Whether it’s your daily, monthly or annual budget, every dollar counts when operating a business. The larger your retail or office space — the greater the potential to either waste or save money on energy costs. Although it’s an upfront investment for your business, professional commercial HVAC preventative maintenance will save you money in the long run.
What preventative maintenance is and why it’s important
Preventative maintenance is maintenance that is regularly performed on a piece of equipment to detect early signs of deteriorating equipment and to predict potential system failures.
Preventative maintenance is one of the most important parts of managing a building or facility. Along with lighting, HVAC systems are some of the biggest energy users and are responsible for about 60% of energy use in commercial buildings. Regularly cleaning and inspecting your building’s HVAC system will improve energy efficiency, reduce overall operating costs and ensure occupant comfort.
Additional benefits of a preventative maintenance program include:
- Extended equipment life from proper maintenance and documentation
- Reduced emergency situations due to planned services and evaluations
- Improved safety and healthier environmental conditions for occupants
Preventative maintenance checklist
Every building and its environment have unique needs, which is why a customized preventative maintenance plan is ideal. A full-service HVAC contractor will conduct a comprehensive survey of the mechanical and environmental systems to create a customized plan.
A customized preventative maintenance checklist should include:
- Full cleaning of HVAC system
- Inspection of safety switches and devices
- Check of heat exchangers for cracks or damage
- Filter replacement
- Calibration of temperature controls and economizer controls
- Adjustment of fans and belts
- Inspections of all electrical components
Cost of preventative maintenance
The average cost of a commercial HVAC maintenance contract is between $10 and $15 per square foot. The main factors that impact the cost are the building size, the building environment and the size of equipment in the facility. For example, a data center typically requires a more extensive HVAC system and maintenance program to properly maintain the critical environment than a small to mid-size retail building does.
At Bell Brothers, our primary objective is to help eliminate problems related to building operations. We work closely with our clients to understand their needs and challenges and help them create a customized maintenance plan.
To learn more about our commercial HVAC maintenance contracts or to receive a free estimate, call 515-244-8911 or contact us online.
