| Ever notice that problems with the mechanical | | | | a result your equipment will break down at the same |
| equipment in your building always seems to | | | | time that similar equipment is breaking down all over |
| breakdown at the worst possible time from both a | | | | the city. As a result equipment breakdowns are often |
| convenience and cost perspective. Well there is | | | | repaired on overtime as technicians struggle to keep |
| actually a reason for this phenomena, beyond the | | | | up with demand, resulting in even higher repair costs. |
| simple explanation of Murphy's Law. HVAC systems | | | | Equipment will last longero Our experience is that |
| are complicated pieces of machinery that include | | | | well-maintained equipment will last 5-10 years longer |
| pumps, compressors, electric motors, fans, heat | | | | than equipment that is poorly maintained. Repairs will |
| exchangers, sophisticated electronic controls and | | | | be done Faster due to Technician Familiarityo Most |
| many esoteric refrigeration parts. Modern HVAC | | | | Service companies try to keep the same technicians |
| systems work well for many years when they are | | | | working on your building so if you do need any |
| well maintained and sized correctly for their | | | | repairs the technician will know your equipment and |
| application. | | | | its history and will be able to trouble-shoot the |
| However, when HVAC systems are not maintained | | | | problem much faster, saving time that would have |
| properly, they start to have to run harder than they | | | | been billed to you |
| were designed to run. For example, if the cooling coils | | | | Non-monetary Benefits Environmental Benefitso |
| that transfer heat from the inside of your building to | | | | Properly maintained equipment will use much less |
| the unit's refrigerant are like the radiator of your car. | | | | energy and thus reduces the amount of greenhouse |
| If they get covered in dirt they cannot transfer heat | | | | gases indirectly generated by your building. |
| efficiently. Therefore, less heat is transferred, so to | | | | Better Serviceo Service companies give priority, and |
| give the same amount of cooling the unit must run | | | | usually discounted rates, to customers that have PM |
| longer. Similarly if the coils that transfer heat from | | | | contracts. If your equipment does fail on the hottest |
| the refrigerant to the outside are dirty, less heat is | | | | day of the year, you will get priority over other |
| transferred from the refrigerant to the outside, | | | | customers. |
| which means the refrigerant stays hotter. Hotter | | | | More Predictable Expenseso Your budgeting will be |
| refrigerant cannot absorb as much heat from the | | | | much easier as the cost of the PM contract is |
| inside of the building which means again that the | | | | known. Repairs will still be present, particularly with |
| system must work longer. Soon your equipment is | | | | equipment that is old or has been neglected in the |
| working much harder and longer than it was designed | | | | past, but it should be possible to do them in a |
| to do. | | | | systematic way. No worries about having to dip into |
| Now throw in a hot summer's day, which your | | | | contingency funds or do special assessments. |
| equipment was probably specified to barely be able | | | | Types of Preventative Maintenance Programs |
| to handle when running at peak efficiency and the | | | | There are a number of different types of |
| equipment breaks down. The fact that it happens on | | | | Preventative Maintenance Programs but we can |
| a Sunday when everyone's at home and an | | | | group them into three categories, Basic, |
| emergency repair call is billed at double time is truly | | | | Comprehensive and Full Maintenance. |
| Murphy's law. The key to reducing these kind of | | | | Basic Program |
| annoying calls is to have a proper Preventative | | | | Basic programs are the minimum that should be done |
| Maintenance Program for your equipment. These | | | | on any piece of equipment typically consisting of |
| programs will save you significant dollars not only on | | | | regular filter changes and inspections, and at least |
| your repair budgets but by making your equipment | | | | two Major inspections. Some companies include an |
| last longer, also on your capital replacement budgets. | | | | annual belt change with their programs, others |
| What is Preventative Maintenance? | | | | inspect the belts and replace them, if necessary, as |
| Preventative Maintenance (PM) on HVAC and | | | | an extra charge. A good basic maintenance package |
| ventilation equipment usually falls into two categories, | | | | will give you most of the benefits of a PM program |
| major and minor inspections. Basic programs consist | | | | at the lowest price. The extra features of a |
| of two major and two minor inspections so that | | | | Comprehensive plan, such as cleaning, can always be |
| equipment is serviced quarterly. Minor Inspections | | | | added with an extra charge. |
| include simple mechanical tasks like changing air filters | | | | Comprehensive Programs |
| and fan belts as well as visual and aural inspections of | | | | Comprehensive programs include everything in the |
| equipment for abnormal operation. Clues like noisy | | | | basic plan plus cleaning of all the units. |
| bearings and oil leaks can be followed up to find | | | | Full Maintenance Programs |
| potential trouble spots. It is often tempting to use | | | | Full Maintenance programs go beyond Preventative |
| in-house staff to do minor inspections to save | | | | Maintenance to encompass not only all maintenance |
| money. While in-house inspections can work well, | | | | but also all repairs to the equipment. Essentially for a |
| building owners should be aware of two potential pit | | | | monthly fee you are buying the piece of mind that |
| falls. First, maintenance on equipment that is not in | | | | your HVAC equipment will be operating. |
| plain sight is an easy task to postpone so often key | | | | There are a number of advantages to a Full |
| tasks like changing air filters are not done according | | | | Maintenance Program, including:o Cost certainty - you |
| to the proper schedule. Second, while it is not hard to | | | | get no surprises on your annual HVAC costs, any risk |
| change air filters it does take an educated person to | | | | of major breakdowns is the service providerso Less |
| properly do the visual and aural checks, so in-house | | | | Breakdowns - it is in the service provider's best |
| staff must be trained on maintaining the equipment | | | | interest to make sure there are no breakdowns, Full |
| or vital clues to problems will be missed and small | | | | Maintenance Sites get excellent Preventative |
| problems will turn into large ones. Major Inspections | | | | Maintenance and the best quality partso Quicker |
| are more complex and should only be done by | | | | Repairs - You do not need to authorize repairs so |
| certified personnel. Typical PM programs will include | | | | when a technician finds a problem during an |
| two Major inspections, a Heating Inspection in the fall, | | | | inspection, it can be fixed immediately. |
| and a Cooling Inspection in the Spring. Major | | | | Full Maintenance programs work best with newer |
| inspections include checking heat exchangers, gas | | | | equipment. If your equipment is old, the service |
| burners, cooling coils, compressors and refrigerant | | | | provider will have to budget for a number of repairs |
| pressures. More Comprehensive Preventative | | | | in order to cover themselves, remember the risk lies |
| Maintenance programs including cleaning of any | | | | with the service provider in a such a program. |
| equipment that use coils to transfer heat either | | | | Usually at the beginning of a Full Maintenance |
| cooling or heating. The efficiency of any type of heat | | | | program, the service provider will schedule an initial |
| exchange requires that air can flow over such coils | | | | detailed inspection of all your equipment and come up |
| and any type of dirt can seriously effect the | | | | with a list of work that needs to be done in order to |
| operation of HVAC equipment causing it to not only | | | | get the equipment in top working order. With new |
| run inefficiently but also to run at higher rates and | | | | equipment that list will be very short, with older |
| pressures which will damage the equipment. | | | | equipment, particularly equipment that has not been |
| Why do Preventative Maintenance? | | | | maintained, it could be extensive. You will then have |
| The major reason to do Preventative Maintenance is | | | | to decide whether to pay for the initial repairs or to |
| that it will save money in the long run in a number of | | | | exclude the specified piece of equipment from the |
| ways:o Equipment will run more efficientlyo | | | | agreement. Sometimes it is less expensive to exclude |
| Equipment that runs efficiently uses less energy so | | | | the equipment and only pay for repairs if it breaks. |
| you will save money on both your gas and electrical | | | | You should look for Full Maintenance programs that |
| billso Equipment that runs efficiently will put less strain | | | | last longer than one year. If the service company has |
| on the mechanical components so they will not break | | | | a long term agreement they will be more apt to |
| down as much and will last longerRepairs will be | | | | spend money on upgrades and major repairs to your |
| caught when they are smallo All mechanical | | | | equipment because they will save money over the |
| equipment will eventually need repairs, regular PM will | | | | long term of the contract. Short contracts encourage |
| catch mechanical problems when before they | | | | the service provider to use cheaper "band-aid" |
| become large Repairs will be caught when they can | | | | solutions as they are not sure that they will be able |
| be dealt with in a cost effective mannero Repairs | | | | to renew the contract. |
| that are caught by your PM program can usually be | | | | HVAC Preventative Maintenance Programs Save Both |
| fixed on the same visit or at the very least be | | | | Aggravation and Money |
| scheduled for repair during normal working hourso | | | | Now we can see how Preventative Maintenance |
| Equipment that fails often fails outside of regular | | | | programs save you and your customers both the |
| hours and usually when it is stressed by | | | | aggravation of non-functional equipment and the very |
| environmental conditions. For example, cooling | | | | real costs of operating and replacing HVAC |
| equipment invariably fails on the hottest day of the | | | | equipment. |
| year. Although this phenomena feels like Murphy's law | | | | Put together an effective program and have your |
| at work, it is actually because the equipment is | | | | Summer Sundays undisturbed. |
| having to work its hardest under these conditions. As | | | | |