Commercial Air conditioning “Maintenance vs. Repair”
Commercial Air conditioning “Maintenance vs. Repair”
Experience has shown us that more than half of our breakdown or emergency call outs for commercial air conditioning and refrigeration equipment is due to lack of correct maintenance and the proactive replacement of worm parts. The impact to businesses of not carrying out the correct maintenance can include;
- Loss of trade or the inability to trade
- Loss or damage to stock
- Loss of time or management resources within the business
- Increased maintenance costs (emergency call out fees and typical larger repair needs)
We have seen; commercial sites closed down because of a lack of ventilation due to broken down air conditioning systems. Commercial bins full of spoiled product due to a failed freezer, and have witnessed many times, the lack of productivity of management as the run around to try and work out solutions so they can continue to operate whilst repairs are carried out on their equipment.
With many of these situations, a costly repair could have generally been avoided by less costly and more convenient maintenance. That is not to say that replacement of parts and additional work may not be required, but by maintaining your commercial air conditioning and refrigeration equipment correctly, this can be done in a more controlled and cost efficient way.
Some common examples of where a low cost maintenance item could save you an expensive repair;
| Equipment item | Common use | Maintenance item | Likely repair |
|
Condenser coil |
This can get clogged with dirt and grime, which can restrict its ability to expel heat | Keeping the coil clean and free of debris | If left unattended, the system will not run hot, leading to increase energy use and eventual failure of the compressor unit |
| Evaporator coil | Coils can block up over time causing icing to occur | Ensure they are in good working order, free of dents or crimping | If not maintained the unit will use more power and could eventually shut down |
| Door seals | Overtime they can become dirty and damaged/misshapen/dry with improper use | A simple clean and realignment can ensure a good seal between door and cabinet | Broken or misaligned seals means the unit needs to work harder and will be running inefficiently, this may result in replacement of a full door seal |
| Air filters | Filters commonly become clogged with dirt lint and grit, blocking airflow and forcing residual airflow through a dirty filter | Regular three monthly cleaning of filters provides optimum airflow |
Clogged filters forces fan motor to work harder which over time will cause it to burn out and be replaced |
There are recognised maintenance standards for all types of commercial refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, with many equipment warranties requiring a certain level of maintenance to maintain coverage. If you are in any doubt of the state of your equipment or would like to know what sort of maintenance it requires, then please contact us at Alpine heating today for a full assessment.
With the summer heat on the way, proactive maintenance now could save you from having an emergency breakdown call out later.
Categorised in: Air-conditioning, Refrigeration
This post was written by Alpine Heating and Cooling