Welcome to the first of our four-part series on HVAC preventative maintenance contracts.
Over the next four weeks, we’ll be talking about the various types of contracts that are available,HVAC Preventative Maintenance Contract and how having a well-maintained system can benefit your building — and your budget.
Let’s get started with the overall importance of preventative maintenance. The right hvac preventative maintenance agreement considers the technology, age, frequency of use and load requirements of your HVAC system. This helps to sustain a building’s overall profitability by addressing worker comfort and productivity, equipment reliability and energy-efficient operation. When performed regularly and systematically, hvac preventative maintenance can greatly improve system performance, reduce equipment degradation and maximize the life span of your HVAC system.
Use the following checklist as a starting point for thorough preventative maintenance:
- Twice-yearly inspections, with seasonal start-up and run inspections.
- Seasonal preventative maintenance of chillers and boilers.
- Cooling tower inspection that includes: disassembling screens and access panels; inspecting the tower fill, support structure, sump and spray nozzles, fill valve, gear box, drive coupling, fan blades and motor bearings; cleaning starter and cabinet; wiring inspection; checking motor starter contacts for wear and proper operation; megger testing the motor and log readings; and checking the condition of the sump heater and contactor, and log observations.
- Inspection of couplings and checking for leaks. Investigating unusual noises.
- Air-handling unit maintenance, which includes cleaning or replacing air filters at least quarterly, based on their condition.
Variations among vendor services
Now that you’re familiar with the basics of good HVAC preventative maintenance, it’s important to know what qualities to look for when evaluating various types of maintenance contracts. HVAC vendors offer several different levels of service — be sure to consider the following before deciding on one:
- How old are the components in your HVAC system? Do you want to cover them all?
- How much are you willing to spend?
- How much of your system and its parts are you willing to leave to chance?
Always remember to compare and contrast — not all contracts are created equal. Since there are no industry standards when it comes to what is and what is not included in preventative maintenance agreements, it’s important that you trust the company whose services you’re about to purchase. A service contract is only as good as the company that stands behind it.
Want to learn more? Download HVAC Preventive Maintenance Contracts: How to Find the Right One for Your HVAC Infrastructure, a free guide to evaluating HVAC contracts and vendors.
