A Checklist for HVAC Preventive Maintenance

[Editor’s Notes: 1) For our 2011 version of this post check out:  “How to Develop an HVAC Maintenance Checklist” 2) If you want to boost your career in 2012 check out our interactive infographic: “HVAC Career Development Map“]

To kick off the year, Buildings magazine is featuring a great article about overhauling your building’s preventive maintenance plan to achieve maximum effectiveness (“Revamp Your Preventive Maintenance for 2009”). To accompany this, they offer a detailed checklist of preventive maintenance procedures for commercial building systems and components, including roofing, hvac, plumbing, lighting, and others.

Believe us when we predict you’ll find something valuable in all of this. Please click through to read it. Meanwhile, here’s the checklist for HVAC preventive maintenance, which we think you’ll agree is quite informative:

• Inspect at least twice a year, with seasonal start-up and run inspections.
• Seasonal PM of chillers and boilers is involved; industry practice is to have a qualified mechanical contractor provide services.
• For cooling towers, disassemble screens and access panels for inspection; inspect the tower fill, support structure, sump and spray nozzles, fill valve, gear box, drive coupling, fan blades, and motor bearings; clean starter and cabinet; inspect wiring; check motor starter contacts for wear and proper operation; megger test the motor and log readings; and check the condition of the sump heater and contactor, and log observations.
• Pumps usually require bearing lubrication at least annually. Inspect couplings and check for leaks. Investigate unusual noises.
• Air-handling unit maintenance should include cleaning or replacing air filters at least quarterly, based on condition.

Information provided by Bob Marvin, principal at Marvin & Associates Inc., and Walter M. D’Ascenzo, senior project manager at Facility Engineering Associates

Next Steps:

• Check out:  How to Develop an HVAC Maintenance Checklist.
• Subscribe to our blog to stay informed on the latest HVAC maintenance news and insight.
• Stay up to date on facility maintenance tools such as chiller tube cleaners, boiler tube cleaners and hose/pipe cleaners, descaler systems, test instruments, air duct cleaners, industrial vacuums, commercial pressure washers, and drain cleaners.