SUPERMARKET EQUIPMENT
Three common considerations of HVAC maintenance
By Martin Brady, service director at Swegon UK&I. H
eating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is a crucial component of any building's infrastructure, responsible for providing comfortable indoor conditions for occupants. However, like any mechanical system, HVAC equipment requires regular maintenance to function at its best.
One of the most significant ways poorly maintained HVAC equipment can increase building energy use is through decreased efficiency. As such, this means that the system needs to work harder and longer to achieve the same level of comfort for occupants, leading to higher energy consumption and costs for the building owner. Of course, the reality of calculating these losses will vary building to building, depending on the system type, climate conditions and usage pattern. To achieve a good indoor climate with low operating costs, your ventilation system must be designed and installed properly to minimise energy losses and preserve air quality. The entire duct system including the ventilation unit must be both well insulated and air tight, alongside being formed to allow for proper cleaning, as poorly maintained HVAC equipment can lead to increased energy use through system compensation.
Does this mean it’s time to clean your condenser coils? We can use clogged condenser coils as an example of a system's decreased ability to remove heat from a building, leading to increased energy use to maintain indoor temperatures. Last summer, as the UK saw record high temperatures, Swegon saw a higher influx than usual of customer support requests regarding their equipment. Due to the higher seasonal external and ambient temperatures, the systems in place were facing challenges when it came to performing at optimum levels. Loss of air flow and heat rejection across the cooling components is one of the most common factors that can negatively affect the operation of a system. A build-up of dust and debris settling on the cooling coils can contribute to reduced performance. In some cases, this can cause downtime of the system due to it not being able maintain the required operating temperatures. With regular
16 May 2023 •
www.acr-news.com
maintenance and cleaning, these types of issues can often be prevented. To avoid significant energy waste and growing running costs for building owners in this instance, we would encourage a deep chemical clean of all of a system’s cooling coils.
With negligence or poor maintenance causing ventilation or climate equipment to malfunction and require repairs, the building owner may need to pay for emergency services or replacement parts, which can be costly and disruptive to building operation. A malfunctioning HVAC system can also cause indoor temperatures to fluctuate widely, meaning the building owner may need to use supplemental heating or cooling equipment to maintain comfortable conditions for occupants, once again resulting in increased operation costs. We spend about 90% of our lives indoors. By the time we
are 80, we have spent about 72 years inside. Knowing that, it is incredibly important to take into account the indoor climate of the places we spend a significant amount of time. We also know that we are 16% more productive in a comfortable work environment and that our ability to think strategically relies on good air quality. Improving indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in all premises where building occupants are expected to perform well is vital. As a result, it’s imperative that we are able to offer solutions that enable the sustainable and energy-efficient operation of a building without compromising IEQ.
When were your systems air filters last changed? Research suggests that poorly maintained HVAC equipment can have negative impacts on occupant health and comfort. For example, if the system's air filters are not regularly cleaned or replaced, they can become clogged with dust, pollen, and other allergens, leading to poor indoor air quality and potential health issues for occupants, as well as restricting airflow, causing the system to work harder and longer to circulate air through the building. The filters in HVAC equipment are designed to purify both indoor and outdoor air, allowing building occupants to breathe clean air by filtering allergens and other potentially harmful pollutants, substances and particles.
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