A Guide for Your Company’s Commercial HVAC

Comfortable Customers = Happy Customers

Business owners, managers, and property managers typically have a lot on their plate. The everyday challenge of maintaining and growing a business pulls one in many different directions. Sales calls, client meetings, procurement, interviews, etc. The list goes on and on!

It can be a bit of a stretch to be everywhere at once and sometimes things we may take for granted are pushed onto the back burner until it’s too late.

While you probably won’t forget your meeting with that client who is 20% of your business, you may forget to maintain your air conditioning unit or to at least ensure your landlord is on top of the situation.

The last thing you want is a beautiful tour of your facility to go from a great opportunity for increased business to a disgruntled, uncomfortable client who is potentially turned off at the thought of such an oversight.

Keep your commercial HVAC system running smoothly and customers happy with this guide to help spot potential issues before they turn serious and create a plan to adequately maintain your air conditioning unit.

Have a question about one of our services? Contact Cruz Air & Electric Today!

What to Look Out For

Meetings that have to be changed, unsafe working conditions, uncomfortable environments, etc. Nobody wants to have their central air conditioner go out. Knowing what to look for and the warning signs that your air conditioning unit is going out can help save hassles in the future and money from your bottom line:

• Your HVAC system is blowing hot air. Simple enough right? As easy as it is to dismiss this as “common sense”, what is important here is to not ignore this indicator if it happens to only be temporary or goes away. This can be an indication that you may need more coolant or potentially something far worse. We will discuss a few other things shortly that may cause this issue, but if your AC unit is seemingly free and clear of all other potential problems and is simply blowing air that isn’t cool, seek professional consultation as soon as possible.
• There is a lot of debris around or over your air conditioning unit. Dirt, excessive dust, leaves, branches, etc. These can all clog your building’s central air conditioner and provide an additional strain on the system. Beyond the intensely harsh summers we face in beautiful Northeast Houston, these other factors only diminish the life cycle of our HVAC units further.
• Your company’s overhead is rising and energy usage is to blame. Many homeowners may not keep an accurate record of how much energy a home uses or exactly how much on average they might spend during (insert month here), but luckily as a natural part of business operations, business owners have quick and easy access to these records. Lowering costs is always on the minds of managers and owners alike. If your energy usage or costs have risen you may want to look at the production and effort put out by your commercial HVAC unit. The more your system strains, the more money it will cost your business.
• Be mindful of its age. Commercial HVAC units work hard to keep our desired workspaces at an acceptable temperature; however, after about 10-20 years according to the Department of Energy, AC units begin to fail no matter how much we maintain them. Combine this humid Houston heat and the fact that many units for commercial buildings can be located on the top of the building with no coverage, and you have a lot of strain on this piece of equipment. If your unit is nearing its life cycle, be aware and plan accordingly financially whenever possible.

A rise in humidity inside of your facilities, a faulty or broken thermostat, damaged coils, etc. Anything that could or does prevent your air-conditioned areas to reach an appropriate temperature should not be overlooked. The overall theme here is that if something seems out of place with the quality of conditions or the quality of air, investigate and act upon it to ensure the sustained success of your AC.

Tips to Protect Your Commercial HVAC 

Identifying and becoming more aware of our HVAC systems is a driving key for their long term success, but how do we avoid these problems and maximize our commercial HVAC unit’s life cycle?

Here are some helpful hints on assisting your AC in keeping you and your customers cool:

• Clear any excess debris. Sticks and stones may break your bones but they can also destroy AC units. Help your system out by clearing any and all debris. Make sure your landlord is on top of the necessary landscaping if leasing and those services are taken care of by another party.
• Check thermostats often. Ensure success by making sure that your thermostat is accurately measuring the temperatures being produced. If things seem to be off, contact a serviceman to prevent unneeded stress on your system.
• Clean vents and replace your filters routinely. An easy chore to forget but by doing these simple tasks monthly we not only ensure a better quality of air for our building but also ease the strain on our air conditioning unit. Having your air ducts cleaned may also contribute to a healthier environment and longer life cycle.
• Plan ahead! Now that you know the average lifespan of a commercial HVAC unit, make it a part of your company’s future expenses and plan accordingly. Setting aside money now will help alleviate headaches later and disperse the cost over time.

Simple changes and planning can make a huge difference for our businesses and the same principles apply to how companies should approach protecting their HVAC units.

Create a Comfortable Environment

If you’re already busy with the everyday grind or have a landlord who may not always be as reliable as needed, contact the experts at Cruz Air & Electric to help you install, maintain, or replace your commercial HVAC unit.

Ask how these industry leaders for over 35 years can help your building stay cool and keep customers and workers comfortable and safe with our commercial HVAC maintenance plan.