The Benefits of Commercial HVAC Maintenance

I N D E X

Introduction 1

Gain Energy and Operational Savings 2

Avoid Service Disruptions and Equipment Failure 3

Maintain High Indoor Air Quality 4

Bringing it All Together With Planned Maintenance 5

About BC Comfort 6

INTRODUCTION

Commercial building ownership carries several benefits, particularly for business owners who want to be masters of their domain, not have to face rent increases, and have their property appreciate in value.

One downside, however, involves the risks associated with a building’s potential deterioration and the responsibility for fixing or improving the building, sometimes unexpectedly.

Although facility managers know that is far better to schedule planned maintenance activities, most continue to spend the bulk of their resources operating reactively.

This approach to maintenance with respect to HVAC systems is troubling given the major role that HVAC systems play in today’s facilities. HVAC systems in commercial buildings are responsible for more than 40 percent of total energy use.

Keeping HVAC systems running properly and at peak efficiency is a crucial step in maintaining a healthy building, occupant comfort, managing its energy use and avoiding expensive equipment replacement or repair.

This whitepaper will explore 3 major reasons why regular HVAC maintenance is essential for owners and managers to consider. Once owners truly understand the benefits of regular service and planned maintenance, they will know how to protect their assets and avoid unnecessary costs.

GAIN ENERGY AND OPERATIONAL SAVINGS

Any commercial owner can appreciate the ability to save money, and that is one of the biggest reasons it is important to have a properly maintained HVAC system.

Regular and proper maintenance not only reduces energy costs but also helps owners to avoid unexpected, and often costly repairs. Also, the more efficient an HVAC system is, the less expensive it will be to operate. This efficiency can only be achieved through regular planned maintenance.

There are a number of maintenance checks that directly affect HVAC system efficiency. Any HVAC system is going to have filters that need to be checked at specific intervals. Dirty air filters reduce airflow and force fans and other components to work harder. Clean filters are more efficient, but a knowledgeable maintenance professional will also know which filters to install for maximum efficiency. Evaporator coils also need to be checked on a regular basis. Dirt build up on coils reduce their ability to transfer heat, which also forces HVAC systems to work harder and less efficiently.

Specifically, these dirty filters and fans are making the motors that move air work harder, and they are another important maintenance check for an efficient system. During maintenance checks, a good maintenance service provider can inform you if your fan motors are standard-efficiency, which many original manufacturer fan motors are, for the best cost saving efficiency, it may be worth upgrading motors to high efficiency versions.

There is also specific energy saving equipment that can fail and the system will continue to run, just less efficiently. Typical HVAC rooftop units make use of economizers. These measure inside and outside air temperatures and use outside air to cool buildings when temperatures are right. This saves operating costs and extends the life of compressors, but when these fail the system continues to run just fine, just at a higher cost. Regular maintenance will discover these failures and make sure systems operate efficiently at all times.

Owners should have a working knowledge of their systems and ensure that a trusted maintenance company is on top of regular maintenance tasks.

AVOID SERVICE DISRUPTIONS AND EQUIPMENT FAILURE

Energy and operational savings are no doubt important and have a big impact on monthly costs, especially over the long run. What can be worse, and even more of a risk, is when equipment fails due to a lack of maintenance. Reactive maintenance is the most costly way to maintain building HVAC systems.

Not only are last minute replacements expensive in terms of equipment cost and installation, but a sudden break down could mean lost business.

Sudden equipment failure and service disruptions have the potential to be catastrophic. Sometimes the difference between keeping a business running and having to shut down is nothing more than proper HVAC system maintenance.

All of the maintenance items that help save energy and operating costs also aid in prolonging the life of your equipment. As an example, fan bearings lacking lubrication first become less efficient and eventually they will fail.

Aside from these regular maintenance items, there are other very important checks that should be done at regular intervals.

MAINTAIN HIGH INDOOR AIR QUALITY

While costs saving measures are important for commercial buildings, it is equally important to remember that building occupants are also directly impacted by HVAC systems. The comfort, and even the safety, of indoor occupants should be considered. Poorly maintained systems allow dirty air in and don’t cool as efficiently so the indoor air quality (IAQ) will be reduced.

Indoor air quality has become an important health and safety concern. Studies have shown that poor indoor air quality increases the risk of occupants facing health issues. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, occupants of buildings with poor IAQ report a wide range of health problems, which are often called Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) or Tight Building Syndrome (TBS), Building-Related Illness (BRI) and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS).

Not only do occupants suffer in the case of a poorly maintained HVAC system, but potential customers are also going to be less likely to enjoy or return to commercial spaces that aren’t well maintained. This could potentially have a silent, but large, impact on the success of a business.

Another reason regularly scheduled maintenance programs are especially important for HVAC systems specifically, is that they can lose efficiency and owners may never realize it. When people occupy a building every work day, they grow used to the air and a gradual decline in air quality may be difficult to notice. Its also been proven that compromised air quality can lead to a decrease in productivity.

Managing indoor air quality is therefore essential. By having an efficient, well maintained system is the best approach to providing optimal indoor air quality and comfort.

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER WITH PLANNED MAINTENANCE

Understanding key maintenance items and why they are important is the first step to having an efficient and cost effective HVAC system for your building. The next step is to create a plan to ensure these issues are checked and maintained on a regular basis.

The single best way to ensure your HVAC system is running at peak efficiency is to hire service professionals to perform planned maintenance. These experts will not only make sure everything is finely tuned, but can offer tips on increasing efficiency through equipment upgrades.

The cost of hiring professionals for a planned maintenance program can quickly pay for itself. A small, regular maintenance payment is a far better option than sudden and extremely high costs when equipment abruptly fails.

Not only will a planned maintenance program prevent this, they can also save owners a great deal of money through the energy and operating savings achieved. Professional maintenance companies will not only keep owners informed on the status of the equipment, they also act as a single source of responsibility for maintenance.

A planned service program for commercial HVAC systems is the single best thing owners can do in order to save on energy and operating costs, ensure the best indoor air quality for occupants, and minimize costly replacements and service disruptions.

ABOUT BC COMFORT

For more than 40 years, clients in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver have relied on BC Comfort to provide reliable HVAC design, installation and service to maintain healthy building environments. Our expertise has assisted a wide range of clients, from offices and post-secondary institutions to warehouses, industrial facilities, shopping centres and even movie studios.

We provide ongoing service for your systems and equipment, and have established schedules to maintain and prolong the life of your building.

Some of the ongoing service and maintenance options we offer include:

• Custom-designed planned maintenance programs

• Asset protection programs

• On-site facility operations

• Web portal access to E-Service through our website

• 24-hour emergency service

• Guaranteed response times

Through the use of the most up-to-date tools, a GPS dispatch system, modern smart communications and staff who continually train and certify their skills, you can depend on BC Comfort to maximize your building’s systems, and to help you find the right fit when the time comes to replace them.

To learn more about how to maximize your building performance, contact us today.

Contact Us or Visit www.bccomfort.com