hvac air balance 101

What facility managers

need to know to get the

most out of their largest

facility expense

AIR BALANCE

101

Presented by:

Melinktb.com

AGENDA

WHAT IS BUILDING PRESSURE? SLIDE 3

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF NEGATIVE BUILDING PRESSURE? SLIDE 4

WHAT’S AN EXAMPLE COST SCENARIO OF AN UNBALANCED FACILITY? SLIDES 5-6

WHAT CAUSES BUILDINGS TO BECOME UNBALANCED? SLIDES 7-8

WHAT IS AN AIR BALANCE? SLIDE 9

CASE STUDY

SLIDES 10-14WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF AN AIR BALANCE?

SLIDE 15

ME LINK T & BME L INK CORP ORAT ION

STAY POSITIVE

WHAT IS BUILDING PRESSURE?

A BALANCED BUILDING


Calculated by the amount of fresh air/makeup air

being introduced to the building through the HVAC

system verses the amount of exhaust air being

exhausted from the building through the HVAC

system. The difference in these two measurements

will determine your building pressure. The fresh

air/makeup air being introduced to the building

should be higher than the airflow being exhausted

from the building. This will help achieve a slight

positive building pressure.

Building Pressure is a large factor in Customer

Comfort, Smoke Capture, Condensation Issues,

Energy Efficiency, Door Pull Issues, Insect

Issues, and more…

ALL INDICATE YOUR BUILDING IS OUT OF BALANCE

SYMPTOMS OF NEGATIVE BUILDING PRESSURE


ME LINK T & B

“Hidden energy, O&M, and other costs can go undetected for years

until they are discovered in a retro-commissioning project. Without

retro-commissioning or a TAB check, the extra costs are never

found, and the owner pays high utility costs unnecessarily built into

an operating budget.”

-Dave McFarlane, Environmental Engineering, The High Cost of

Improperly Balanced Buildings

STUDY PUBLISHED IN CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER MAGAZINE

THE COST OF IMPROPERLY BALANCED BUILDINGS


Issue Yearly Cost Savings 20-Yr Cost Savings

Excessive fan air flow $17,400 $350,000

Excessive reheat requirements $25,000 $500,000

Excessive fan static pressure $5,500 $110,000

Excessive exhaust makeup air

costs

$25,000 $500,000

Excessive pump static pressure $3,000 $60,000

Leaky reheat valves causing a

3 F air temp rise

$14,800 $300,000

Total $90,700 $1,820,000

• 100,000 sq. ft. building

• Design Airflow: 110,000 CFM

• Design Motor Load: 110 Horsepower

• Actual Airflow: 130,000 CFM

• Actual Motor Load: 180 Horsepower

• Operates: 16 hr/day, 5 day/week

• Energy cost: $.08/kWh

THE 4 COMMON EQUIPMENT CAUSES

WHAT CAUSES A BUILDING TO BECOME UNBALANCED?

Outside air dampers not properly set Exhaust fans not operating to design

Rooftop units not operating to design Make up air not operating to design


THE 6 COMMON POOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE CAUSES

WHAT CAUSES A BUILDING TO BECOME UNBALANCED?

Dirty Indoor Filters Dirty RTU Blower Fans Worn or broken belts

Dirty/Clogged Evaporator Coils Dirty/Damaged Grease Filters Dirty Outdoor Air Filters


ALSO KNOWN AS “TEST & BALANCE”

WHAT IS AN AIR BALANCE?

An "air balance" is a process for measuring the performance of an HVAC system, and for providing the

occupants with a comfortably conditioned space according to design specifications. In other words, it is

an overall health check for your HVAC systems to make sure the equipment is mechanically sound, that

there is positive building pressure and that the thermostat and air flow are adjusted properly.

~Greg DuChane, Trane


T&B ASSURES:

WHY IS TEST & BALANCE CRUCIAL?

Return on InvestmentHVAC installation and operation verification

Energy EfficiencySetting Fan Volume for Needed Airflow

ComfortProper airflow and elimination of drafts to keep occupants comfortable

HealthProper Fresh/Outside Air Volume, Air Turn-Over

Life ExpectancyBuilding & HVAC System Equipment

1

2

3

4

5


IN BOTH EXISTING & NEW LOCATIONS

WHEN TO HAVE AN AIR BALANCE?

Investigation of HVAC comfort

issues and inefficiencies

COMFORT ISSUES

Changes in floorplans or

placement of cooking equipment

REMODELNEW CONSTRUCTION

Full system balance after start up to bring

into design specification

Installation and operation verification

for new HVAC equipment

EQUIPMENT CHANGES


Rebalancing the existing

HVAC system every 5 years

REBALANCE

• Have all the HVAC maintenance items

completed BEFORE the balance

• Provide access to all areas of the restaurant

where HVAC equipment is located

• Provide mechanical prints

• Bring mechanical contractor or HVAC

contactor onsite during the balance

INFORMATION NEEDED FROM FACILITY MANAGERS

GET THE MOST OUT OF AN AIR BALANCE


THE BALANCE REPORT DELIVERABLE

Detailed Field Summary Detailed Punch List

Detailed Inspections, Airflows


Photos of Findings

NO MORE GUESSWORK

BENEFITS OF A T&B REPORT

Record of

Equipment

Record of

Balanced Airflow

Reference for

Owner & Maintenance


Final operating data Control set points and gives

confidence that systems are

operating and installed as

designed, to maximum

efficiency

Baseline for preventative

maintenance decisions

MAY 2015

CASE STUDY

Sample Of What We Found:

The Challenge:During spring 2015, Melink was hired for a pilot

service to audit the balance of a previous contractor

during the new construction phase at a fast casual

restaurant in TX. Comfort complaints were the main

cause of the suspicion that the balance was not

performed correctly.

Results:Melink found several HVAC deficiencies and was asked to

service an additional 3 stores. Across these 4 locations, Melink

found 60 deficiencies. Melink brought each store into balance

with a positive pressure according to design and the facilities

team team received reports with punch lists for all locations.

FAST CASUAL REBALANCE PROGRAM

ME LINK T & B

4 Businesses,1 Energy Mission

WHAT WE DO

• Developer & EPC Contractor

• Commercial Ground Mount,

Roof Mount, & Parking

Structures

• National HVAC Test & Balance

Contractor

• 100% Self Performing NEBB

Certified Technicians

• Pioneer & DCKV Industry

Standard

• Global Installation & Project

Management

• Pre-Engineered Pump

Package

• Ground-loop Commissioning

• Ground-loop Financing

Integr i ty. Service Excel lence. Innovat ion.

Since 1987

ME LINK A B OUT USME L INK CORP ORAT ION

3 EASY WAYS TO CONTACT MELINK

NEED TO SCHEDULE A BALANCE?

513-965-7300

[email protected]

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Fill out a contact us form on melinkcorp.com

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Speaking Event:

Is your HVAC system

tuned to sing your

praises?

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TEXT “AIRBALANCE” TO

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