As the owner or facility manager for a commercial building in Colorado, you already know that managing a building is like a business unto itself. Every commercial facility has its own balance sheets and profit and loss statements that have to be forecast, budgeted, and reconciled continually. Whether you also own the company that utilizes the facility or not, an ongoing issue where the building is losing money could spell disaster over the long term.
While it’s important to make wise spending decisions when possible, it’s just as necessary to be able to effectively budget and determine what costs will be in the future in order to plan properly. When it comes to handling large repairs or replacements, such as HVAC system components, not only are they large capital expenses, their functionality is also completely unpredictable, right? Actually, not so much.
In fact, incorporating a planned maintenance program for your commercial HVAC system into your building’s annual budget can provide that level of strategic, budget-worthy predictability along with two other important cost-savings benefits: extended equipment life span, and improved energy efficiency, resulting in lower operating costs. How does it work?
Commercial HVAC units are complex mechanical, electronic and, increasingly, digital automated systems. In some ways, this makes them more complicated than they once were, but also far more effective, efficient, and cost-conscious, as long as they’re properly maintained.
If your commercial HVAC system is being overworked because of faulty or poorly programmed controls, or because of routine maintenance issues like clogged air filters, cluttered motor housings, or electrical issues caused by pests, it’s far more likely to suddenly grind to a halt requiring an emergency repair and/or expensive component replacement.
On the other hand, a system that is regularly maintained by qualified, expert HVAC technicians is able to run in top form over a long timeframe, providing quality heating, cooling and ventilation to the building without large, unexpected expenses. At the same time, the recommended maintenance schedule those technicians supply can serve as a planning tool when mapping out capital expenditures for the upcoming year.
While every commercial HVAC system has an expected life span as determined by the manufacturer, after which you should expect to need to replace it, that expected life span is based on the understanding that you’re going to be properly maintaining that system continually.
If the system is not properly maintained, but is forced to operate without the proper cleaning, lubricating, and other routine maintenance, it’s performance is going to suffer. The chance of the system surviving as long as the manufacturer lists is slim, and the likelihood of it operating effectively that long is even lower.
One of the first areas where you’re likely to realize your current system is in need of maintenance is when it starts becoming less energy efficient. The same conditions that cost $X in electricity or natural gas last month now cost $Y more this month because the system is struggling to work efficiently.
For every filter that needs cleaning or replacing, every seal that’s allowing air or water to leak, and every sensor that’s not quite calibrated correctly, your commercial HVAC unit could be using energy excessively. The longer it goes without routine maintenance, the worse this problem can become.
In nearly every commercial facility, following a planned maintenance program can:
Isn’t it about time you looked into setting up a planned maintenance program for your commercial building in Denver? To learn more about options for your facility, contact our expert team of HVAC professionals at Tolin Mechanical.