Generators are handy when it comes to energy needs in a home or camping setting.
It is important to note that generators are costly, and the small ones cost several tens to hundreds of thousands.
Therefore, losing a generator to thieves will inconvenience you in terms of money and the benefits it offers.
With the fear of making losses, there is a lot you would want to do to keep your generator safe.
So, How Can You Prevent Your Generator From Being Stolen?
There is much to be done to keep your generator safe. Whether it is portable or not, you can consider simple DIY tips and keep your generator safe—these tips range from simply locking the generator to attaching GPS trackers.
With the many ways of keeping your property safe, you want to ensure that the method you use guarantees the generator’s total safety. The following safety tips can significantly impact your attempts to keep your generator safe.
See Also: Can You Use A Generator To Power A Mobile Home?
Ten Ways To Keep Your Generator Safe From Thieves
Want to keep your generator safe and away from potential burglars and thieves? If yes, the following are must-do safety tips.
1. Secure Your Property
First things first! Secure your property first, and prevent outsiders from peeping on the items you have in your home.
This is a general tip, but it is of great significance to enhancing safety. When thieves find it hard to access your property, they will shift to other places.
Installing a home security system is an added advantage for any homeowner seeking to keep the home secure.
If your home is the only one in the neighborhood without a security system, it will become a favorite for thieves.
Ensure that there are no open fences or unlocked side gates.
Also, keep away valuable items such that they are not left open in the yard.
Take a step higher by installing cameras; even if they are fake, they will help deter thieves.
If you keep a dog, give outsiders a sign that there are dogs on guard so that individuals with stealing intentions can keep away.
2. Use A Quality Lock
Locking a generator is the simplest and the best way to keep the property safe. While locking up is ideal, take your time. All thieves have some nasty cutters that cut through most commercial locks.
Think again and try the cable locks that allow you to tie up your generator to anything firm.
Choose a much thicker cable, most likely made of robust steel.
To make the chain more relevant and useful, buy a high-quality padlock.
Ensure you have a unique padlock that can’t be opened with the standard master keys.
To add on a solid chain will give thieves a hard time cutting, and they will quickly give up, leaving you with your generator still intact.
3. Remove the Wheels
Removing wheels is another simple way to keep your generator safe.
If you use the generator at a worksite or in a rental apartment, you can choose not to apply complicated security options.
This is common, especially if the generator is hired to be used for a short time.
When you remove the wheels and place the generator on a wooden block, you will have made it hard for thieves to move it.
This implies that you will create ample security for your generator without hassle.
4. Add Lights To The Generator Space
Of course, the light will expose your generator, but be sure that thieves will not visit a well-lit environment if it threatens the smooth flow of their work.
To them, the light puts them at risk of being noticed.
Install ample lights around the generator, and remember to turn it on and off accordingly.
You can invest in modern security cameras with built-in spotlights. This will serve a significant role in keeping thieves away.
5. Fence In The Generator
Fencing your outdoor generator is always advisable as one way to make your generator safe.
Start with a basic fencing system and upgrade to modern but more secure fences.
You can choose a fence that allows you to remotely monitor our generator through ideal alerts.
You can also go for fence systems that help detect unauthorized entry and send an alarm to a common control center for action to be taken.
6. Invest In A Storage Box
A storage box is an ideal storage tip for a generator. Such boxes are specially designed to help protect a generator from common vandalism and theft.
Once you have safely kept your generator in the box, it will work effectively while at the same time deterring thieves from accessing it.
Three Ways To Recover A Stolen Generator
Even after you have put in place all the security precautions for your generator, it might get worse, and you wake up one day to a missing generator.
Somebody just stole your precious generator. So, what do you do? It will be quite hard to recover your generator in such a case.
While contemplating keeping your generator safe for the longest time, remember that some thieves are too skilled and will, at some point, bypass your security system and carry the generator away.
Try the following to make recovery easy once a generator goes missing.
1. Make Identifiable Marks On Your Generator
Make it known to everyone that your generator belongs to you.
While this may seem awkward, it can save you the hard struggle of searching among many stolen generators.
You can make your generator identifiable by marking down the serial number. This serial number and other documentation will help law enforcement to search for the generator in case of theft.
2. Sign Your Generator
Engrave or curve your name, initials, or a whole message on the generator to let any second hand buyer know that the generator being bought is not new and might have been stolen.
Once one notices such, they will avoid purchasing it.
3. GPS Tracker
A GPS tracker is an overkill when it comes to portable tools security.
Buy a GPS tracker for a few bucks and install it on your generator. When it gets stolen, you can easily follow up and retrieve it.
Conclusion
A generator failure can cause unmeasured stress, especially when there is a power outage.
The situation gets worse if it has been stolen.
To avoid theft cases, consider keeping your generator protected and also mark it so that you can easily identify it when it gets stolen.