Spring is a critical time for commercial HVAC maintenance for a number of reasons. As today is the Spring Equinox, the first official day of Spring 2018, it’s important to understand what’s required of commercial HVAC systems come Spring.

In the Spring, pollens, molds, and viruses start to become a serious issue. Spring is allergy season and being exposed to these allergens can cause serious discomfort or even illness for those with allergies. Indoor air quality is vitally important in the Spring, and, fortunately, it’s entirely attainable for anyone willing to put in the effort.

Most Important Commercial HVAC Maintenance Items for Spring

Ideally, every Spring a building will request a comprehensive review of all the HVAC systems. The non-stop, daily use of your commercial heating and cooling system causes build-up over time of contaminants including dust particles, bacteria, and allergens. Out of all the possible maintenance items, duct cleaning or sealing and an indoor air quality assessment are two of the most important tasks.

An indoor air quality assessment is the first step to identifying underlying issues for indoor air quality. Commercial HVAC experts can identify any source of indoor air pollution coming from your HVAC system and propose a remedy for the situation. Without understanding what’s causing poor indoor air quality, you can’t achieve good indoor air quality.

As for duct cleaning and sealing, ducts naturally collect dust and debris, including molds and pollens. Cleaning ducts prevents these potentially dangerous allergens from polluting indoor air. Sealing ducts as needed improves energy efficiency while helping prevent further indoor air pollution.

Benefits of Good Indoor Air Quality

Studies show that good indoor air quality, along with proper temperatures and humidity, reduce illness and sick days while increasing employee productivity and happiness in the workplace. Tenants have a vested interest in good indoor air quality, which means building owners and facility managers should too.

Proper indoor air quality even helps acquire new tenants through referrals from happy tenants, who are more easily retained in the first place if their work or living environment is satisfactory.

Striving towards great indoor air quality makes good business sense. There are many different benefits of good indoor air quality, but the bottom line benefits are some of the most appealing.

Spring is the most important time for duct cleaning and sealing, as well as indoor air quality assessments. With harmful allergens and other pollutants starting to become a serious issue, now is the time to complete your Spring commercial HVAC maintenance items.

A modern furnace has a typical lifespan of around 20 to 30 years. While it is advisable to consider shopping for a new one at around the 15-year mark, there are also plenty of ways to make sure you get the most out of your existing furnace. For starters, be sure you’ve got the breakers and shut off switches properly set. Also make sure you swap out dirty, clogged filters for clean ones that allow for proper airflow.

If you’re just looking to save on your heating bill, one of the most obvious ways is to turn the heat down and wear extra layers. A programmable thermostat can be very helpful too. All you need to do is program the thermostat to drop the temperature when you’re either asleep or at work. You can also seal areas within your home that leak heat, such as doors and windows.

2. YOUR ENERGY BILLS AND EQUIPMENT REPAIRS ARE STEADILY INCREASING

Older furnaces have to work harder to produce heat, and as a result, your energy bills and repair costs steadily increase. Even if there isn’t a noticeable repair that needs to be made, you’ll still come out cheaper in the long run if you purchase a more efficient furnace unit.

3. THE ROOMS THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME ARE DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES

As a furnace gets older, it can become more and more inefficient until it loses the ability to distribute heat evenly throughout the house. As a result, some rooms can be colder than others.

4. YOUR HOME HAS SOOT AROUND THE REGISTERS

A furnace register is a ventilation duct cover that can be opened and closed. Although the terms “register” and “grille” are used interchangeably, registers differ from furnace grilles due to possessing dampers which allow them to control the airflow within a duct.

If you find soot (or dust/rust) around these areas within your home, then it means that your furnace has too much CO2. Difficulty keeping a clean house aside, this can cause excessive dryness which can damage furniture, flooring and plants. It can also cause itchy throats, dry eyes, as well as respiratory issues when inhaled. If you ever see a build-up of soot near your registers, it’s probably time to get a replacement.

5. YOUR FURNACE IS EXTRA NOISY

Furnaces can be kind of noisy, but if that noise gets louder over time, then you may want to consider a replacement. Possible telltale signs can come in the form of:

Rattling: This can indicate unsecured ductwork, loose screws, sheet metal, or even the lower furnace motor not being properly balanced.
Popping: This happens when parts inside of your furnace heat and cool in response to temperature changes.
Humming: Your fan motor is probably going to make a bit of noise, but if it’s to the point of disruption, you might need a furnace blower motor replacement.
Screeching/Squealing: If you hear these noises, you should probably assume your blower motor or inducer is damaged or worn out. It could also be caused by a loose bearing, deteriorating belt, or an issue with the pulley holding the belt.