If you believe hiring a professional is expensive, just wait until you hire an amateur to get an important job done.
If your home or business has a rooftop HVAC unit, then you should always keep that saying in mind. Rooftop HVAC units are expensive. Entire building complex interior ecosystems depend on rooftop HVAC units to keep temperatures cool and stabilized.
And it is the things we take for granted that require the most attention. However, it is easy to forget about a rooftop HVAC unit until it needs maintenance.
And by then, it is too late to avoid an expensive repair bill.
Rooftop HVAC units are often overused and stressed, especially during the hotter seasons of the year. Due to climate, the western half of the United States endured some of the hottest weather on record during summer 2021. Temperatures ranged from 113 degrees to 129 degrees under the so-called “heat dome.”
Most rooftop HVAC units are designed to be optimal in ambient temperatures no higher than 115 degrees.
The average rooftop HVAC unit is designed to last at least 10 years. With regular annual maintenance checks, that estimate can be increased to at least 15 years.
However, maintenance negligence is a primary reason why rooftop HVAC units require repair. The smallest, unnoticed issues and problems incrementally become bigger and more expensive problems.
Make sure you have your rooftop HVAC unit maintenance at least once a year.
Now, here are three signs you need to get your unit maintenance ASAP.
Related: 6 Signs Your Building Needs Better Ventilation
A properly functioning rooftop HVAC unit produces predictable and mostly uniform energy bills.
But a malfunctioning rooftop HVAC unit in dire need of maintenance will struggle to operate and create cool air. A malfunctioning rooftop HVAC unit will draw a lot more electricity just to operate inefficiently than a functioning one.
Ignore getting annual maintenance checks, and you will pay more for energy bills as well as repairs.
You will know that your rooftop HVAC unit is long overdue for a maintenance check when it starts emitting foul and unpleasant smells.
Refrigerant leaks can sometimes smell like a mixture of a sweet and off-putting odor.
Mildew and mold contaminating the interior of the rooftop HVAC unit emit dank and musty odors when operating.
Like a bird or rat, if a small animal dies inside the rooftop HVAC unit, the unit can emit and spread a rotting odor when in operation.
The average rooftop HVAC unit emits a cacophony of whirring, humming, and droning sounds when in operation, which is normal.
If the unit starts emitting clanking, rattling, noisy, and uncommon noises, it needs immediate repairs.
Unusual noises could indicate debris or loose components stuck in the unit’s interior. Such unusual noises could also indicate a whole host of other repair issues that require immediate maintenance.
We take rooftop HVAC units for granted because they work so well and are designed to work without problems for years.
And the best way to keep yours working is to schedule regular maintenance checks.
Need a rooftop HVAC unit maintenance check? Contact Standard Plumbing and Heating Co. today.
Related: 5 Reasons To Consider a Career as a Commercial HVAC Technician