HVAC cooling tower maintenance of mechanical components is out-of-site out-of-mind for many building managers. However, in New York City (NYC) compliance with Local Law 77 (LL77) and remaining legionella-free must be top priorities.
While achieving compliance with state and city cooling tower regulations is important, neglecting mechanical maintenance can be a costly mistake. Keeping cooling towers in peak operating conditions provides ongoing value over the life of the system.
Which Parts of a HVAC Cooling Tower Need Mechanical Maintenance?
Mechanical fan drive systems in cooling towers need regular maintenance to remain fully operational. Many of these components – such as the gearbox – move at high speeds and are liable to wear and tear, and even failure, due to poor lubrication, excessive vibration and other environmental factors.
This is the core of mechanical maintenance items for a cooling tower. If the fan drive system goes down, the whole cooling tower goes down. There are a number of preventative maintenance items you can perform to avoid mechanical failures.
Benefits of Regular Mechanical Maintenance
Regular, proactive mechanical maintenance of cooling towers can benefit building owners and managers in many different ways. First, keeping cooling towers running at peak performance reduces energy consumption. If a poorly maintained cooling tower isn’t delivering the specific temperature and flow rate it’s supposed to, overall system performance will suffer and operational costs will increase from higher energy consumption.
Mechanical maintenance provides many cost saving opportunities apart from reduced energy consumption. Downtime is expensive. So are major cooling tower repairs and equipment replacements. Regular maintenance helps avoid downtime from repairs and replacement by fixing problems before they arise. Also, keeping cooling towers in peak condition helps extend their lifespan, increasing the time in between major cooling tower investments.
Building owners and managers reap many benefits from regular mechanical maintenance of cooling towers, but reducing energy consumption, lowering operational costs and increasing equipment lifespans are some of the most immediate benefits.
Mechanical maintenance of cooling towers is often overlooked in favor of LL77 compliance, which is understandable given the complex and demanding regulations it entails. However, mechanical maintenance is still important, and those who’re proactive with cooling tower maintenance will see numerous operational benefits.
Donnelly Mechanical is NYC’s leading HVAC and energy services provider, helping 1,700+ businesses stay compliant, avoid fines and keep cooling towers in peak condition. Read about our strategic partnership with NYC Cooling Tower Inspections & Services, which helps us provide the best possible HVAC cooling tower service to NYC businesses.
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