HVAC maintenance can be a mystery for new facility managers or new tenants in a building. If you’re lucky, your system will only need the occasional cleaning and monthly filter change. However, there are many myths that facility managers are led to believe can cause serious problems within our system.
Don’t believe these HVAC maintenance myths you hear online or from your handyman down the street. MaintenX cares about the quality of preventative care, and we want you to follow the right rules for keeping your HVAC system in check.
If your HVAC system is running slow, turn the thermostat lower than you want it to be so it will cool down faster.
This is a common mistake made by both homeowners and commercial facility managers. If your HVAC system cannot cool your building to the temperature you set, it is running inefficiently and needs to be diagnosed for potential issues.
A bigger HVAC system will cool more efficiently.
Bigger is not better when it comes to your HVAC units. Commercial systems are designed to fit the exact space you’re trying to heat and cool. Going any bigger than what is needed is a waste of time, and may even cause inefficiencies.
Turning off the AC when the office is closed will help you save money.
While we do recommend changing the temperature for extended closures (such as during holidays or for temporary leave), you don’t need to turn it off completely. Your system will expend more energy changing the temperature dramatically than it would by maintaining a temperature that you can adjust easily.
You should let your HVAC system completely wear out before replacing it.
This strategy can cost you more on expensive repairs trying to keep a failing system alive. If you replace your HVAC system at the right time, you can save on pricey repairs and upgrade to a more energy-efficient model which will help you recoup the expenses in lower power bills.
You don’t have to schedule preventative care on newer systems.
New systems will run more efficiently and need less care, but problems can arise even with an HVAC unit that was installed within the year. Be diligent about changing filters and scheduling cleanings regardless of the age of the system, so you can keep a high-performance unit working smoothly.
At Maintenx, we pride ourselves in top-notch preventative care for commercial HVAC systems. To learn more about what you can do to better maintain your system, contact us today.
