Keeping your HVAC system running smoothly during harsh winter cold snaps is essential for your business. Fortunately, a good HVAC maintenance plan can ensure winter warmth and avoid problems.
How Often Should Your HVAC Be Serviced?
To ensure good operation, all HVAC systems should be inspected, cleaned, and serviced once a year. Ideally, the heating system should be checked in the fall before cold weather starts and air conditioning should be checked in the spring before regular use begins.
In addition to ensuring that your HVAC system operates at peak performance, yearly maintenance also lowers the odds of a system failure on extremely cold days. No one wants to deal with HVAC repair when it’s 5 degrees.
What Does Heating System Maintenance Include?
HVAC maintenance for winter should include:
- Replacing the Air Filter
Air filter protects your HVAC from particles and improve air quality. Clogged filters can make your system work harder, leading to a breakdown. - Thermostat Inspection
Making sure that thermostat settings match your actual building temperature is crucial. Large discrepancies could indicate other problems or a problem with the sensor. - Thorough Cleaning
Items like the heat exchanger, vents, grills, blower motor, etc. should be clean for proper operation and better air quality. - Lubricate Components
Properly lubricated parts prevent friction that can lead to increased wear and tear. - Check for Air Leaks
Energy Star reports that HVAC systems can lose an average of 20-30% of temperature due to air leaks, holes, cracks, etc. Insulation around vents and ducts can prevent both air leaks and heat loss. - Inspect Electrical Connections
Inspection and repair of electrical connections improves operational efficiency and prevents fires. - A Thorough Inspection
Inspections find more subtle problems that can lead to inefficiency or full breakdowns.
How Can I Tell If My HVAC System Needs Maintenance?
While occasionally an HVAC system can fail seemingly without warning, normally either your HVAC maintenance provider will spot problems in advance or you’ll experience trouble signs.
Possible symptoms of upcoming HVAC problems include:
- Loud system noise or strange sounds when operating
- Slow system start
- Problems maintaining the set temperature
- Uneven distribution
- Excessive moisture
- Unpleasant odor when running
- Higher than usual energy bills
Other HVAC Tips for Extreme Cold
Snow can also cause roofing problems that affect the HVAC system as well as the building’s integrity.
Consider keeping a consistent temperature during extreme cold spells. Under normal circumstances, lowering the thermostat when the business is empty is a great way to save money and energy. However, when it’s excessively cold outside, it might be more difficult for the system to achieve the desired higher temperature later.
Donnelly Mechanical is New York City’s top commercial HVAC service company in rain, snow, sleet or shine. Contact us today to learn more about preventive maintenance during cold snaps.
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