Outside of ensuring your initial HVAC design and installation services are performed by a qualified team of professionals, preventative maintenance is perhaps the most important factor in keeping costs low while your system performs efficiently.
HVAC Preventative Maintenance Planning
When most homeowners or facility managers think of maintenance, the first word that comes to mind is “repair.” Equipment repairs are certainly a part of maintenance, but they are only that: a part.
Repairs, especially emergency repairs, are best thought of as reactive. When something goes wrong with your system, whether a component breaks down or a tune up is necessary, it is important to get it fixed right away. You react to the situation in order to prevent further problems down the line.
Planned preventative maintenance, as opposed to reactive maintenance, is key to ensuring that an HVAC system operates efficiently for the life of the system. In fact, preventative maintenance planning will even extend the expected life of your system. In other words, when you catch problems before they lead to expensive repair jobs, you will keep your system running efficiently while mitigating future costs.
1. The Current State of Your Equipment
If you were working with a quality provider from the very beginning, from initial design and installation to now, preventative maintenance should have been a part of the equation all along. However, HVAC systems last for years or even decades when properly cared for, meaning that a single system could be in place across multiple ownerships or leases.
That being said, there is no time like the present to begin preventative maintenance planning. An HVAC inspection today could indicate areas or risk for your system before extensive repairs are necessary. Once corrected, having technicians come by on a regular basis to inspect your system will greatly mitigate the risk of an HVAC emergency. Aside from the cost of repairs, operational downtime could cost your business thousands of dollars or more.
2. Your Ductwork Affects Everything Else in Your Facility
From the efficiency of your system to the quality of air inside your facility, clean and well-laid-out ductwork can affect your entire facility. Unfortunately, ductwork is often near the bottom of the list when people consider their HVAC system.
As stated above, HVAC systems often outlast one or even several owners or tenants. Over time, the ductwork that allows all HVAC systems to operate can be augmented as certain sections age or fail or if additions are made to a facility. The problem is that HVAC systems work best when designed and installed in a holistic fashion.
Piecemeal additions to ductwork can lead to inefficiencies in your system which can increase energy costs and force equipment to work harder than it should. This can, in turn, incur more future repair costs and could diminish the lifespan of your system.
Aside from efficiency problems, ductwork should be considered as a part of a preventative maintenance plan because seasonal allergens and potential toxins could be spread throughout your facility. Many air ducts have never been cleaned, so ask about including ductwork cleaning as a part of your preventative maintenance plan.
Winter is Coming
It’s beginning to get cold outside, and if you haven’t already prepared your HVAC system for winter, there is still time. Seasonal tune-ups and optimizations are important to ensure that your system is working as it should throughout the year. This is particularly important as extreme weather can be difficult to predict.
Remember, the goal is to predict where problems may occur and nip them in the bud before running into an emergency. A heater breakdown in the dead of winter isn’t a situation anyone wants to face and, while there’s no way to guarantee a disaster won’t occur, you can get some peace of mind knowing that you’ve done everything in your power to mitigate the risk.
Once an HVAC system has a preventative maintenance plan in place, the risk of an unexpected equipment failure is dramatically reduced. The professionals at Service Unlimited have the experience to get your system operating efficiently and to keep it that way.
Efficiency and Productivity
Even if you originally purchased the most efficient HVAC system available you could at the time and were assured it would have an effective lifespan of however many years, it’s inevitable that, over time, your energy costs are going to rise and productivity in your facility could be affected in negative ways.
Equipment downtime, particularly during the summer and winter months, can make a facility uncomfortable to work in or even temporarily uninhabitable. Routine HVAC maintenance is the best way to mitigate the risk of equipment failure. A system that is operating efficiently will maintain good indoor air quality and is not prone to major or minor failure.
Future Repairs
Protecting your wallet from residential or commercial HVAC repairs with preventative maintenance is a no-brainer. Heat pumps, air conditioners, and even electrical components are all liable to fail eventually, but you can stave off the inevitable by having a preventative maintenance program in place.
Maintenance strategies, like those discussed here, are critical to keeping your system running efficiently and reducing energy bills. Even simple things like changing an air filter in accordance with your equipment or provider’s instructions can make a massive difference in your facility. Sure, there are a lot of moving parts to an HVAC system, but the professionals at Service Unlimited are committed to making maintaining your HVAC simple and easy. Connect with us today to schedule a system inspection.
