Most of the time your HVAC system will work away quietly to make your building environment comfortable to use whatever the weather. They do, howeve,r need regular maintenance to ensure their efficient and effective operation. Your HVAC system is dealing with air that is often polluted or dirty, making it clean and safe for the building occupants.
As a result, components of your HVAC system will become dirty over time. If this is allowed to build up it will ultimately begin to impact the performance of your system. HVAC cleaning will usually form a part of your regular maintenance schedule.
Is HVAC unit cleaning necessary?
Routine cleaning of your HVAC system is essential if you want to ensure the efficient operation of your HVAC unit. It extends the service life of your HVAC unit and reduces the risk of breakdown. Cleaning your HVAC system helps it to operate more efficiently and it won’t need to work harder to deliver the required results. Inefficient, dirty HVAC systems will ultimately cost you more money to run.
Keeping your system clean will allow you to enjoy the benefits of efficient air conditioning at a lower cost for longer.
How often should HVAC units be cleaned?
HVAC cleaning will usually form a part of your regular maintenance schedule. As well as regular servicing there are other maintenance tasks that building managers and homeowners can take care of themselves.
Cleaning or replacing the filter of an AC unit is one of the most important aspects of HVAC maintenance. In an environment such as an office, which should be relatively clean, this will usually be carried out on a quarterly basis. Filters in a dry clean environment will usually provide around three months of peak efficiency.
In environments, such as factories, restaurants and food processing facilities they will need to be cleaned more often. This is because chemical byproducts, grease and other debris from dirty production processes can quickly clog your HVAC filter. When this happens it inhibits the free flow of air placing a greater strain on your system.
Coils will usually be cleaned during regular servicing but in a dirtier environment, this will need to take place more often. Clean filters should prevent the evaporator coil from collecting dirt but with condenser coils, dirt build-up is always a feature. The method used to clean coils will differ depending on the type of HVAC system you use. These coils will be cleaned during servicing but they may need to be cleaned more often. Your maintenance engineer should be able to advise how coil cleaning should be best carried out and how often it should take place.
Debris can also gather within the aluminium fins which can ultimately lead to blockages. The weight of this debris may even lead to the fins bending. Another part of the system that needs to be checked regularly is the condensate drains. These can be clogged, reducing the system’s capacity to reduce humidity. The condensate drains should be inspected and any rogue blockages should be removed.
A regular cleaning schedule will look at a variety of aspects of your system and your maintenance engineer will be able to advise what should be paid attention to. HVAC systems get dirty over time and they have the potential to contain large amounts of dust and particulates.
What will cleaning your HVAC system do to help the running of your system?
Ensuring that your system is clean has a range of benefits.
Why should you have your HVAC system cleaned? The short answer is simple: because they get dirty over time and they have the potential to contain large amounts of dust and particulates.
Contaminants in your HVAC system cause it to work hard and can shorten its life. Even though filters are used, your HVAC system will still get dirty through normal use. A clean HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard to help maintain the desired temperature. This, in turn, means that less energy is used making it more efficient and cost-effective.
Through the normal occupation of a building, contaminants are generated and pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated several times a day. This re-circulation causes a build-up of contaminants in the ductwork. A clean HVAC system helps to ensure that indoor air quality is healthy and that contaminants are removed. A build-up of contaminants can cause serious problems for people with respiratory health problems, allergies or autoimmune disorders.
Regular servicing and maintenance from ECS Commissioning
ECS Commissioning can ensure that your system works as effectively and efficiently as possible through regular maintenance. We also advise on the cleaning that you can take care of between maintenance visits.
Setting up a maintenance schedule is a simple way to get the best results from your HVAC system.
Call 01535 600688 or email info@ecs-commissioning.co.uk to find out more.