Ensuring the effective operation of your HVAC system requires regular maintenance. Planned maintenance is the means through which you ensure your HVAC system is working efficiently and safely. Planned maintenance has four phases all of which improve the running of your HVAC system while extending its service life.
What are these four phases and what role do they play in improving the running of your system?
What are the four phases of planned HVAC maintenance?
A comprehensive approach to planned HVAC maintenance can ensure that your system runs at an optimal level. This comprehensive approach to maintenance consists of four distinct phases:
Corrective maintenance
Planned corrective maintenance can happen in one of two ways. The first is carried out once a system has broken down. This is sometimes referred to as run-to-failure maintenance. The second type of corrective maintenance takes place with scheduled maintenance or inspections to identify issues that require corrective action.
Corrective maintenance allows the technical team to identify potential issues before they become significant problems. A corrective approach addresses immediate problems that prevent the smooth running of the system but it shouldn’t be used as a stand-alone maintenance plan.
Preventative HVAC maintenance
As the name suggests, preventative maintenance is designed to prevent breakdowns and it is used in three different ways:
Usage-based maintenance is carried out when equipment meets particular usage benchmarks. This will depend on the system’s specifications but it might be the number of hours of operation.
Time-based maintenance is when inspections are carried out at regular scheduled intervals whatever the condition of the system. Most HVAC systems should be serviced at least twice a year.
Condition-based maintenance takes place when specific maintenance requirements are identified. This means that the people who operate the HVAC on a daily basis will monitor its performance and be able to spot any maintenance red flags before they have a chance to become a significant problem.
Risk-based maintenance
Risk-based maintenance takes an overarching view of the state of the system to identify any potential risks that may occur. It looks at the likelihood of a minor or serious failure to help determine maintenance priorities.
This approach begins with collecting and analysing data to determine the likelihood of breakdowns. Those risks are then ranked in terms of their probability and eventual consequences. Maintenance teams will then create strategies to address unacceptable risks and then mitigate those risks.
Predictive maintenance
Predictive maintenance is undergoing something of a revolution at present with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology and smart tools that monitor the performance of your equipment. The data gathered by smart tools can allow facility managers and maintenance teams to identify problems sooner.
Earlier identification allows for faster and more efficient resolution. The data that can be provided by smart building platforms can provide valuable insights into conditions and performance. This can then guide the different phases of planned maintenance.
As smart tools gather more information, they can then reliably predict future maintenance needs. A predictive maintenance approach can still be deployed even without smart tools through the manual gathering of data. New technology merely makes this process simpler and smarter.
Predictive maintenance can support the better allocation of maintenance resources and more effective budgeting. It minimises the risk of downtime and problems can be caught in the earliest stages. A predictive maintenance approach can complement and support the three other phases of maintenance.
How do the four phases of HVAC maintenance improve the running of a system?
The four different phases of HVAC maintenance work together to ensure that your system works as effectively and efficiently as possible. They can minimize downtime, maximize the efficient use of resources and ensure the continued comfort of building occupants.
Corrective maintenance is carried out when a failure occurs. It’s performed to fix the problems and then it’s returned to its full operation. This approach is taken when equipment failure doesn’t significantly impact the operation of the buildings. It requires minimal planning and day to day to work, but can be highly unpredictable. The cost of failure can also be significant and in some cases, the failure may present a risk to employees and other assets.
For this reason, corrective maintenance will usually be used alongside other more proactive approaches. The need for corrective action should be minimized but when it is required, the remedial maintenance should be quick and effective.
Preventative maintenance works to minimize the need for corrective maintenance. This is done by conducting regular maintenance rather than waiting until failure has occurred. It keeps your HVAC system running for longer than other types of maintenance while reducing long-term repair costs. It will usually be time-based and will form the basis of most maintenance schedules for HVAC systems.
Risk-based maintenance requires more data to be gathered and the system performance monitored. On-site teams need to know what signals to look for when it comes to the performance of their system and when to call in maintenance teams. It will usually support time-based approaches and will provide an extra line of defence against the risk of failure.
Predictive maintenance is the most data-reliant form of maintenance as well as the most comprehensive. With new tools as well as older forms of data gathering you can create a planned maintenance schedule that extends the life of your system, drives down costs, makes resource allocation more efficient and enhances safety.
Planned maintenance from ECS Commissioning
At ECS, we can carry out regular maintenance for your HVAC system. This ensures that your HVAC system operates efficiently and reduces the risk of expensive repairs and downtime.
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.