Spring Cleaning for Commercial Buildings and School Facilities

Spring is a time of renewal, rebirth and for many people, an annual ritual known as spring cleaning. Originally, spring cleaning was necessary due to long winters of heating with wood, kerosene and candles that left a layer or soot and grime throughout the home. Today, spring cleaning is much less a laborious chore and more an opportunity to throw open the windows, let in some fresh air, and make our homes clean, happy and efficient spaces.

The same philosophy can be applied to commercial buildings and public facilities, such as schools and municipalities. While most people think of shining the windows, washing curtains and sprucing up the yard during spring cleaning, facility managers and maintenance staff should be thinking about buffing boilers, polishing HVAC units and sweeping the chimney (so to speak). Not only does cleaning equipment keep them running efficiently, but keeps occupants safe, healthy and comfortable.

Spring Cleaning Checklist:

• Clean out chiller tubes
• Test compressors for leaks
• Test smoke alarms
• Replace light bulbs
• Check roof for leaks
• Inspect condenser and evaporator coils
• Clean or replace air filters
  
  
  
  

Spring is also a good time to schedule annual maintenance inspections both inside and outside including HVAC equipment, boilers, chillers, pipes and the roof. Studies show that proper maintenance can cut HVAC energy costs while also extending equipment life, improving occupant comfort, and increasing uptime. In addition, effective maintenance can reduce HVAC energy costs by 5 to 40 percent depending on the system or equipment involved.  

To keep small HVAC systems (2 to 10 tons), such as direct expansion rooftop units and split systems in good working order, here is some information that will make a big difference from Don Meek, our VP of Construction Operations:

Most small HVAC systems have a fixed metering device, such as a capillary tube or fixed orifice, which controls the rate of refrigerant flow into the cooling coil and though the system. The flow of refrigerant in these type systems is totally dependent on the volume of refrigerant (the adjusted refrigerant charge) in the system. The adjusted refrigerant charge becomes very critical to the effectiveness and efficiency of the cooling system. Just a few ounces of refrigerant can make a huge difference in how much refrigerant is metered through the cooling coil, how well the system dehumidifies and cools the air, and how long the system has to run to meet the thermostats temperature set point of a room. 

Most manufactures provide a charging chart with these HVAC systems with information that provides a guide to proper refrigerant charging in differing ambient conditions. To properly charge the system, pressures and temperatures of the liquid line and the suction line will be required, as well as a set of refrigerant gauges and an electronic thermometer with a sensor that can be strapped or taped to the refrigerant lines. The manufacturers charging chart will detail what the liquid line and suction line temperatures and pressures should be at varying ambient and room temperatures. 

Simple maintenance steps should be taken to insure all HVAC system components are clean before charging the system as this can greatly affect the pressure and temperature readings during the charging process. Inspect and clean the condenser coil (outside unit) and the evaporator coil (inside unit) if required and make sure the air filter is clean prior to charging the system.

A properly charged system will insure you are maximizing the cooling capacity of the HVAC system and extending the life of the compressor by providing proper cooling of the compressor motor and retention of oil in the compressor for proper lubrication of the moving parts. 

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure…especially during a hot Texas summer!