a planned spike in energy demand. For many businesses, renting generators makes sense, particularly for short-term and infrequent use. To make sure you get the most out of your investment, you will need to ask generator rental providers the right questions about the generator, accessories, the service agreement, and their company.

8 Questions You Need Answers to

These eight questions can help you decide which commercial generator rental company to choose:

1. Which generator should you choose for your business?

Several factors determine which size and type of generator you should rent. Some obvious considerations will include the environment and space you have for your generator and the power demands your business could have. For instance, a generator without enough capacity won’t be able to power critical operations when called upon. On the other hand, you don’t want to pay for more power than you need. In addition, running a generator with a demand well below capacity can stress the machine through inefficient combustion.

A good generator provider will take the time to learn about your requirements and any constraints and expectations you might have in order to help you correctly size the generator. You may also ask about generators the provider has supplied in similar situations to your own to make sure that the provider has experience with businesses like yours.

2. Will the generator rental include everything you need?

In order for the generator to power your business safely and effectively, you may also need accessories. Some examples could include cable ramps to run cables and spider boxes to support multiple plugs. Depending upon the environment, you may need such items as a cover or even a cold weather kit. You will also have to choose between an automatic and a manual power transfer.

A good provider will proactively suggest the right package of generators and accessories and then deliver a turnkey package to your business site. You should also be easily able to understand the total price for your generator and any accessories you need.

3. Will the rental company deliver and install the generator?

When you decided to rent a generator, you may not have planned to rent a truck to retrieve the equipment, unload it, and then set it up yourself. These tasks will consume even more time and money, plus you will need to make sure you have the equipment insured during transportation. Still, many generator rental companies will expect you to transport your generator and be responsible for it during the move.

Good generator rental providers will deliver and offer to install your generator when you rent it and then disconnect and pick it up when you’re finished with it. They can also supply technicians to run the generator, perform maintenance, or help train your staff.

Cat XQ400 diesel generator on rent at a construction site in Illinois.

4. Can you call upon your rental company on short notice?

In the best case, you can prepare your business for a power outage by renting your generator before storms or planned outages. Sadly, power outages aren’t always planned and forecasters can’t always accurately predict weather severity. A good generator company will have the manpower and supplies to deliver upon short notice and at almost any time of the day or night.

Even if you have a generator in place already, they can malfunction. You’ll want to ensure quick, round-the-clock service in case you have any urgent problems running your generator. Strive to get a sense of the company’s average response time and availability. You won’t want to stop your company’s operations while waiting upon a generator company’s delays.

5. Will the rental company guarantee the generator works as promised?

Naturally, you will want to take the time to understand your service agreement. Find out if the provider already has insurance to cover unexpected damage or if that’s something you need to buy on your own. In any case, the rental company should agree to visit your business site to repair or replace your rented equipment, and you should learn about the circumstances when this could generate extra charges.

For instance, lease agreements often include replacement of non-working generators but require the customers to pay for transport. They may also hold the customer liable for physical damages, even if they were caused by bad weather or an accident. In order to fully prepare, make certain you understand insurance requirements and service agreements.

6. Will providing fuel be a problem?

Of course, your generator needs fuel to run. Find out if you need to supply it or if the rental company will deliver it. Typical commercial generators run on diesel fuel, but you may also want to find out if you can rent a generator that uses natural gas. If you need fuel delivered, find out how fast the provider can supply it just in case your demand exceeds your original expectations. Naturally, you’ll want to compare fuel costs and ease of accessing fuel before you choose a rental company.

7. Is your generator rental contract flexible?

During the rental agreement, your needs could change. For example, you may want to upgrade to a more powerful generator if demand increases. In another case, you may not need the generator as long as you expected because your main power was restored more quickly than anticipated. Sometimes, you might even decide that the generator has become so useful that you’d like to purchase it to keep permanently.

Before you sign the agreement, learn how your provider will react to any request for changes to the original agreement. Good rental providers will try to be as flexible as possible in order to retain your long-term business.

8. How secure and safe is the generator?

These days, businesses have to take both security and safety very seriously. Doing business with an experienced generator rental company is a good first step. They should only offer you compliant, safe generators that will function efficiently in your environment. Ask your supplier about security and safety features and even if they have remote monitoring to ensure that somebody can always keep an eye upon the generator. Also, you could find out if they can offer you safety training to make certain you and your employees understand what they should and should not do with and around the equipment.

Where to Rent Commercial Generators in Houston

Here at Houston’s Worldwide Power Products, we sell, rent, and service commercial power generation equipment for many satisfied customers. We’re particularly proud of the large fleet of both natural gas and diesel generators that we have on hand to meet our customers’ scheduled or emergency needs. Even better, members of our team are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week to ensure fast and reliable service. Contact us by phone or email to tell us about your generator rental needs today.