When it comes to the changing of the seasons, switching from winter to summer clothes and back again should go hand in hand with seasonal maintenance to the HVAC system in your commercial building.
Calling for an inspection and tune-up sooner rather than later is always a good idea, as your local HVAC team can get very busy with routine maintenance and emergency calls during these times of the year.
Because there is no industry standard for what is required during a seasonal maintenance check, it is good to be prepared with a list of your own to provide to the HVAC team in order to ensure that all of your own ducks are in a line before the weather spikes in one direction or the other.
Here is a brief rundown of what you should ask from your HVAC service provider for the summer and winter seasons respectively:
With the focus on cooling off for the sweltering heat of the summer months, it’s important to inspect and/or clean the following parts of your air conditioning system: system controls, coils, any moving parts, air filters, blowers/fans, refrigerant/pressures, operating temperatures, and any electrical connections.
Signs that your HVAC system is not prepared for the transition into summer may include stale or musty air quality, warmer than desired air blowing from your AC, excessive noise while the system is running, accumulation of dust on regularly cleaned surfaces, irritation to the nose and/or throat, and condensation on the inside of windows.
Switching the focus to heat for cold winter months, in the late fall you should make sure to inspect and/or clean the following components of your furnace system: system controls, pipes, gas burners, ignition switch, heat exchanger, flue, and any electrical connections.
Signs that your HVAC system is not prepared for the transition into winter may include stale or musty air quality, excessive noise while the heat system is running, a burning smell when running, runny noses or other irritation to the nose and/or throat, and condensation on the inside of windows.
Despite the vast number of Do-it-yourself YouTube channels and online blogs, it is always a good idea to call in a professional for these maintenance checks. Particularly when it comes to a commercial building, the dangers and liability involved with an oversight or failure are just not worth the risk.
Having a general idea of what your HVAC maintenance personnel should be looking at is a different animal compared to actually knowing exactly what you are looking for in the system. A trained and licensed professional will see many problems that may slip right past your nose should you decide to perform this seasonal maintenance and inspection yourself.
In the long run, hiring a professional will save you time, money, and peace of mind that you will not be left freezing cold during the dead of winter nor in a puddle of sweat at the height of the summer.