Posted by
Tim Cullen on Tue, Jul 12, 2011 @ 02:38 PM
Just because your HVAC & Refrigeration systems are out of sight, does not mean they can be neglected. Getting your HVAC and Refrigeration equipment checked is just as important as changing the oil in your car every 3,000 miles! Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration units are often “out-of-sight--out-of-mind” and completely ignored until performance has degraded to a point where the unit no longer provides adequate heating or cooling.
Proper Operation Lowers Operating Cost – Extends Life
A Preventive Maintenance (PM) program is vital to ensuring your HVAC and Refrigeration equipment is operating properly. The maintenance should be performed quarterly for HVAC equipment and a minimum of twice a year on refrigeration equipment. This will allow the service technician to test the integral components of the unit, such as compressors, fan motors and refrigerant levels and verify they are in good operating condition. All PM’s should include changing the air filters with high efficiency pleated air filters. Keeping your equipment in proper running condition saves you approximately 20% on your HVAC and refrigeration units electrical operating cost. Regular maintenance also extends equipment life.
Poor Maintenance affects Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Poor maintenance, such as failure to change filters or maintain fresh air economizers, blocks air flow and causes CO-2 {carbon dioxide} build up. Average environmental CO-2 levels are 300 – 400 ppm. ASHRAE {American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers} recommends indoor levels be maintained below 700 ppm for occupant comfort and productivity. Sleepiness, lethargy and headaches are early symptoms of higher levels of CO-2.
The World Health Organization states that improperly maintained HVAC units cause 20 to 30% of the office population to suffer symptoms ranging from itchy eyes and throats, to short-term memory loss. Continual exposure to poor IAQ can cause permanent nervous and respiratory system damage.
Air conditioning and refrigeration systems always condense water on the evaporators. Mold, dust, and bacteria grow and accumulate if equipment is not maintained properly.
Relative Humidity should be maintained between 30 and 60%. RH above 60% promotes indoor microbial growth. Without proper maintenance of the evaporator and drain pan, mold / slime will build up which can cause sinus and respiratory infections, asthma problems or in extreme cases mold spores that create airborne toxins that cause serious health problems like legionnaires disease.
Food Quality
Equipment that is not maintained builds up dirt and bacteria on the evaporator surfaces which then get circulated by the air into the conditioned space. An excess of bacteria and fungi in the air increases the risk of contaminating surfaces and product. The liability, costs and future business loss incurred in an out break of illness among customers or staff caused by poor indoor air quality can be staggering.
Carbon Monoxide Danger with Gas Heating Systems
Carbon monoxide {CO} is a common result of gas heating systems. Lower levels are a health concern and concentrations should be maintained as close to non-detectable as possible. High levels are an immediate threat to life. HVAC equipment with cracked heat exchangers has the potential of allowing CO to enter occupied space and must be disabled and repaired or replaced.
Affect of CO exposure for healthy adults:
50 ppm {parts per million} Maximum allowable exposure for healthy adults in a 8 hour period
200 ppm Slight headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea after 2-3 hours
400 ppm Frontal headaches within 1-2 hours life threatening after 3 hours
800 ppm Dizziness, nausea and convulsions within 45 minutes un- consciousness within 2 hours, death within 1 hour.
1,600 ppm Headache, dizziness and nausea within 20 minutes.
Death within 1 hour
3,200 ppm Headache, dizziness and nausea within 5-10 minutes.
Death within 25-30 minutes.
6,400 ppm Headache, dizziness and nausea within 1-2 minutes.
Death within 10-15 minutes.
12,800 ppm Death within 1-3 minutes.
How Often should Equipment be Inspected?
HVAC equipment – at least quarterly
Refrigeration equipment – at least twice a year
Boilers – Yearly Inspection required by almost all states
in commercial and public facilities.
What a Typical PM consists of:
Check system functions, safety controls, and adjust operating sequence.
Inspect electrical components and tighten connections.
Ensure proper airflow and change dirty air filters.
Examine belts – replace once per year, adjust or align as required.
Clean and lubricate motors or pumps as required
Inspect, clean condensers and evaporators.
Check refrigerant levels
Check refrigeration equipment door gaskets
Check/clean condensate traps & lines to prevent obstructions
Clean burner assembly; remove soot from fireside of burner
Clean, replace pad and check operation of humidifier if applicable
Check, clean and adjust outside air economizers if applicable
Inspect heat exchanger for cracks
Check gas equipment firing sequence and for proper ignition
Boiler Inspections require checking:
Combustion air Burner condition
Safety controls Combustion sequence
Safety / relief valves Low water cut off
Water make up Pump couplers
Contact us for more information or to request a quote on providing you with maintenance service on your equipment.
Posted by
Tim Cullen on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 @ 03:02 PM
Lake's technicians service and maintain HVAC systems for a wide range of clients, from state-of-the-art medical facilities; high- technology manufacturing operations with clean room protocols; mission-critical data centers; supermarkets; and office/retail spaces. It’s a diverse group, but they all share a need for efficient and reliable heating and cooling.
Our service department offers the following:
1. 24/7 Emergency service
Lake offers around the clock coverage for facilities that cannot afford any down time. We have technician on stand by thru our live dispatching system. When a problem is diagnosed at 2 a.m., we follow it through, making sure that down time is minimal and your system is repaired efficiently. The investment you’ve made in your HVAC Systems will not compromised by our proactive service department.
2. Preventive Maintenance (PM)
Lake provides custom service plans for your HVAC systems. These service agreements can be monthly, quarterly, or biannually. At these scheduled inspections, we perform the maintenance work as specified by the equipment manufacturer. This includes changing filters and belts, checking the amperage and voltage, checking refrigerant pressures, etc.. These inspections are completed to confirm that your system is operating to the design parameters. The key benefit of these inspections can help to diagnose an issue before it becomes midnight emergency. The reports on these inspections are also useful in warranty situations with equipment manufacturers.
For all of our service work, Lake HVAC provides customers with a dedicated web site where they can log in and view Pervenative Maintenance Reports, field reports and invoices
If you are considering replacing your HVAC equipment, expansion or a renovation. Please let us put our 35 years of experience and dedication to work for you.
- We perform factory authorized HVAC equipment start up and service
- Pre-Construction HVAC Consulting
- Custom Sheet Metal and Piping fabrication and installation
- We are fully licensed and insured
Check out Lake HVAC Service Department offerings here