Winter is fast approaching us in the lead up to Christmas and that means it’s the perfect time to check if your HVAC system is ready to handle your Winter heating and cooling requirements. Business owners and commercial workplaces who ensure that their HVAC units are regularly maintained lessen their chances of having Air-Conditioning breakdowns.
During the cold winter days, your HVAC system becomes the most valuable piece of equipment in your workplace. Yet if it’s not running correctly, you’ll experience less comfort and higher energy bills.
By investing in a Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) check now, you can prevent any number of minor and major repairs, while prolonging the lifespan of your equipment. This is why December is an ideal time to have an HVAC system inspection to ensure your beloved systems are in working order to avoid a costly emergency repair bill.
How to Prepare Your Air Conditioner for the Winter Months
Clean Your AC’s Condenser Unit
The first step is to inspect and clean the condenser unit of your AC system. As Air conditioners improve the air quality and cool your workspace, moisture accumulates within the unit resulting in water and other byproduct particles building up in the condensate drain pipe.
Over time the condensate drain can become clogged up with dirt and other debris resulting in water leaking from your AC unit. Leaking AC systems can result in further damage to your AC unit and workplace so it is vital to keep an eye on the state of the condensate drain.
Ensure you turn off the power to the condenser unit before beginning. Start by removing any debris from the exterior casing using a soft brush attachment. You can then unscrew the top grill and set it aside before carefully lifting out the fan without bending or disconnecting the wires.
Remove any debris from the interior of the unit and gently wipe surfaces with a damp cloth. Spray the coils from the inside out with water using moderate pressure. Reinsert the fan, reattach the cover, and restore power when complete.
Change Your AC’s Air Filter
This step is easy to do and can have a considerable impact on the health of your commercial air conditioning system. A dirty or clogged air filter can result in your unit becoming less efficient as your system will compensate for the reduction in the airflow by increasing its energy usage in order to pull in air into the system.
A clean air filter helps to protect system components and improve the quality of your indoor air. This is usually a simple process, however, if you are unsure what type of replacement filter is required then it may be best to call in the HVAC experts.
Clean your Evaporator Coils
With all commercial air conditioning units, the external evaporator coils need to be cleaned to perform efficiently. Failure to regularly clean and change your air filters can result in dirt building up on the evaporator coil.
At ADK, we advise avoiding cleaning with soaps or detergents as these kinds of products can leave residues which can eventually clog the components of the evaporator coil. Instead, we advise using a commercial cleaning solution which won’t harm your unit.
Additional Checks
If required you can clear the area around the outdoor AC unit. For example, you can clear long grass and debris from the perimeter of the outdoor unit, and trim trees, bushes, or foliage, leaving a three-foot clearance on all sides and above.
Listen to the compressor. Stand nearby as the AC is running to listen for any unusual noises such as buzzing, clunking, or grinding, which are signs that something is not right and you may need to call in a repair engineer.
We advise performing periodic HVAC inspections. If you’re uncomfortable or unable to perform any of these checks, call the professionals at ADK Kooling. We have over 15 years of experience in installing, maintaining and repairing commercial HVAC systems.
Inspections Save You Money in the Long-term
By performing regular HVAC inspections (Planned Preventative Maintenance) you can save money on air conditioning repairs, replacement parts and even prevent a situation where you need to replace a whole HVAC system.
Benefits of (PPM) Planned Preventative Maintenance:
✔️ Reduction in Breakdowns
✔️ Saves Costs for Reactive Callouts
✔️ Improved Asset Life Cycle
✔️ Remaining Legal & F-GAS Compliant
✔️ Lower Energy Consumption
✔️ Reduces Environmental Impact
✔️ Less Customer / Employee Complaints
By undertaking some basic housekeeping tasks and signing up for a PPM contract you can protect your investment and ensure that you are always getting the best performance out of your commercial air conditioning units.
At ADK, planned preventative maintenance visits can be arranged with clients tailored to their personal requirements within a timescale to suit their business needs and budgets. Tailoring our works for minimal disruption to your schedule, we’ll ensure that your HVAC systems are maintained and that your cooling system is always working to the best of its capabilities, as efficiently as possible.
For more information about our HVAC services, please get in touch with us today or call 0208 831 8900 and we’ll be more than happy to help you with anything you need. Alternatively, you can contact us to request an engineer and a free site survey.