Preparing Your HVAC Unit for Summer

With summer soon coming near, you must take the time to make sure that your HVAC unit is prepared and ready to tackle the upcoming months. Whether you are completing some of these tasks yourself or working with a property maintenance team, it is necessary to complete the following instructions so that your HVAC is running efficiently and tending to the utmost comfort of your employees during the hottest season of the year. HVAC systems are unfortunately noticed only when things go wrong, so checking up on them from time to time can help stop a potential problem, big or small, before it even begins.

In addition to keeping your building cool, a well-maintained HVAC system can help to improve the air quality in your building. HVACs filter out the air and they also remove any dust, pollen, or dirt that may try to infiltrate your building through the air. Use the following tips to help prevent this specific problem or any other issues from happening. A simple checking of the temperature can go a long way in preventing future problems in the HVAC systems on your commercial property.

6 Helpful Tips to Maintain Your HVAC Systems

Changing Out Filters

There is no set timeline for how often you should change the filter in your HVAC system. The time can vary depending on what type of unit you have and how often you use it. Because there is no given timeline, it becomes important to check the filter every so often. If a filter is left unchanged and becomes clogged with dirt and dust, the unit is forced to work significantly harder. This problem in unclean filters can then lead to a higher energy bill, and in the long-term, a system failure. It is best to check early and check often to prevent larger issues in your filtration system needs, such as pressure levels in reference to refrigerant.

Checking Refrigerant 

For your cooling system to capture and release the heat, it requires the correct amount of refrigerant. Your HVAC technician will check the amount of refrigerant in your system and add the correct amount when needed. If the temperature in a closed area increases, the pressure in the closed area increases with it due to the molecules moving faster in high temperatures. The goal is lower temperatures, which produces lower heat levels. This time of checking your refrigerant levels is also a great time to check for leaks, damages, and even poor electrical connections.

Checking Electrical Connections

When checking and cleaning your HVAC’s electrical connections, you should look for any loose connections. Leaving connections too loose could cause damages or prevent the equipment from working to the best of its ability. It is of utmost importance to check problems at the base level in HVAC systems so that you do not have to worry later when you find it difficult to discover the source of a given predicament. If you check first where the issue could possibly begin, it could save you a lot of time because your time is not spent looking in the wrong place. Another base place to check for potential problems is in the cleanliness of your HVAC systems.

Cleaning System Components

All moving parts within the HVAC system should be cleaned and lubricated to ensure smooth movement. The system’s blower fans, evaporator coils, and control panels should all be cleaned routinely. If an HVAC system is not cleaned, efficiency of the unit is drastically reduced and poorer air quality in your commercial space is created, due to the buildup of dirt and other substances in the HVAC unit. During the summer, an HVAC system removes hot air and replaces it with cold air. Therefore, the system works even harder, which means keeping it clean is even more important in the summer than in other seasons.

Check Thermostat

Before the summer months are in full swing, be sure to check and confirm that your thermostat is functioning properly by seeing if its temperature settings match the actual temperature in the room. You can check your thermostat by using a thermometer to measure the room temperature and then compare the reading with the thermostat’s temperature setting. If the difference is more than one degree, it means that the thermostat is not giving an accurate reading. This incorrect reading could mean that there is dirt buildup in some of its components, the location of the thermostat itself is wrong, or the thermostat is simply old or broken.

Get Help From the Experts 

If you do not have the time or the manpower to keep up on preventative maintenance on your HVAC system, consider hiring a property maintenance team. Bringing on a team of professionals allows you to focus on other aspects of your business and leave the maintenance to us. Call Maintenance Management today to see how we can help you! We can identify and repair refrigerant leaks, help extend equipment lifespans, and make sure you do not have a catastrophic breakdown of equipment on your hands.

In short, one must always check early, often, and thoroughly for problems in their HVAC systems and all components in order to prevent future problems and make life easier and more comfortable for employees. Entrusting the care of your HVAC systems to a certified professional routine maintenance technician can ease even more stress off your shoulders. Give Maintenance Management a call so we can help you with all your HVAC maintenance needs.