HVAC Maintenance: A Key Component In Energy Saving Programs

Here’s a real-life ” benefits of HVAC maintenance ” scenario for ya. Recently, I was asked to assist in a control point-to-point checkout for a manufacturing facility. The complex had 36 rooftop units and our task was to go through and verify that the control points were what the program said they were.

The facility was upgrading their Building Management System (BMS) as part of a larger energy initiative.  A three year long replacement process had been completed and every unit was now a new, more energy efficient model.  We had to make sure that the mechanical contractor had carried all the wiring over to the new units correctly.

The thing that surprised me was that someone in the organization had made a strong commitment to energy savings in the HVAC system.  Unfortunately, they had missed the most obvious and cost-effective way to keep the energy costs down:  routine HVAC maintenance.

As I took the  panels off, I noticed that there seemed to be little or no maintenance performed on these units! The air filters were plugged.  Several belts were loose.  Condenser coils needed to be cleaned. I found that virtually none of the economizers functioned, mostly due to the fact that they had never been lubricated — the linkage was frozen.  The most alarming fact the facility manager told me was when the BMS showed that the the indoor fan was running but there was no actual airflow in the space, THAT was when the maintenance staff knew that it was time to change the filters or check the belt!

So after spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on new equipment and a BMS upgrade, the simple things were still negatively impacting their bottom line.  In order to realize any savings, they needed to clean those coils, tighten the fan belts, change the air filters (and vacuum the filter compartment), and get the economizers operating properly for the new BMS to control!

Otherwise, they should have spent the money on something else!

Next Steps:

• Check out our learning center on how best to maintain all your facility’s existing equipment.
• 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, hose/pipe cleaners, descaler systems, test instruments, industrial vacuums, commercial pressure washers, and drain cleaners.

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