Why Preventive Maintenance Matters for HVAC Systems

Some things in life we take for granted. For instance - if you are sitting in a room and feeling good, you are not thinking if the temperature is right. You don’t feel cold nor hot, because the temperature is perfect. That is often achieved by an HVAC system. HVAC systems ensure that rooms and offices are air warm in the winter, and that they are cool in the summer. These systems are working for hours, day after day regardless if it is summer of winter.

HVAC systems are just like any other machine, they don’t work in ideal conditions and they might stop working. Consequently, people start feeling uncomfortable, downtime increases and sometimes even damage to other equipment.

In order to prevent situations like that, you should use the benefits of preventive maintenance. You don’t want to wait for the HVAC system to stop working. You rather want to be ahead of the problem and prevent the issue.

For better understanding, preventive maintenance is like an annual checkup for you. You should probably go to the doctor, to check if everything is okay, even if you are feeling good. Similar to that, you should check your HVAC system while it’s still working well.

In this blog, we will explain the connection between HVAC systems and preventive maintenance. We will also show you how you can use modern tools like CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) in preventive maintenance of HVAC systems. By doing that you can improve your process, save costs and extend the life of your equipment.

Implementing preventive maintenance for HVAC systems is as important for small offices, as for large facilities.

What Is Preventive Maintenance?

The preventive maintenance is a proactive approach to maintenance that involves regularly scheduled inspections of assets and equipment, while it’s still working well. The idea is to check the equipment and prevent bigger damage, rather than wait for the problem. If you perform regular preventive maintenance you can keep your system reliable, and safe.

In the world of HVAC systems, preventive maintenance consists of:

• regular inspections
• cleaning equipment
• replacing some parts on time.

It includes checking:

• Filters
• Coils
• Fans
• Belts
• Thermostats

For example, a dirty air filter is not a big problem, but due to that, your system needs to work harder and spend more energy. That means more costs and possibly damage in the system.

If you use preventive maintenance, you can adjust your planning. You can assign your team on time, get the spare parts and do the maintenance when the system is not used that much. Planned and scheduled service is cheaper than the emergency one.

Understanding Your HVAC System

HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.

We will now explain what each of these mean, as joint together, they create a safe work environment. Also, this should help you understand why preventive maintenance is so important for HVAC systems.

• Heating keeps the air warm when the temperatures drop. Examples include:
  • Furnaces
  • Boilers
  • Heat pumps.
• Ventilation is all about air circulation. It removes stale air, brings in fresh air and helps control humidity.
• Air conditioning does the opposite of heating. It removes heat and humidity from the air.

Some of the most common HVAC parts:

These parts depend on each other. If one stops working, that can affect the other parts. Take a look at these examples: when the filter gets dirty, and the air can't pass through. As a consequence, the system started to overheat. One more example: A belt comes loose, you might hear strange noises and the system won’t run as it should.

Why Preventive Maintenance Is Important

If your HVAC system is working fine, you probably forget about it. Why? You feel good, the air seems fine and you easily forget about it. If your HVAC system starts having problems, you and your team will notice it soon. The air will become either too hot or too cold, and your team or maybe clients will start to complain.

In order to prevent the issues, you should rely on your preventive maintenance system. Not only can you avoid expensive costs, but you will make sure your system and facility are working fine. Here are some points why maintaining HVAC is important:

1. It saves energy and money

When the system is clean and equipment is working fine it is using less energy. Your electricity bill will be lower. Start with small changes, like changing filters on time. It can save your budget over the year.

2. It prevents unexpected breakdowns

You need your HVAC system more in summer and winter than during other seasons. Having an issue in summer or winter can be expensive as you have to wait longer for the maintenance team. Do regular checks during the year to avoid issues in peak season.

3. It improves air quality

When the filters are clean, the air feels better. If the system is dirty, that dust goes straight into the rooms. Your team members might start coughing or sneezing. A clean system means clean air. This is important especially if you have people with allergy issues.

4. It keeps people comfortable

If the system works right, the air temperature and air quality in the room feels good. You will not feel too hot, or too cold. Your team can focus better and don’t complain all day about the temperature.

5. It helps your system last longer

When you check and clean your system often, it lasts longer. Small issues in equipment are fixed fast. They don’t become bigger problems. It’s cheaper to fix a small issue now, then bigger one in the future.

6. It supports sustainability

When an HVAC system is efficient, it will waste less energy. You will have lower bills and do less harm to the environment. Keeping your system in good condition is good for your costs and for the planet too.

Annual HVAC Preventive Maintenance Checklist

To avoid problems, check your HVAC before the seasons change. Do it a couple of times a year, ideally twice a year. In spring, before it gets hot and in fall before it gets cold.

We have prepared a checklist you can use for modify to suite your needs:

Write down what you checked and when you did it.
You can use this checklist each season or track everything in your preventive maintenance system with CMMS software.

Simplifying Preventive Maintenance with a CMMS

Tracking all HVAC maintenance tasks can be difficult. In case you have more than one system it can become a real challenge. There are many things to check and it’s easy to forget something. That’s where a CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) like Serwizz can help.

A CMMS lets you:

• Schedule maintenance.
• Keep a record of all checks and fixes.
• Keep record of replaced parts.
• Track spare parts and know when you need to order more.
• Keep your system history.
• Provides the analytics.

Using a CMMS doesn’t replace the work itself. You and your team still need to inspect, clean and fix your HVAC system. But, planning and organising will be easier. No more whatsapp or post-it notes. Everything is in one place, in the app.

For example, you can set reminders for filter changes before each season. You can order spare parts on time and organize your team. The software keeps the record of what was done the last time and it keeps notes and special remarks.

Final Thoughts

Preventive maintenance rules are simple: Check your HVAC while it is still working well.
Check filters and equipment regularly. Listen for strange noises. Fix small issues as soon as you detect them. It will save you trouble later.

A CMMS can help you remember what to do and when. But it is you and your team who will do the checks of the system and do the repairs.

Do regular HVAC inspection, regardless of your building size. For both small and big buildings, the principle is the same. The system will work better and use less energy. Your team will work in better conditions and feel good.