The Need for Planned Maintenance

In the commercial, corporate world, the workplace is ruled by budgets, which are passed down through the ranks. “Budgetary constraints,” “budgetary cuts,” “not in the budget,” “maybe next year,” are all commonly spewed phrases when it comes to the prospect of expenditures at work.

This isn’t a revelation. It’s reality.

That said, when budget planning meetings commence, an area that might be left neglected is an area directly related to the comfort and productivity of an organization, which is to say, it’s time to pay closer attention and make sure that this little operative piece of the business is taken a bit more seriously.

That area of focus, of course, is the property’s heating and cooling environment. You know, the HVAC system. You might find yourself fooling with the thermostat from time-to-time to achieve an ideal (comfortable) temperature. Where do you think that environmental conditioning is coming from?

Why bother doing commercial HVAC maintenance?

It’s a good question. After all, you don’t necessarily see the equipment that’s keeping things comfortable in the workplace, so why does it matter if it continues to get ignored for a few years?

That’s the wrong attitude.

Think of your HVAC environment like a car. Do you change your oil regularly? Do you keep the fluids full (you know, coolant, steering fluid, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, etc.)? Do you get an annual checkup? Of course you do (the latter is known as an inspection, and if you haven’t been getting one, you’ve likely accumulated a lot of fines…)

HVAC systems are a lot like cars. There’s a lot of moving pieces and parts, and eventually, things wear out. Like the tires on your car. If your tires are bare, you’re putting your vehicle, and yourself in harms way. It’s important to monitor the wear and keep things operating optimally. It’s an important investment. Many of us want our cars to last for as long as they possibly can. Without the aforementioned maintenance, your car may just very well give up prematurely and die on the side of the road. Same with your HVAC system. If you’re maintaining it properly, the typical commercial HVAC system should last you 15 – 20 long years. That’s a lot of comfort. And with comfort comes productivity (more on that here…)

The three man points of interest in keeping a well maintained heating and cooling environment in your commercial property:

Reliability

As mentioned, a lack of maintenance affects downtime and the lifetime of a system. For example, a clogged filter can stop a system from working and cause motors to overheat and prematurely fail. Failure is avoidable. And if you’re in the business of being proactive, you can certainly save a substantial amount on costly repairs keeping that system maintained and as reliable as it possibly can be.

Efficiency (Operating Cost)

The electrical cost of your HVAC system is higher when said system has to work harder. Improper refrigerant charge can cause a system to run longer than necessary. The age-old mantra applies: “work smarter, not harder.” When you install a system, part of the hope is that you’re saving money, and, in most cases, the implementation of a new HVAC system brings with it a 20-40% savings in emissions and cost savings. So, why not keep that good thing going? Optimization is key.

Safety

Typically halfway through the life of a HVAC system (10 years) heat exchangers have to be replaced. It’s not common knowledge, especially if you’re “ignoring” the existence of your heating and cooling environment. A cracked heat exchanger can emit Carbon Monoxide, which is odorless and harmful. A proper yearly visual inspection should be completed. Air quality in general is of great importance if you’re at all concerned with the wellbeing of the people residing under your roof.

At Suburban Companies, we provide you with the best HVAC products on the market – customized with care to ensure you’re getting exactly what you need and none of what you don’t. We’re also are revered in the industry for your “peace-of-mind” service contracts that enable you to put the focus on your business, while we make sure your comfort is at a maximum. There’s a reason we’ve won awards and it’s time for you to take advantage of our expertise and passion. Give us a shout today. When it comes to maintenance and HVAC system optimization – we’re at the head of the class.