Winter is one of the harshest times of the year for a commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. If it isn’t properly maintained, it could break down when your office needs it the most.
The last thing you want is for your employees to feel like icicles as they try to do their jobs. This blog will focus on cold weather HVAC service tips you can follow to keep your system functioning optimally.
Winter HVAC Service Tips to Follow
You do not want your HVAC to work at less than an optimal level. Not only are inefficient systems more expensive to run, but you run the very real risk of a breakdown that could have easily been prevented. So, when the temperature starts to dip below freezing, how do you know if your HVAC system is ready to handle it?
The best way to ensure your HVAC will survive the winter is to perform routine maintenance. It is recommended to prepare your HVAC for winter during the fall season. This way, your equipment will be in tip top shape and be ready to tackle even the harshest climates when winter comes. Here are a few simple preventative maintenance HVAC tips for winter.
Commercial Filter Maintenance
This should always be the very first thing you do when you perform routine winter HVAC maintenance. Air filters are designed to remove all the dust and allergens from the air. When your building is heavily used, they need to be replaced regularly.
If your air filters are dirty and clogged, the system has to work harder to maintain a proper air flow through all the returns and ductwork. A dirty air filter can cause permanent damage to your system as well. Filters in commercial HVAC systems should be changed every month, at the very least, to keep a healthy, optimal air flow throughout the system.
Make Sure the Thermostat Is Operating Properly
When you set a temperature, does the system struggle to maintain it? Does it cycle on and off needlessly? Test your thermostat before the cold weather comes to make sure your system doesn’t have any of these symptoms. While the equipment may be fine, the thermostat may not be. If the system takes a long time to reach the chosen temperature, or doesn’t reach it at all, then this is an indication of a more serious problem.
Keep All Vents and Ducts Clear
Just like your air filter can restrict airflow, it is easy to unknowingly block vents and ducts. Anything that blocks the flow of air makes the system work harder and less efficiently, which leads to higher energy bills and the potential for serious maintenance issues down the road. A quick walk through of your building, noting all vents and ducts, should be sufficient to keep them all clear.
Inspect Insulation Around Vents and Ducts
Efficiency means maintaining temperatures, and if your system is leaking heated or cooled air, then it is working much more than it needs to. It is easy for insulation to be damaged during summer months so a quick inspection should be enough to make sure there are no leaks.
Perform a Test Run of Your Heating System
Nothing tells you more about something than the results from a test. Before it starts getting chilly outside, try running a quick test on your equipment. Turn up the heater to ensure all components responsible for providing heat are functional. The components that should be active during this test include the burner, heat exchanger, and fuel connectors. Keep in mind that when you perform this test, you may notice a slight burning smell. This smell is caused by your heater burning off dust that’s been accumulating since last year.
Have an Experienced Professional From John’s Take Care of All of the Above
It isn’t difficult to do a bare minimum check of your HVAC system yourself, but if you do suspect an issue, or if you want to make sure a thorough inspection is done, the experienced technicians at John’s Service and Sales will make sure everything is shipshape before the temperatures really drop. Your business needs to be a warm, inviting place – make sure it is with John’s Service and Sales.
