Why an HVAC and refrigerated preventative maintenance program is the right choice.
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) are a daily presence in everyone’s life. To some it is the backbone of their company, product and services. Refrigeration and HVAC sound simple: it keeps cool and it heats up. But such simplicity is a huge misconception. It is more complex than most would think.
There are many different types of refrigerated equipment and commercial HVAC equipment. Refrigerated equipment could consist of coffin styles, one-door, two-door, three-door and walk-in units. Commercial HVAC units have multiple sizes that range from 1.5 tons to 25 tons. There are larger units available up to 50 tons, but these are special order units, and your company or customer may have more than one unit depending on the size of your location.
It is very important when installing new equipment that the electrical is set up properly for the piece of equipment that you are operating, whether it is a refrigerated piece of equipment or an HVAC unit. With HVAC units, you will need to make sure that the unit your company chooses accommodates the building size. There are many instances where locations do not have the correct size of an HVAC unit to heat and cool their location, and call for service when the problem lies solely in not having the correct size of equipment.
Next to the electrical, the condenser coils are the heart of any refrigerated equipment or commercial HVAC unit. This area on the unit allows for proper airflow in and out of the unit. If debris clogs the coils, this could cause serious damage and sometimes un-repairable damage, which could require replacing the entire unit.
As mentioned earlier, refrigeration and HVAC units are the backbone of many companies throughout the United States – they are what keep them in business on a daily basis. It is very easy to assume that the equipment is operative simply because it is running. The question is: is the unit running properly and at its fullest capabilities and potential? The answer to this question is probably “no” if it is not maintained regularly. A preventative maintenance program is always the best option to assure that your piece(s) of equipment are maintained properly, because it will cut down on the amount of breakdowns in the future and allow you to be proactive in finding a problem instead of waiting until the unit is completely inoperative; this in return will save your company money.
A refrigerated preventative maintenance program could involve the following:
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Documenting the case information (model, serial numbers, etc.).
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Arrival and departure temperatures.
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Voltage supplied to the case with the compressor running.
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Voltage supplied to the case with the compressor not running.
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Compressor amp draws.
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Checking to see if the case is grounded.
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Plug-in case or hardwired.
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Checking pressure on arrival and departure
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High side and low side pressures.
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Cleaning of the condenser coils.
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Cleaning of the compressor.
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Checking the time clock to assure it is set properly.
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Checking the defrost settings and their time length durations to make sure they are at manufacturer specifications.
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Inspecting all electrical including case lighting.
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Checking all motors (evaporator and condenser).
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Checking the evaporator coils.
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Inspecting all heater (evaporator, drain line and drain tube).
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Checking the thermostat and thermometer.
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Checking Freon levels, and inspecting for leaks.
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Checking drain pan and drain lines.
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Checking door operations.
An HVAC preventative maintenance program is somewhat similar to a refrigerated preventative maintenance program, but consists of and not limited to inspecting belts, boilers, and economizer controls.
All companies have budgets that have to be taken into consideration before beginning such a program. Continual surveys throughout the year of the equipment will help aid in setting a budget so that you know the existing condition of the equipment prior to setting up pricing for the program. For best results, a preventative maintenance program completed four times a year through professional refrigeration and/or HVAC companies is highly recommended for optimal equipment performance. Some companies prefer not to do it quite this often, but a program in place even twice a year is better than not having a program at all.
If a preventative maintenance program is not allowable in the company’s budget, there are other options to consider. Condenser coil cleaning is one of the most important aspects of your refrigeration and/or HVAC unit(s). This should be done once a month and can be completed with a technician who would use nitrogen to blow out the coils. There are also coil cleaning products that are available through most suppliers. A filter placed in front of the coils is helpful, but must be cleaned or replaced on a monthly basis. The filter is used to aid in stopping debris from becoming impacted into the condenser coil. (NOTE: There are some pieces of refrigeration equipment where filters are not recommended. Bottom mount units especially. This is when the compressor is on the bottom of the case as opposed to on top of the case.)
According to Doug Hutchinson, supermarket freezer manager with Carvel Ice Cream Bakery, “Carvel has approximately 4,000 self-contained freezers located over a large geographical area. The challenge is to keep the condensers clean, thus preventing breakdowns. I found a product that can be mixed at different concentrations, depending on the severity of the dirt, and is sprayed on the condenser coils. The route sales people have been cleaning them and installing filters, which are cleaned or replaced on monthly intervals. This program has helped save many freezer failures with the savings of product losses and repair bills.”
If a unit is not maintained, you could be costing your company more money than is necessary. Filters are an intricate part of both refrigerated equipment and an HVAC unit, and not cleaning and/or replacing them could cost your company the price of a new piece of equipment – which is very costly.
Many companies have their own in-house maintenance department, but for those that do not, here are some questions to consider when selecting the appropriate service provider that best suits your company, its needs and its budget:
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What size is the company?
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Are they able to provide service regionally?
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Are they able to provide service nationally?
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Are they able to perform a refrigerated preventative maintenance program?
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Are they able to perform an HVAC preventative maintenance program?
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Have they managed a preventative maintenance program before?
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Will they be able to handle your volume?
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What does their standard preventative maintenance program include?
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Are they able to adjust and customize their preventative maintenance program to accommodate your company’s needs?
A proper preventative maintenance program may be the answer to saving your company thousands of dollars and make your company stand above the rest.
BIO : Kara Pruitt is a Senior Project Manager for Quality Solutions, Inc. (QSI), a Wichita , Kansas based total facilities management company specializing in facilities maintenance and national projects.
