COOLING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE


BSEE


With predicons from the MET Oce suggesng that extreme heatwaves are expected to


become the norm over the next 10 to 20 years, HVAC engineers will be well placed to oer advice to customers on how to run their cooling systems in a safe and ecient way. Richard Miles, category manager for cooling at Wolseley explores some of the issues that can easily be overcome by a good maintenance roune


systems, such as air conditioning units. First and foremost, customers who don’t have their cooling systems maintained and serviced run the risk of transmitting microorganisms and airborne viruses, which can have a detrimental impact on health. For businesses, there is a knock-on effect. Staff can become unwell and productivity can be hampered as downtime will mean a loss in revenue.


Why bother with maintenance?


As strange as it may seem, there is no legal requirement to maintain air conditioning equipment.


Manufacturers only require that the equipment is maintained correctly during the warranty period to ensure any potential component failure is not related to lack of maintenance. F Gas regulations only refer to the requirement to ‘leak check and leak prevention’.


HVAC engineers will know from their comprehensive training that noisy cooling systems and excessive heat production are just some of the signs that maintenance is needed. Cooling units also often utilise


hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that can leak into the environment if ignored. Furthermore, many air conditioning systems are highly intensive, with significant demands for electricity and fossil fuel use, which can undermine the work carried out by BREEM (the leading sustainability assessment method, see www.breeam.com) and other such sustainable requirements.


HVAC engineer’s maintenance routine


uCleaning or replacing the filters within the air condioning units is the most important aspect of the maintenance roune


The potential risk of failure and shortened equipment life should make it impossible for customers to simply ignore the importance of a regular maintenance of the cooling system. HVAC engineers are best placed to highlight the importance servicing and maintenance of the system. This


Keeping your cool A


The HVAC engineer’s guide to maintaining cooling systems


s the temperatures rise, it’s important that HVAC engineers advise customers of the importance of maintaining cooling


process can be broken down into several parts, as follows:


Cleaning the filters


Cleaning or replacing the filters within the air conditioning units is the most important aspect of the maintenance routine. Clogged and dirty filters block natural clean air and reduce the efficiency of a system significantly. Government findings show that replacing a dirty and clogged filter with a clean one can lower the energy consumption of the system by five to 25 per cent.


HVAC engineers are well placed to advise customers that during the hotter months, filters should be repeatedly changed every month or two months. Dusty conditions may mean the filters need changing more frequently.


Cleaning the coils


Just like filters, coils can collect dirt over their months and years of service. Depending on the dust and dirt ratio, the filters may need cleaning or replacing more frequently. Dirt will interrupt the coil’s ability to allow clean air flow – inevitably, the dirt will insulate the coil and will accumulate dirt and soil.


Condensate drains


HVAC engineers will spot the signs of blocked drain channels within the cooling system, usually the decolourisation of nearby walls and carpets. Clogged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, which results in the system producing excess moisture.


Regulating energy consumption levels


Energy usage needs to be monitored with each maintenance check. HVAC engineers can explain the importance of regulating energy consumption and offer the maintenance required to reduce energy bills and the likelihood of system breakdown.


Other considerations


In addition to these fundamental stages that an HVAC engineer will undertake during a routine maintenance visit, there are other imperative checks that need to be completed. These include: u Checking for the correct amount of refrigerant. u Testing for refrigerant leaks using a leak detector. u Capturing any refrigerant that must be evacuated from the system, instead of illegally releasing it to the atmosphere. u Checking for and seal duct leakage in central systems. u Verifying the correct electric control sequence and making sure that the heating system and cooling system cannot operate simultaneously.


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u Inspecting electric terminals, cleaning and tightening connections, and applying a non-conductive coating if necessary. u Oiling motors and checking belts for tightness and wear. u Checking the accuracy of the thermostat.


This list is certainly not exhaustive and may need specific checks to ensure specific problems are dealt with quickly.


The main emphasis on all


maintenance jobs is that problems are explained as clearly as possible to the customer and they are given the options of how they can solve the problem, or problems, associated with their system.


Reinforce member status with associated cooling bodies


Customers look for engineers who are part of an official body, such as Gas Safe for heating engineers, and F Gas registered for the cooling industry. As well as being a legal requirement for engineers handling fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases), it gives customer confidence that the engineer has been trained to a certain standard and understands the industry in which they work.


With over 70 dedicated cooling branches nationwide, Wolseley has one of the largest networks in the UK and offers a large range of air conditioning products, components, spares, accessories and tools. Engineers can also buy online and collect from any one of Wolseley’s 480 branches nationwide.


www.wolseley.co.uk ‘


HVAC engineers will know from their comprehensive training that noisy cooling systems and excessive heat producon are just some of the signs that maintenance is needed


’ BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JANUARY 2019 11


uThe main emphasis on all maintenance jobs is that problems are explained as clearly as possible to the customer


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