How Do I Check and Change the Air Filter On My Home Standby Generator?

Checking and changing the air filter is part of the standard maintenance schedule for home standby generators. Air filter changes ensure the generator's internal components are protected from dust and debris.

  • Aug 28, 2025
  • Knowledge

Title
How Do I Check and Change the Air Filter On My Home Standby Generator?
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How-Do-I-Check-and-Change-the-Air-Filter-On-My-Home-Standby-Generator

Public Content

Checking and changing the air filter

Generator owners should reference these articles before checking and changing the air filter:

Maintenance Schedule:
Air filter changes are listed as part of a generator's maintenance schedule. See the  Where Can I Find the Maintenance Schedule for My Generac Home Standby Generator? article for more information.

Maintenance Safety:
Owners should reference the  What Safety Precautions Should I Take when Performing Maintenance on My Generator? to ensure maintenance is performed in a safe manner.

Maintenance Kits:
Generac sells maintenance kits that bundle OEM parts for maintenance tasks. See the  What Are Generator Maintenance Kits? article for more information.

Authorized Service Dealers:
While generator owners can certainly perform maintenance tasks, scheduled maintenance tasks can also be completed by a certified service dealer. See the  How Can I Find a Generac Service Dealer in My Area? article for more information.

Consult the User Manual:
Owners should always reference the user manual for maintenance tasks. See  How Do I Find a Copy of My Home Standby Generator Owner's Manual and Spec Sheets? for more information.
 

Environment

This article applies to:
  • Generac Next Generation Series 10-28 kW air-cooled standby generators
  • Generac Guardian Series 10-26 kW air-cooled standby generators (2017 to present)

Sections

Check and change the air filter on a Guardian-series home standby generator

1. Lift the lid and press the OFF button on the control panel to stop the generator. Then, remove the front panel.
2. Remove cover clips (A) and air cleaner cover (B).

Air filter location (10 kW)
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Air filter location (13–22 kW)
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3. Remove the old air filter element (C) and discard it.
4. Thoroughly clean the air cleaner enclosure of any dust or debris.
5. Install a new air filter element.
6. Install air cleaner cover and fasten cover clips.
7. (13–22 kW units only): Verify air inlet duct (D) is correctly connected to the air cleaner cover.
8. Press the AUTO button on the control panel to return the unit to AUTO.

Check and change the air filter on a Next Generation Standby Generator

Proceed as follows to service the air cleaner:

  1. Unlock and lift the lid. Press the OFF button on the control panel to stop the generator.
  2. Remove the front panel.
  3. Release cover clips (A) and remove the air cleaner cover (B). See Figures 4-4 and 4-5.
    4-4 Air cleaner location for 10 kW models

    4-5 Air cleaner location for 14–28 kW models
  4. Remove the old air filter element (C) and discard it.
  5. Thoroughly clean the air cleaner enclosure of any dust or debris.
  6. Install a new air filter element.
  7. Reinstall the air cleaner cover and fasten the cover clips.
  8. Verify the air inlet duct (D) is correctly connected to the air cleaner cover.
  9. Press the AUTO button on the control panel to return the unit to AUTO mode.
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