The Importance of Commercial HVAC Maintenance

When you’re trying to run a successful business—or are leasing office space to a variety of different tenants—the last thing you want to deal with is problems with your HVAC system.

Rather than creating a comfortable, safe and clean environment for your employees, customers or tenants, a commercial HVAC system that has not received proper maintenance can really disrupt the day-to-day operations of your business.

Not only that, but a commercial HVAC system that does not receive regular maintenance can result in costly repairs or replacements.

The expert team at Aire Serv of Dallas are well-versed in commercial HVAC maintenance. We understand the importance of regularly scheduled check-ups so that the day-to-day at your place of work can run smoothly.

Read on to discover what you need to know about commercial HVAC maintenance and repair—from how your HVAC system works to when you need to contact our pros at Aire Serv of Dallas.

What is a Commercial HVAC System?

Commercial HVAC systems—or Heating, Ventilation and Cooling systems—are what makes your place of business a comfortable space for employees and customers alike. These systems create the best environment for commercial spaces by controlling temperature, moderating humidity, and maintaining indoor air quality.

How Does a Commercial HVAC System Work?

Commercial HVAC achieves its purpose of maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature, mitigating humidity levels, and upkeeping air quality by having its three systems work in tandem.

This is how the three aspects of a commercial HVAC system work together:

• Air conditioning units decrease indoor temperatures through the use of refrigerants. This process also removes excess moisture from the air.
• Heating systems increase indoor temperatures through the use of water, radiator coils or gas.
• Ventilation systems purify the air through the use of filtration systems and circulate the air with fans.

What Are the Different Types of HVAC Systems?

Different HVAC systems work better than others—depending on the situation. For instance, if you only need to heat/cool/ventilate a smaller space, you’ll opt for a different kind of system than if you need to heat/cool/ventilate a larger, more complex space. For example, the needs of a 50-seat restaurant are different than that of a 30-floor hotel.

While there are many different variations of commercial HVAC systems, we’ve outlined the three main categories below:

Single Split Systems

This system is the most popular type of HVAC for small commercial buildings. Single split systems are affordable and enable you to control the heating and cooling of individual rooms. However, this system also takes a lot of space as each indoor unit requires an outdoor unit. Depending on how many units you need, you may want to switch to a multi split system.

Multi Split Systems

Multi split systems operate like single split systems, except that this system uses inverter technology to enable nine indoor units to connect with one outdoor unit. This saves space while also cutting down on energy. Multi split systems save energy by reducing the need for the compressor (part of an HVAC system’s technology) to be turned on and off throughout the day. Rather, multi split systems use sensors to detect small changes in temperature and adjust accordingly. The drawback of a multi split system is that it takes longer and costs more to install.

VRF Or VRV Systems

Standing for ‘variable refrigerant flow’ and ‘variable refrigerant volume’ respectively, both acronyms refer to the same HVAC system. This kind of system is best for large mixed-use buildings—such as hotels or shopping malls. There are two different variations of VRF/VRV systems:

• Heat Pump: A heat pump system is best for open plan buildings and can either heat or cool an area.
• Heat Recovery: A heat recovery system works best for when a building has a series of smaller rooms, as it can heat or cool a space simultaneously.

How Long Do HVAC Systems Last?

Given the proper commercial HVAC maintenance, your system should last between 10 and 15 years. However, there are many factors that influence the longevity of your HVAC system. These factors include:

• Efficient system design.Not all HVAC systems are completed equally, and some heating and cooling units are developed to be more efficient than others.
• Quality of key components (such as a compressor or heat pump).Just like how the quality of your ingredients impacts the quality of your meal, so too does the quality of the parts that make up your HVAC system. The better the parts, the better the system will operate.
• Usage demands throughout the year.Heavily used HVAC systems tend to wear more quickly than units that are not used as often.
• Correct system installation.If you think your HVAC system has been installed incorrectly, or you have any questions about how HVAC systems should be operating, give our expert team a call today.
• The Dallas climate.While Dallas is a beautiful city to live in, its delightful heat and humidity can cause excess wear on your HVAC system.
• Technical skill of HVAC technicians providing routine maintenance.Quality is key to how well and how long your commercial HVAC system will operate. This includes the skill of any technicians you have hired in the past, and may hire going forward.
• Routine maintenance.The best thing you can do for your HVAC system is to schedule regular check-ups to ensure it is running smoothly, and to catch any problems before they escalate.

What Kind of Maintenance Does a Commercial HVAC System Require?

The type of commercial HVAC maintenance required for your system depends on if a technician is looking at your cooling, heating or air ventilation setup. The qualified technicians at Aire Serv Dallas are experts at upkeeping the different parts of your HVAC system.

Air Conditioning Unit Maintenance

When an Aire Serv technician performs routine maintenance on your cooling system, he or she will:

• Clean the system’s coils, blower components and condensate drain.
• Check all electrical components.
• Lubricate and adjust the cooling system as needed.
• Prevent an inefficient system and damage to the compressor through verifying and adjusting proper refrigerant levels.
• Ensure the safe, proper function of the AC unit and thermostat through a system diagnostic check.
• Prevent loss of conditioned air, wasted energy and an uncomfortable work environment through identifying and resolving ductwork leaks.
• Address issues in the AC system before they create costly repairs, unexpected damage or a system failure.

Heating System Maintenance

During a routine inspection and maintenance appointment, your Dallas technician will be sure to:

• Complete an inspection of all furnace components, including the heat exchanger, burner, ductwork, plenum, blower and flue or vent pipe.
• Check the vent system for leaks or blockages.
• Ensure the heat exchanger is not corroding.
• Lubricate the motor’s parts to reduce friction.
• Check all electrical connections and wires.
• Test the unit’s safety controls and that the start-up cycle is functioning correctly.
• Complete a professional cleaning.

Air Quality Check

In addition to monitoring your cooling and heating systems, our skillful technicians will complete an indoor air quality test. Completing an indoor air quality test is very important for the health and well-being of your employees and customers. It’s also the only way to know if your commercial building’s air is contaminated with:

• VOCs or ‘volatile organic compounds’
• Dust
• Pollen
• Formaldehyde
• Radon

What is the Benefit of Regular Commercial HVAC Maintenance?

In addition to keeping your commercial space clean and safe for customers and employees alike, there are many reasons why you get routine commercial HVAC check-ups from the trained professionals at Aire Serv Dallas.

Reducing Operational Costs

The worse shape your HVAC system is in, the more energy it will use to operate. This increase in energy use will also increase your monthly utility bill. As a business owner, saving unnecessary costs can be critical for running your business. After all, wouldn’t you rather spend that money onboarding new clients or hiring new employees? Prevent drastic increases in operational costs by investing in routine maintenance.

Avoid Breakdowns

Trying to entice customers to visit your shop during the hot and humid Dallas summer can be incredibly difficult if your HVAC system is not working correctly. Likewise, creating a comfortable environment for your employees is nearly impossible if you have a malfunctioning cooling and heating system. Unforeseen breakdowns can be avoided if you trust the technicians at Aire Serv Dallas and regularly schedule commercial HVAC maintenance—preventing repairs that could derail your business operations.

Prevent Disruptions to Day-to-Day Operations

Speaking of preventing your daily operations from being derailed, not only does a malfunctioning HVAC system cause great discomfort to your employees and/or customers, but that discomfort can actually reduce your staff’s productivity. Don’t risk seeing a reduction in sales or having projects run late because your team is uncomfortable. Also, depending on your commercial HVAC system, the repairs to a broken unit could be very disruptive to your workplace.

Improve Comfort for Your Employees or Customers

Perhaps you just moved into a commercial space and didn’t realize that your HVAC unit had not received recent maintenance. There could be build-up within the system that is causing it to work at a lower capacity—not only increasing your energy bill but also decreasing the level of comfort for your employees. Once this build-up is cleared away—or any faults repaired—your clients and employees will be able to operate in a much more comfortable environment—even if they were accustomed to the status quo of a damaged HVAC system.

Extended Life of the Equipment

Without routine commercial HVAC maintenance, even the best equipment can start to wear out due to extended use or age. However, under the care of a trained technician, regular service will help keep all major components of your system lasting as long as possible.

Maintaining Equipment Warranty

Did you know that your commercial HVAC systems warranty may become void if you have not serviced the equipment with regular maintenance appointments? It’s very important to comply with all the requirements of a warranty protection plan. Doing so could even help you avoid having to cover the full cost of repairs, replacements or upgrades.

Improve Air Quality

Regular cleaning and inspections of your commercial HVAC system ensures that the air filters in both your heating and cooling units are being replaced frequently. This guarantees that you are giving your employees and customers the best air quality possible. Should the air quality within your building become compromised, it could affect the health, well-being and productivity of your staff.

Safeguard Against Emergencies

There is a reason the saying, “the best defense is a good offense,” so often rings true. Without regularly scheduled commercial HVAC maintenance, you could risk having to deal with a much worse problem than a simple check-up. For instance, lack of proper HVAC care could cause:

• Flooding and water damage from condensate puddles created by a blocked condensate line in your AC unit.
• Carbon monoxide build-up due to dirty furnaces, blocked ductwork or cracks in the heat exchanger.
• Dangerously low oxygen levels from furnaces that don’t get enough fresh air.
• Fires caused from soot building-up in your furnace.

Peace of Mind

Arguably, the greatest benefit to scheduling routine commercial HVAC maintenance is that you will have peace of mind. Be a proactive business owner and ensure that your HVAC system is working correctly, avoid disruptive and costly system repairs and safeguard your staff and customers’ health.

Put unwanted worries aside by hiring qualified technicians to conduct regular check-ups on your commercial building’s air quality and heating and cooling systems.

Schedule Your Commercial HVAC Maintenance Appointment

Contact us today to get in touch with a skillful technician who will be able to professionally and efficiently conduct your commercial HVAC maintenance appointment. Our team of licensed AC/heater repair professionals are like EMTs for your heating or air systems. We’ll ensure your HVAC system is healthy and safe.

Our brand has been synonymous with excellence since 1992 and we always put our customers first. Not only is our experience in the field of AC/heater repair unmatched, but we also understand how to service all types of HVAC systems.

We invite you to call our Dallas team today to book an appointment. Your employees, clients and HVAC system will thank you.