It’s Time to Prepare Your Heavy Equipment for Summer Work

Summer has arrived, and if you’re going to be doing a lot of construction work or other jobs that require the use of heavy equipment this summer in Lexington, OR, it’s important to make sure your equipment is up to the task. This means performing seasonal maintenance to ensure the machinery can operate safely and efficiently all year long.

Here’s a quick overview of the steps you should follow to prep your heavy equipment for the season ahead.

Get started as soon as possible

Ideally, you will have already started preparing for the summer heat. But if you haven’t, now’s the time to get started!

You don’t want to wait until it’s the hottest time of the year to get started with your prep work. Before it gets too hot, you should clean off all the equipment (especially airflow areas and the radiator), make sure it’s fully lubricated and perform any necessary maintenance work.

Ensure proper storage

Your heavy machinery should not be stored out in the sun, where it will bake all day long. Instead, you should keep it in a shaded area or in a storage facility. At the very least, do whatever you can to minimize exposure to the heat by covering machines with tarps, if you don’t have any other options. Keeping your machinery cool will help you to prolong its life and prevent potential heat damage.

Avoid using equipment during the hottest part of the day

Just as you should make sure to store the equipment away to keep it out of the hot sun, you should also do your best to avoid using heavy equipment during the hours of peak daylight (generally between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.). While you don’t necessarily need to halt all of your operations during this time, you should at least try to minimize the use of certain types of equipment during that time to prevent it from overheating. Get an early start whenever possible, or schedule evening work sessions.

Keep an eye on the batteries

You should make sure to prioritize good battery maintenance as well during the summer months. Extreme heat can result in battery malfunctions, and people often overlook standard battery maintenance. Check to make sure your unit’s battery is fully charged and that the electrolytes in the battery remain at the proper levels at all time. Otherwise, you could run the risk of potential downtime.

Check displays

When hot conditions do arise during the summer, you should keep an eye on all displays on the machines. This will help you determine if you need to give any of your equipment an opportunity to cool down to prevent overheating before you proceed with your work. Stay apprised of the equipment’s condition to keep it in good shape.

For more information about some of the steps you can take to prepare your heavy equipment for summer, or to get help with heavy equipment maintenance in Lexington, OR, reach out to the team at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. today.