The complete commercial HVAC preventative maintenance checklist

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.

HVAC preventative maintenance in Des Moines is one of the simplest ways to keep your heating and cooling system running smoothly all year. You routinely change the oil and rotate the tires on your car to keep it operating at its best, your HVAC system deserves the same level of care. Preventive maintenance is critical to the life and performance of your furnace and air conditioner. In most homes, it’s as simple as regularly changing your air filter and signing up for an annual maintenance contract.

Benefits of HVAC Preventative Maintenance

1. Longer Life Expectancy

Maintenance is an important step in extending the life of your heating and cooling system. A furnace or air conditioner can last up to 20 years — but not if it’s poorly maintained. Investing in HVAC preventative maintenance can save you time and money, especially with Iowa’s extreme temperature swings.

Related content: How long does an HVAC system last?

2. Home Safety and Comfort

During your biannual service appointment, the HVAC technician will clean your system and inspect its internal components. For example, the Bell Brothers preventive maintenance program includes checking the furnace and air conditioner, replacing filters and carbon monoxide testing. Technicians take the time to explain what they find and work to resolve issues on the spot, helping keep your Des Moines home safe and comfortable.

3. Better Air Quality

All the air in your home passes through the furnace filter. Simply changing the filter removes trapped dirt, pollen and allergens from your home. Disposable 1-inch filters should be changed monthly, while high-efficiency filters need to be changed every six months to one year.

4. Lower energy costs

An inspection from a professional service technician ensures your HVAC system is working at peak efficiency. If not properly cleaned every year, your system could be losing up to 40 percent of its energy efficiency! Properly maintaining your system is the best thing you can do to keep your energy bills down.

5. Reliable operation

When the Iowa humidity kicks in, you rely on your air conditioner to keep your home comfortable. The air conditioner includes an inside and outside air unit. It’s important to clear debris from the cooling coils on the outside unit to keep the system running properly. A plugged coil is the primary reason air conditioners fail in the hot, summer months. A service technician will clean the system’s cooling coils during your bi-annual maintenance appointment.

While the AC takes center stage, your furnace sits idle for about six months. This allows dirt and dust to accumulate in the system components, which prevents your furnace from running its best. If you turn the system on in the fall without properly cleaning the fans, that dirt and dust will blow right back into your home. Internal system maintenance is best left to a professional service technician; it’s a messy job and can damage your system if it’s not done properly.

Loyalty Rewards for Preventative Maintenance

Bell Brothers recently launched a Loyalty Rewards Program that makes annual maintenance even more valuable. The more consecutive HVAC maintenance agreements you sign, the more credit you earn toward a future system purchase.

Schedule HVAC Preventative Maintenance in Des Moines

Bell Brothers wants to help keep your HVAC system running efficiently and reliably all year long. Contact us online to schedule your next HVAC preventative maintenance appointment.

Learn more: How HVAC Refrigerant Works in Your AC System

To learn more about our commercial HVAC maintenance contracts or to receive a free estimate, call 515-244-8911 or contact us online.