Like any equipment, air conditioning needs regular maintenance – not just to make sure it works efficiently but also to validate the manufacturer’s warranty and ensure it lasts through its predicted lifetime period. With offices still either closed or on skeleton staff, there’s far less disruption to the building’s occupants and access is much easier, especially if you need to get into tricky roof spaces.   

Generally speaking, to keep on top of things a full maintenance check should take place around three times a year.  Manufacturers provide full and clear schedules for each piece of equipment covering all mechanical, electrical and electronic parts, but for indoor units the real focus is on the fan motor, fan, filters and body and casings, as well as the heat exchanger and drip trays. For outdoor units it’s similar, with a primary focus on the compressors, heat exchangers and fans and motors. Last but not least, inspections of the total heat exchanger – VAM – will cover fan motors, fans, filters and casings. Much of this will be either a visual check or – if the equipment has been idle – switching it on and off to check everything is in good working order. Many obvious faults – such as loose casings or damaged insulation – can be easily fixed to help improve performance and service life.

Even if you are not able to undertake a full maintenance programme, there are three critical things you can do that will save customers time, effort and money later on. The first is very basic, but it’s often overlooked: check the remote controller to make sure there aren’t any fault codes. The other two are cleaning - especially the filters and coils – and checking the refrigerant. If you do nothing else, then do these and you’ll be doing yourself, the equipment and your customer a big favour.

Cleaning is important because of dust and other debris – one of the biggest enemies of efficient HVAC systems. It’s ever present and builds up steadily over time. Filters are there to collect it of course, but these need to be regularly checked and thoroughly cleaned. If they’re not, the system will start losing efficiency – research has shown that this could be by up to 15% in some extreme cases. It’s even possible for a blocked filter to cause permanent component failure.

However, even the best filters can’t collect every microscopic particle of dust, and it has an annoying habit of getting into other vital parts, including the coil which sits right behind the filter. This relatively delicate mechanism – typically made of copper and aluminium - can be seriously impacted with a knock-on effect for the whole system. This applies equally to external equipment and coils, where leaves and other waste rubbish can quickly ingress exposed areas. So perhaps the biggest single thing you can do to ensure an efficient system is to keep everything clean and clear of as much dust and debris as possible – and if it’s not, getting to work with a vacuum cleaner. If this doesn’t quite do the trick, then there are a number of specialist cleaning fluids designed specifically for coils. 

By undertaking basic visual checks and keeping things as clean as you can you’ll help avoid the one thing nobody really wants – a thorough deep clean. Used as a last resort when everything else has failed this is a costly, invasive and time-consuming process involving a steam cleaner and other specialist equipment. If the indoor unit needs deep cleaning, the whole room needs to be cleared, while the amount of steam and water generated can potentially cause damage to floors, surfaces and office equipment. Expect at least half a day’s work per unit which all adds up, especially in larger office spaces. Regular inspections and cleaning can help avoid this disruption and it’s definitely worth educating customers or building owners on the benefits of regular inspections. 

Alongside cleaning away excess dust and debris, it’s also vitally important to check the refrigerant gas. Clearly this is a vital component of HVAC systems, and if the system is operating on a lower charge (i.e. less gas than is needed) then efficiency is compromised. Lower levels could be caused through general use, or from leaks which are a fact of life in HVAC systems. Even if the leak is small, it still presents a significant risk to health and the environment. These considerations, together with increasingly stringent F-gas legislation and a steadily rising cost of gas mean that regular checks are therefore vital. If not, the system owners might be penalised for non-compliance. Contractors therefore have clear responsibilities in this regard, and there are government guidelines around the frequency of testing for F-gas leaks. This depends on the amount of F-gas in the system, as well as its GWP (global warming potential). While certain equipment, including some hermetically sealed systems have no maximum service intervals, most do, ranging from at least once every 12 months, to every three months, while larger systems must incorporate automatic detection.

Although leak detection can occasionally be a complex process, there are a number of hand-held systems which can simplify this process. These are readily available and relatively inexpensive. For example, Wolseley has an extensive range from manufacturers including JAVAC. We strongly recommend adding regular leak checks to all maintenance schedules as a matter of course — particularly while many commercial buildings remain virtually empty. By protecting the system and the owner, the additional leak testing adds value to your customers and is also chargeable as an extra service. 

For all of these reasons, contractors should take time explaining the importance of regular maintenance to their customers and should introduce leak testing if it’s not already on offer. The business case is clear – it extends service life and saves time and cost in the long-term, while also reducing disruption caused by breakdown and deep cleaning. Most of all, it makes sure that you as a contractor, and your customer as a business, are doing the right taking by taking a responsible and sustainable approach. In these challenging times, that’s more important than ever.