How much does generator maintenance cost?

Short answer

Maintaining a standby generator yourself costs $50 to $100 a year, which is oil, an oil filter, an air filter and spark plugs, and the job takes 60 to 90 minutes. A generator technician charges $200 to $400 for the yearly service visit. The gap is the technician's trip, their load test and their look at the transfer switch and battery, and on a generator that has to start on its own in a storm, that's often money well spent.

Cost breakdown

The DIY column is the maintenance kit for your model, which bundles the oil, filters and plugs. A socket set and an oil drain pan are already in the garage. The pro column is a service visit that includes the same parts plus a battery check, a load test and a look at the transfer switch.

What drives the cost

• The generator's size. A larger unit takes more oil and bigger filters, and the kit costs more. A portable generator's kit is at the low end.
• The kit versus parts. A maintenance kit matched to the model costs about what the parts do separately and saves the matching.
• The battery. A standby generator's starting battery lasts a few years and is a separate cost when it's due, whether you or the technician replaces it.
• A service contract. Many installers sell a yearly plan that covers the visit and the parts, and may include priority service after a storm, which is when everyone else is calling too.
• Hours run. A generator that carried the house through a long outage needs its oil changed sooner, so a storm year can mean a second service.

DIY vs. pro

The oil, filters and plugs are a straightforward job for anyone who's changed oil in a mower, and the saving is real. How often a generator needs maintenance is once a year or by hours run, plus the weekly self-test the generator runs on its own.

Pay for the technician's visit at $200 to $400 if you'd rather not, or every couple of years regardless, because the load test and the transfer switch check aren't things a homeowner can easily do. A generator that fails to start in an outage has already cost more than every service it skipped, so the question isn't whether to maintain it but who does it.

FAQ

How much does a generator service cost?

$200 to $400 for a technician's yearly visit, including oil, filters, plugs, a battery check and a load test.

What does generator maintenance cost if I do it myself?

$50 to $100 a year for a maintenance kit with the oil, filters and plugs, and 60 to 90 minutes of your time.

How much is a generator battery?

A separate cost every few years, and worth replacing on schedule rather than waiting for a no-start during an outage.

Is a generator service contract worth it?

If it includes the yearly visit, the parts and priority service after a storm, often yes. Compare its price to a single visit plus the kit.