Commercial HVAC Systems Require A/C Maintenance: Learn Its Benefits

The air conditioning system in your commercial facility represents a considerable financial investment in indoor comfort and environmental control. A functional air conditioner is vital to keeping your staff and customers comfortable and safe. A cooling system breakdown can make employees and on-site clients miserable, put people in your facility at risk of heat-related injuries and, in extreme cases, halt operations until the cooling system’s repaired. A/C maintenance is a wise investment in HVAC system function that will help keep your commercial cooling system working correctly, efficiently and reliably.

Preventive A/C maintenance allows an HVAC professional the opportunity to inspect your cooling system from end to end. The technician will find and fix problems that could become major trouble later. He or she will assess the function and efficiency of the A/C unit and the ductwork that distributes cooled air throughout your facility. The professional will also adjust and calibrate the system so that it works at its best, providing top-quality cooling at the lowest possible price and with the least consumption of energy.

Maintenance scheduling
A/C maintenance should be performed on an annual basis at a minimum. In the case of larger commercial systems or air conditioners that are used heavily, more frequent preventive maintenance visits may be necessary. Maintenance appointments for air conditioning systems are best scheduled in the spring. This allows your technician to service your system before the height of the cooling season and before your service provider gets extremely busy with maintenance and repair calls.

Benefits of maintenance
An A/C maintenance routine keeps the system working without malfunctions or unexpected breakdowns. You’ll also see other benefits, such as:

• Improved overall efficiency and reduction of overall energy consumption by 25 to 30 percent
• Improved reliability, with reduction of unexpected breakdowns by 70 to 75 percent and reduction of system downtime by 30 to 35 percent
• Reduction of equipment repair and maintenance costs by as much as 20 percent
• Improved quality of cooling with more consistent indoor temperature levels
• Improved indoor air quality and reduction of airborne contaminants

These performance improvements will make a substantial difference in your ongoing utility expenses. You’ll also know that you’re using less energy for your commercial cooling needs, which will benefit your local environment and place less stress on your community’s electrical grid.

What to expect from preventive A/C maintenance
A thorough preventive maintenance tune-up will include inspections, tests and adjustments to your commercial air conditioning system. Your HVAC technician should perform the following tasks, among others:

• Check and adjust system controls
• Calibrate thermostats
• Check and clean evaporator and condenser coils
• Repair or replace faulty components
• Check refrigerant level and add more refrigerant as needed
• Check for refrigerant leaks and repair any leaks that are found
• Check, adjust or replace blower motor belts
• Clean or replace air filters
• Inspect and test ductwork for leaks or loose sections, and seal any leaks that are found
• Lubricate motors, fans and other moving parts
• Clean and tighten electrical connections, power cables and other electrical components
• Test and adjust electrical elements, such as amperage draw and voltage differences
• Check condensate drains, remove clogs and add algaecide, if needed
• Test and adjust overall system operation and safety

Planned maintenance agreements
To make regular A/C maintenance easier, consider purchasing a planned maintenance agreement for your commercial cooling system. These agreements, also known as service contracts, allow your HVAC provider to track, schedule and perform maintenance at agreed-upon intervals. Planned maintenance agreements relieve you of the need to decide when maintenance should be performed. Your HVAC service provider will let you know when your system is due for maintenance and will help you arrange the best time for an inspection and tune-up.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about Plumbing, HVACR, Fire Protection and Alarm Systems in Mechanical, Commercial and Residential settings. For more information about the importance of A/C maintenance and to view projects we’ve worked on, visit our website!

Image Credit: Julia Manzerova