It may be hard to believe that coils could be responsible for taking down your commercial HVAC system or making it operate at a low efficiency level. Routine coil cleaning can help your system turn out a peak performance, reduce your energy costs and bolster the comfort level in your store, which will make it an attractive place to shop and work.
As a business owner, you have to be concerned with your bottom line. Your business savvy tells you that a comfortable environment is important to your customers’ contentment. After all, who wants to shop in a store that has you wiping your brow or avoiding the dressing room because the air is so sticky? Let’s take a look at how your HVAC system’s coils function and how regular coil cleaning should be part of your preventative maintenance plan.
Condenser coils and evaporator coils are used to rejection
Evaporator coils are used to remove moisture and absorb heat from the air in your commercial space. The evaporator coil is part of your indoor unit.
The condenser coil’s job is to reject the heat from your air conditioning system by releasing it outside of your building. The condenser coil is normally part of your outdoor unit or it can be located in a mechanical room that has access to the outside so the hot air can be expelled from the building.
How does coil cleaning help the condenser and evaporator coils do their jobs?
The simple answer is coil cleaning promotes the efficient transfer of heat. You can probably picture a coil, which is a tube that twists in a spiral or corkscrew fashion. The tubes contain refrigerant and have fins on the outside to facilitate the heat transfer process. There are a lot a places on these coils where dirt can collect; especially when the condenser coil is located outside and exposed to all sorts of dirt, debris, soot and smog.
Dirty coils interfere with the transfer of heat. When your condenser coil is caked in grime, the heat will get trapped inside instead of being fully released. If the evaporator coil is dirty, it will not effectively absorb the heat. The result will be less efficient cooling cycles with your unit having difficulty reaching desired temperatures and removing moisture from the air. If you forego coil cleaning, you will notice the compromised system performance once your air is no longer cool and muggy air invades your space.
You’ve got a performance issue on your hands
By neglecting coil cleaning, your coils will become encased in dirt and grime and the release of heat impeded. When this happens, your compressor will have to work harder. You will notice that it is starting up more frequently and running longer in order to exchange heat. Eventually, it could end up running non-stop. Can you imagine how the constant operation of your system would add to the wear and tear on your unit and its parts and how a breakdown would be inevitable? If you find yourself calling in the repair technician all too often, it could be because you have not had a coil cleaning and routine maintenance. Regular maintenance will not only promote reliability, it will also extend the lifespan of your system.
Learn more: Why Do Retail Stores Need Commercial HVAC Preventive Maintenance?
Coil cleaning: A poorly performing system is discomforting on a number of levels
Imagine you’re setting out on a shopping spree with the goal of buying a new swim suit, which will require trips to the dressing room. Are you going to visit the shop that is notably warm and sticky or the boutique around the corner, which provides you with a comfortable climate? Uncomfortable temperatures will not entice customers to linger in your store.
Besides sticky and warm air, there’s another thing you have to concern yourself when your HVAC system in not functioning properly. Consistent humidity can initate mold and mildew growth, a thriving environment for dust mites and the spread of bacteria and viruses. Your muggy air can lead to a musty smell and these indoor air quality problems can be particularly harsh on asthma and allergy sufferers.
Customers who find themselves sneezing or having other breathing difficulties every time they come into your store will likely stop coming to your store and frequent another shop that provides a better climate. If customers rush out of your store because of air conditioning-related problems, it likely will result in fewer sales.
Learn more: Is Too Much Humidity Hurting Your Health?
To give you an idea on how important some New York City shopkeepers view air conditioning, nine of them were fined for keeping their doors open in the sweltering summer heat in an effort to lure shoppers to come inside once they felt the cool air escaping through their shop’s open doors. According to the New York Times, New York enacted a law in 2008, which prohibits stores larger than 4,000 square feet or that are part of chain of five or more stores from leaving doors open when using air conditioners.
Make coil cleaning part of your regular maintenance schedule
If there’s any question in your mind whether your system is in need of a coil cleaning, take a peek at your outdoor unit. You might recoil when you see the nasty shape those spiral tubes are in when you complete your inspection. HVAC experts recommend that your system undergo coil cleaning once or twice annually as part of a routine maintenance plan (or more if your building is located in an area plagued by poor air quality or exposed to a lot of dust, debris or industrial and kitchen exhaust). The age and workload of your system also play a role in a stepped-up coil cleaning schedule.
Regular coil cleaning is one of the relatively inexpensive things you can do to keep your air conditioning system in good working order. As a business owner, you’re concerned about profit margins and regular coil cleaning and preventative maintenance can save you money on repairs and energy bills. A comfortable environment will draw customers to your store, help attract return customers and increase the productivity of your employees, which all will help bolster your bottom line.
To learn more, take advantage of our complimentary guide.
Do you have older HVAC or commercial refrigeration equipment? Due to EPA regulatory changes, R22 refrigerant (the standard used to power AC and commercial refrigeration systems for decades) will be phased out come January 2020. Get informed about how this change impacts you with this information bulletin, R22 Refrigerant Phase Out: Do You Need to Replace Your AC?
