Commercial HVAC Maintenance

The most important aspect of keeping a commercial HVAC system up and running is performing periodic inspections and maintenance in order to stay ahead of any issues, before they impact the performance of the system.  A tenant complaining about working in a building without a properly functioning HVAC system is a property manager’s worse nightmare!

A structured maintenance program tailored to the needs of the building owner and the tenants of the building reduces unscheduled downtime of the system.  In many cases the inspection, maintenance and repairs of the system is available for a fixed priced fee, which has the benefit of providing significant savings over the long term.  Reliable building systems are a key to retaining tenants!

During the scheduled inspection and maintenance visit, the technician will clean, lubricate, test and adjust the system to make sure it is performing within the manufacturer’s specifications.  Any abnormal operation or parts showing sign of wear or potential problems will be brought to the property owner’s attention with specific recommendations for the property owner’s approval.

Many times the same technician will be doing all of the inspections, maintenance and necessary repairs on the same properties for years, which allows them to become very familiar with both the building and the specific HVAC system used in the building.  In addition to being very well trained and experienced in the system in use, the technician is also capable with interacting effectively with both the onsite building engineer, as well as the end user of the building or facility.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
Alpharetta, GA
(770) 475-9555

Reducing Commercial HVAC Repair Costs

One of the largest financial drawbacks of owning a commercial building is the constant maintenance and repairs need on the HVAC system. The consistent need to heat and cool all areas of the building to different temperatures can take a toll on even a new system. Reducing costs is one of the basic elements of property management to turn a profit and increase your bottom line. One of the best ways to reduce HVAC costs is to look closely at your preventative maintenance to repair cost ratios. 

Determining Your Preventive Maintenance To Repair Ratio

The idea of spending money on regular HVAC maintenance is to reduce the overall costs of operating the system. If properly maintained, you should be saving money on repairs of the system every year. A good way to quantify this is by determining the ratio between maintenance and repair costs. To do this, you will need to calculate what you spent in maintenance over last year, and the amount of money spent on HVAC repairs. 

Once you have your figures, you can determine your maintenance to repair ratio. The ratio should give you how much you spent on repairs for every dollar spent on maintenance. To do this, divide the total repair costs by the amount spent on maintenance. For example, if you spent $1000 on maintenance and $3000 in repair, you would divide 3,000 by 1,000, coming up with three. These means for every dollar you spent on maintenance, you spent three on repairs, or a ratio of 1:3. 

In most cases, the more you spend on maintenance, the lower your repair costs will be over the years. For instance, if your ratio is currently 1:8, increasing your maintenance budget should reduce the ratio each year, garnering a larger savings overall. Getting on a scheduled maintenance package through your commercial HVAC service is the best way to reduce the cost of repairs, and the total amount spent on your system every year.

Posted on behalf of Find Local HVAC

Commercial Rooftop HVAC Units

For many commercial buildings, it makes sense to use a rooftop heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) unit. Rooftop units are used often for air conditioning in large buildings primarily due to the fact that they are all-inclusive, less expensive and are easier to install. There are many different types and features, depending on what types of temperatures the region has and what energy source they use. 

Air Conditioning

The main function of a rooftop HVAC unit is to cool the air throughout the building, while filtering and circulating it as well. This function also helps with controlling humidity by dehumidifying the air. These large units have anywhere from 1 ton to 100 tons of air-conditioning capacities. 

Heating

Some HVAC units also come with heat pumps or heating equipment, depending on the climate where they are sold and obviously the temperature extremes. The heating elements can be gas or electric and use the ventilation system to keep the temperature warm in the cooler months. 

Choosing A Commercial HVAC Unit

The biggest issue with choosing the correct HVAC unit for a commercial building is to get the correct size and capacity. An undersized unit will not do the job, but often buildings go too far the other way and buy units that are too large. These not only cost more initially, they will cost much in power usage and are inefficient. Anyone choosing an HVAC unit for a commercial building needs to consult with a commercial and industrial HVAC contractor and discuss internal load conditions, which takes into consideration the amount of space, people and other factors which affect the indoor air temperature. 

These self-contained rooftop units are responsible for cooling almost 50% of all the U.S. commercial floor space. Due to their popularity, there are many choices and options to choose from.  A commercial and industrial HVAC contractor can help you choose the right system for your office, restaraunt, shopping center, or other commercial and industrial facility.   

Energy Efficiency Testing for Your Business

For some reason, many of us seem very energy conscious when it comes to our homes, but not as cognitive about the energy inefficiencies which may be draining funds out of our business. 

How much would you save on energy costs if all the lights were shut off when they weren’t in use or were put on timers? Could the thermostats be adjusted up or down a degree or two? The utility costs associated with operating a business make up a big piece of the overhead expense. Why not make some effort to curb those costs? 

If you’re HVAC system is more than a couple of years old, you might want to start your energy savings program by scheduling an energy efficiency test on the system by a qualified commercial HVAC maintenence contractor. A contractor can make a thorough inspection of the system and make any repairs or maintenance required. When a system is running properly it will consume less energy. 

Sometimes, even when a system is operating at its maximum efficiency, you may still be experiencing higher energy bills than you would with a newer more efficient system. Your HVAC contractor can assist you in weighing out the costs of replacement against the potential energy savings. An upgrade may save you money over time. 

Don’t leave your ‘green’ hat at home. Saving energy in your business can be ‘green’ in more than one way.

Choosing a Commercial HVAC Service Company

As a commercial property owner, you are responsible for keeping your HVAC system properly heating and cooling your building. When their emergency issues or repairs needed, you need to have a commercial HVAC service and repair contractor on your contact list that you can count on to show up quickly and service your system in timely and professional manner.

Emergency service calls aren’t the only time you need an HVAC contractor. You should also be having your commercial HVAC systems inspected annually to keep your system running efficiently. For both of these types of services, emergency and routine maintenance, it is important to hire an HVAC service company that you can count on.

When interviewing HVAC service companies, request references that include other commercial clients which they service and follow through in calling those references. Ask about 24 hour emergency service. Is it a part of their service program?  How soon can you expect a response to an emergency service call, will it be minutes, hours or days?

Repair and maintenance bills are never fun to receive, but if you know what to expect ahead of time, that can help ease the pain. Be sure to ask about minimum service call charges and what their hourly rates are for routine repairs versus emergency service calls. Some HVAC service companies will provide reduced rates if you have an annual maintenance contract with them. Ask if the contractors you interview have this as an option or would consider a service contract with a lower rate.

Remember to ask for evidence of local and state licenses, as well as proof of liability and workers compensation insurance. Any professional HVAC company will have these items readily available for their clients.