Whether it’s because a season or project is drawing to an end, storage is often part of the lifecycle of your industrial equipment. When it’s time to store your equipment, you need to do it correctly to ensure uninterrupted operation when you need your equipment again. Properly storing your equipment is the only method to mitigate the costs involved with restarting stored equipment.
Review Your Manual
When storing your equipment, begin by examining the machine’s operation and maintenance manual. The manual relays how to correctly prepare your machine for storage, to minimize damage and ensure it is ready-for-use.
Clean Your Equipment
The manual will likely include information on how to clean the machine. However, even if it does not have information on what to do when storing, cleaning your machinery is always your first point of call. Dirt, debris, and grime left on the machine indefinitely will affect your machine’s performance. Power washing the exterior will remove visible dirt. But, be sure to clean internal compartments, this ensures grime won’t damage frames and parts.
Protect Against Rust
Even in optimum conditions, a small dent or scratch can start rusting after a while. Therefore, before you store your industrial equipment, be sure to paint over any areas on the body that cause concern. This is also the best time to fix or replace parts with minor damage before storing an item.
Inspect Fuel and Filters
To ensure your machines aren’t damaged by frigid temperatures, ensure your storage facilities are heated; this is the best way to prevent DEF from freezing. To reduce the risk of premature engine failure, you should also check the air filtration system.
Remove The Battery
If possible, batteries should always be stored separately from the machine to reduce the possibility of battery discharge. When storing your batteries, always store them above 32 degrees Fahrenheit and ensure batteries that you can access batteries that need charging at regular intervals.
As the preferred storage partner for many Illinois businesses, we specialize in storing industrial equipment. Our premises are maintained to ensure that we keep optimum conditions to prevent rust and other damage to industrial equipment. Reach out to Chicago Commercial Storage today for a free quote!