Fundamentals of Excellent HVAC Maintenance

We’ve highlighted articles written by James Piper, P.E., for FacilitiesNet in the past. See, for example, “Action Steps for HVAC Pros and Facility Mangers in a Tough Economy” (April 3) and “5 Steps and 5 Threats to Chiller Efficiency in Commercial HVAC Systems” (Feb. 3).

Now we’re happy to direct you to yet another valuable article that Piper has written. It’s a six-parter at FacilitiesNet titled “HVAC: Focus on Certification and Energy Efficiency” that focuses on — you guessed it — the importance of third-party certification of HVAC equipment to help ensure maximum system efficiency. FacilitesNet is presenting it as a special report in conjunction with the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the trade association that represents manufacturers of air conditioning, heating, and commercial refrigeration equipment.

But certification isn’t the only thing the report is about. Check out the titles of the six parts:

  1. Renovations Present Opportunities for Energy-Efficiency Improvements
  2. HVAC Equipment: Third-Party Certification Ensures Efficiency
  3. HVAC Certification Leads to Informed Decisions
  4. Managers Need to Review HVAC Manufacturers’ Performance Claims
  5. Proper Training and Maintenance Plays Role in HVAC Efficiency
  6. Training Affects Boiler Performance

As you can see, the report serves as a kind of mini-primer on several important aspects of ensuring maximum efficiency in any HVAC system, including maintenance and upkeep, renovation, choosing new equipment, understanding certification ratings, and more.

Piper has a good deal to say about proper system maintenance and the need for correct training of maintenance staff. This is a subject that’s near and dear to our heart, so we’ll pull out a couple of his comments that we really like:

The first step managers need to take in reducing energy use is to ensure all energy-using systems are performing as efficiently as possible. This action is particularly important in large energy-using systems, such as building chillers and boilers, where even a slight increase in operating efficiency can translate into significant annual savings.

Managers should review all energy-using systems for proper operation. They also should check maintenance records to determine technicians have performed maintenance activities properly and at the correct intervals.

….Installing certified systems and components is just the beginning. Facilities will realize the improved performance and energy efficiency that comes from having products perform at or above established standards only if the equipment operates properly and if technicians perform the proper maintenance. If technicians ignore or incorrectly perform required maintenance, performance and energy efficiency will suffer, and service lives will be shortened.

Not only is it important for technicians to perform maintenance tasks when needed. They also need to receive the proper training to ensure HVAC equipment and components operate at peak efficiency.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, and we’re grateful to him for saying it.

For more about the signal importance of proper HVAC system maintenance, see our past posts, including:

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